
If you find yourself regularly discovering loose fossils, shells, rocks, or insect boxes clattering about in your washing machine, you or your loved one may be a naturalist.
The Trade Counter is where naturalists of all ages are welcome to sit down and share their discoveries with our volunteer Trade Counter staff and fellow nature enthusiasts. One can bring nature items, science reports, or scientific illustrations and art in exchange for points, which may then be used to buy a host of other things—rocks and minerals, shark teeth, insect collections, bones, shells, etc. For a list of what is accepted for trade at the Trade Counter please refer to the Trade Counter brochure (PDF) or call 512-974-3888. Points may also be earned by reporting a nature sighting from the ANSC grounds, entries on iNaturalist (see following section) or for accomplishing the monthly puzzle (questions relating to one or more specimens, rotating monthly).
TheTrade Counter is open
Wednesday - Friday 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
* Trade Counter will be closed to the public on Fridays from 10:00 AM -11:45 AM for camp trading through August 5.
Trade counter Policies
Daily Trade Limit: Traders are limited to 5 unique objects per day.
Multiples: If a trader brings in multiple of the same object these will be counted as one item. For example, 3 Devil’s toenails will be considered and awarded as a group and not individually.
Things we CANNOT accept:
- Anything from our site. We are a Nature Preserve and you cannot collect from preserves.
- Anything from birds. Many birds are under a variety of legal protections and are prohibited from being collected, so we discourage visitors from bringing any bird objects to trade. This protects us and our visitors.
- Anything from humans (including anthropological artifacts). Similar to birds there are many laws prohibiting the trade, sell, and collection of human artifacts.
- Anything purchased or endangered.
- Anything that was intentionally killed for bringing to trade.
Trade Counter Points System:
Categories
Scavenger Hunt__________________________________________________ 15
Scientific illustration or creative expression_____________________________ 15
Marine & Invertebrate (shells, marine animals, etc.)______________________ 15
Entomological (insects) ___________________________________________ 15
Geological (rocks, minerals) _______________________________________ 15
Botanical (plants) ________________________________________________ 20
Paleontological (fossils) ___________________________________________ 25
Zoological (any animal material including bones, fur, skin sheds, etc.)_______ 30
Bonuses, awarded at the discretion of the Trade Counter Volunteer
Naturalist skills (collection, identification, description, etc.) ____________ 20 - 100
Partial or broken specimen ____________________________________5 - 20
Full Specimen______________________________________________ 5 - 50
Rarity (general or particular to Texas) ___________________________ 5 – 500
WOW factor_______________________________________________ 20 - 100
This program exists in part through volunteer effort. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit our Volunteer With ANSC page.