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                | LeslieAnne | 
                Posted - Feb 10 2008 : 11:23:56 AM  What a GREAT forum!!!.. I'm so glad I noticed the link on MJF Farmgirl Connection... I've been a member there for about 3 & 1/2 years & love it, although I don't post as often as I'd like... 
  A little about me... I live just outside the tiny community of Shallowater, Texas, that's near Lubbock, hometown of Buddy Holly & Texas Tech University... I grew up on a farm way up there in the top of the Texas Panhandle... I've been a camper most of my life, but last year when I went tent camping at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, it was the first time I had slept in a tent in several years... I hope to do a lot more this year... 
  The outdoors & nature are my first loves, & I just became a Certified Texas Master Naturalist last summer... we have a relatively new chapter here & have just started our second training class... 
  It's gonna be fun getting to know all of you...
  LeslieAnne...westTexas | 
               
              
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                | Elizaray | 
                Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 4:42:06 PM  Welcome to the forum LeslieAnne!  It sounds like you are a true blue outdoors girl!  I will have to check out the Naturalist program in my area and if they don't have one, maybe I should petition for it to be introduced!
  Elizaray | 
               
              
                | LeslieAnne | 
                Posted - Feb 14 2008 : 11:43:52 AM  Jen, that's great that you found a Master Naturalist program in Arkansas... I thought maybe Texas wasn't the only state that had the program, but I didn't know for sure... 
  I don't know about the 1% of 1 cent of sales tax deal... I do know that all sales tax attributed to sporting goods goes to support Texas State Parks... I'll have to do some more digging to find out more...
  LeslieAnne...westTexas | 
               
              
                | Jen | 
                Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 11:44:45 AM  What an excellent program, LeslieAnne! You Texans are very conservation-conscious -- I don't think Texas gets enough credit for that. Do you all have the "1% of 1 cent sales tax" that goes to conservation? My home state of MO has an outstanding fish & game department based on funds from that tax.
  I googled "Master Naturalist Program" and found that many states have one, including Arkansas! 
 
  Jen
  Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #9
  The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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                | LeslieAnne | 
                Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 10:48:06 AM  Jen, thanks for the nice welcome... 
  The Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) Program is modeled after the well-known Master Gardener Program... in TMN, we enhance our love of nature with research-based, scientific knowledge... we receive in-depth training in wildlife & natural resource management taught by recognized experts in the field & customized to focus on the native ecosystems of our area... we also have the opportunity for advanced training in special subjects that interest us, either as a group or as individuals... in return, we provide our community with volunteer service in the form of educational activities, projects, or demonstrations... 
  Our sponsors are Texas AgriLife Extension Service & Texas Parks & Wildlife Department...
  You can read more about it at http://masternaturalist.tamu.edu/ ... I don't know if Arkansas has a Master Naturalist program or not... you might check with your state's agricultural extension service...
  LeslieAnne...westTexas | 
               
              
                | Jen | 
                Posted - Feb 10 2008 : 12:47:58 PM  Welcome, LeslieAnne, great to have you! If you get a chance, I'd love to hear more about the Naturalist program - not sure if we have such a thing here in Arkansas.
  Jen
  Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #9
  The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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