With nearly 170 volunteer hours, Danny Martin has supported Capital Area Master Naturalists through restoration projects, research, leading clean-ups and training other volunteers.

 Danny Martin has been volunteering with Capital Area Master Naturalists (CAMN) since 2021 to assist them with a variety of naturalist projects in an ongoing effort to make our community a better, cleaner, and more educated place. Danny has always had a curious mind for nature and felt a strong pull to put that into practice, which is what inspired him to begin his work with CAMN. Some of the work Danny has done with CAMN includes helping to restore and rebuild a pollinator garden at Brackenridge Field Lab at the University of Texas; building multiple shade structures and greenhouses at Circle Acres; building a restoration pathway and planting it with native trees at both the Vireo Preserve and the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve; and creating and planting a restoration seed-plot at the Maxwell Tract of the Water Quality Projection Lands. Danny also goes into the field to collect specimens for spider research, cleans up trash in various parks and preserves, and often plants trees in Roy G. Guerrero park. In addition to his in-field work, Danny helps lead trainings to encourage others to join CAMN and to educate them on how they too can become a master naturalist.

The Texas chapter of Capital Area Master Naturalists (CAMN) was established in 1966 with the mission of developing a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities. The Capital Area Master Naturalists provide instruction and support to adults 18 and older who want to learn and apply the principles of sustainable use, conservation, and maintenance of natural resources of central Texas. CAMN has over 300 trained volunteers who offer their knowledge to guide trainings, complete restoration projects, and conduct research in order to better understand our natural community here in Texas.

Former President of CAMN Lisa Audiffred says, “When Danny joined CAMN he brought with him a positive energy and joy for stewarding the natural world that spreads into everyone and every project he is a part of. He carries that energy through in his mentoring, education activities, and physical hands-on work – nurturing the land and demonstrating a sincere care for the human connections formed and nurtured alongside it. In all that we do, building up degraded landscapes while building community, it is important to have people like Danny helping bring it all together. We are truly lucky to have him as a part of our organization.” Danny’s passion for helping our environment and leading others to do the same will surely be impactful for generations to come!