A Pathfinder’s Vision
What happens after training ends, when the classes are over and the real journey begins? A new HCMN initiative is helping volunteers find connection, purpose, and a place to belong.

Explore, Connect, and Find Your Path
Something new is taking root. Pathfinders learn how one shared challenge inspired a program designed to help them thrive beyond training.

What the Night Reveals
Bat monitoring season is underway but choosing where to listen is no simple task. See how HCMN volunteers use science and technology to track bats across Hays County.

Putting Texas Native Plants Into More Hands
As Master Naturalists, our conversations about stewardship don’t have to end when an event is over. Discover a new tool helping Texans continue learning about native plants and pollinator habitat at their own pace.

Pollinator Week: June 22 - 28, 2026
Nectar. Rest. Repeat. One garden visitor offered a closer look at pollination in action.

The 2nd Annual Stagecoach Park Conservation Fair connected families with nature and the local organizations working to protect it. See highlights from this growing community event in Buda, Texas.

A Firefly Grant, a handful of dedicated volunteers, and a big idea. Three years later, the Beautiful Hays County Activity and Coloring Book has become a countywide teaching tool for curious kids.

Watch the remarkable transformation of a Gulf Fritillary from egg to butterfly, captured through the patient observations of HCMN member Bob Currie and Salwa Khan.

Every bird counts—and so does every observer. See how the San Marcos community came together to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day and support the birds that travel through Hays County each spring.

Spring migration was in full swing at this year’s San Marcos Migratory Bird Festival. Come along on a bird walk filled with colorful warblers, unexpected sightings, and one exciting new bird at the end of the trail.

See highlights from the HCMN Spring Reunion and Fall 2025 Graduating Class—an afternoon of fellowship, learning, gratitude, and accomplishment, including Chapter Awards and Special Recognitions.

Part 2 - What Makes Bird Habitat Good?
Every property owner can do (and not do) things that make life better for birds. Learn how to enhance the health and diversity of bird life on your land.

Want to know more about improving the habitat for cavity nesting birds? See how nest box management and preservation of natural cavities can improve the numbers of native birds who find a home on your property.

The HCMN Project Fair returned in April during the Spring Reunion and Fall Graduation, bringing members and guests together to explore exciting volunteer opportunities.

On March 24, the Spring 2026 HCMN Class visited the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment in San Marcos, Texas. See how one Master Naturalist Trainee was inspired by this visit.

It was mid-April, and as I tried to get a better look, the bird lifted off and settled into a nearby tree. Read more about this Central Texas native.

Mark your calendars and join us—look closer at wildflowers, insects, and birds, and see what’s been there all along. What if the most interesting discoveries aren’t hidden at all.

Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network: “Volunteers working together to measure precipitation across the nations.”

From the Maine coast to the Texas Hill Country, one Master Naturalist traces a lifelong connection to place and the landscapes that shape both story and stewardship.

Ready to grow something that belongs? Explore the benefits of native plants and find your inspiration at the Spring Native Plant Sale, April 4, at the San Marcos Discovery Center.