March 20, 2012
Paul Schattenberg, 210-467-6575, paschattenberg@ag.tamu.edu
CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas AgriLife Extension Service nature tourism program, in conjunction with the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau, will present a free Certified Wildlife Guide Training workshop on April 17 at the Corpus Christi Visitor Center, 1823 N. Chaparral.
The training will take place from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and registration is currently open online, said Miles Phillips, AgriLife Extension nature tourism specialist and training coordinator, College Station. It will incorporate live and online training.
A free Certified Wildlife Guide Training workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on April 17 at the Corpus Christi Visitors Center in downtown Corpus. (Photo courtesy of Texas AgriLife Extension Service/Nature Tourism Program).
“The purpose is to provide necessary wildlife guide training as well as confirmation of guide skills,” he said. “Certification will be provided by the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, but seating is limited to about 20, so we suggest those interested respond and register as soon as possible.”
Phillips said this session will include field time to focus on birding and nature guiding, and will include visits to city nature parks and to the beach to view shorebirds. Other aspects of the training will address customer service training, interpretive marketing, recreational fisheries facts, tourism industry partnering, local ecology, species habitat and identification, and business plan development.
“We anticipate those attending the training will learn how to increase business and see how to access thousands of dollars worth of marketing services,” he said.
Phillips said training also includes identification of plants and animals and a focus on the practical skills needed by the professional wildlife guide.
“This AgriLife Extension program is sponsored by the Corpus Christi CVB, which has made it possible to provide it at no cost to participants,” Phillips said.
For more information and to register, go to http://naturetourism.tamu.edu/workshops/certified-wildlife-guide or contact Phillips at mdphillips@ag.tamu.edu or 979-845-1083, or go to http://naturetourism.tamu.edu.
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