State Park Ambassadors

Overview

Texas State Park Ambassadors at Big Bend Ranch State Park.

Our Mission

To connect conservation-minded young adults (ages 18-30) with recreation and volunteer opportunities to foster a new generation of State Park stewards.

Becoming an Ambassador

Applications open three times a year based on State Park regions:

  • Summer: South and East Texas
  • Winter: Central and West Texas
  • Spring: Panhandle and North Texas


The first step is to complete your application. We then conduct a match making process with regional park staff to pair applicants with one of the State Parks they have requested. The top candidates are selected for an interview and a final group are selected to the attend the Ambassador Leadership Training and begin their partnership with a nearby State Park to complete 40 hours of hands-on service, community outreach, and social media projects over the course of six months.

Applicants

  • Must be a current Texas resident, and preferably live in the same region as the State Park you are applying for.
  • Must be between 18-30 and a high school graduate.
  • Must have reliable transportation.
  • Must be able to fully attend the five-day Ambassador Leadership Training Adventure
  • Must be able to commit 40 hours over six months to complete the required projects.

Ambassador Leadership Training Adventure

Ambassadors are welcomed to the program and prepared for a successful partnership during this five-day regional training at a Texas State Park. New Ambassadors participate in sessions on leadership, outdoor recreation, Leave No Trace, and Texas Parks and Wildlife programming.

You will be responsible for transportation to and from the training, breakfast and lunch each day, and a small certification fee. We can provide meal suggestions, essential gear (sleeping pads, tents, backpacks, etc.), and certification scholarships if needed.

Park Projects

An essential component the Ambassador Program is to serve your park by completing at least one project in each of the following areas.

The needs of each park vary, so use the following as a general guide:

  • Hands-On Service – Support your State Park by improving current structures or environments.
    Examples: trail maintenance, building park benches or tables, invasive species removal, mending infrastructure, painting signs, repairing bird blinds, organizing a clean-up event
  • Community Outreach – Share information about your State Park with the public.
    Examples: tabling at an outdoor event, assisting with a park program, speaking at a local school, creating a useful flyer for the visitor center
  • Social Media – Use various social media platforms to promote your State Park.
    Examples: creating an Instagram account for your park, hosting a Facebook live trail walk, blogging about park events, taking 360° photos of the park for TPWD

Apply

Upcoming application periods:

  • Central and West Texas: December – January
  • Panhandle and North Texas: March – April
  • South and East Texas: August – September

Contact

If you have questions, please email the Ambassador program.

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