The Collin County Chapter of NPSOT meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) at the Heard Museum in McKinney. There is a social time before the meetings which starts at 7:00 p.m. Guests are invited to join us at the monthly meetings.
The Heard Museum is located just off Highway 1378 on One Nature Place. A map is located at http://www.heardmuseum.org/maps/directions.asp. Our formal meetings are January through October. We wrap up our year with a potluck dinner in November and spend December with our families.
In addition to featuring a speaker at our meetings, members bring in their native plants and seeds for a plant swap.
**Meeting Topics and Dates for 2008**
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Our organization depends on the active support of members. We have a current need for a webmaster to maintain the chapter website. If you're interested, please contact Jim Smittle, NPSOT Collin County Programs officer by e-mail at smittle@sbcglobal.net. or at a chapter meeting. Also, please let him know if you are interested in becoming a chapter officer. We would welcome your active participation.
Please note: if you would like to be added to our e-mail list for upcoming chapter meeting notices, please e-mail the NPSOT Collin County Programs officer, Jim Smittle at smittle@sbcglobal.net.
-Tuesday, January 1st, 7:30 p.m.:
No meeting - holiday.
-Tuesday, February 5th, 7:30 p.m.:
"Texas Prairies: Celebrate a Natural Treasure," a presentation by NPSOT Collin County Chapter VP Betsy Farris, Publicity Chair Jim Smittle, and Programs Chair Bill Woodfin on the 2007 NPSOT symposium held in Georgetown, focusing on the Blackland and Grand Prairies and Grasslands of the Edwards Plateau. This meeting will be at the Science Resource Center, at the north end of the museum grounds. Meet and greet starts at 7:00, presentation starts at 7:30.
-Tuesday, March 4th, 7:30 p.m.:
"An Introduction to Plant Taxonomy" by Dr. George Diggs, faculty member in the Biology Department at Austin College in Sherman, Texas since 1981. He co-author the Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas (1999) and Volume 1 of the Illustrated Flora of East Texas (2006). This meeting will be at Laughlin Hall in the main building near the entrance. Meet and greet starts at 7:00, presentation starts at 7:30.George M. Diggs, Jr. received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is active in Austin College's Center for Environmental Studies. He was made a Research Associate at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas in 1994. His research specialties include the plants of Texas and tropical Latin America , and botanical studies on the Ericaceae (blueberry family). He has done field work in Africa, Australia, Central and South America, Mexico, Canada, and the United States. In Oct. 2006, Diggs and co-authors were awarded the Donovan Stewart Correll Memorial Award for Scientific Writing by the Native Plant Society of Texas. http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/diggs.html
-Tuesday, April 1st, 7:30 p.m.:
"Common Amphibians and Reptiles in Your Garden" by Roger Sanderson from the Heard Museum. This meeting will be at Laughlin Hall in the main building near the entrance. Meet and greet starts at 7:00, presentation starts at 7:30.
-Tuesday, May 6th, 7:30 p.m.:
"Rain Gardens" by Carrie Dubberly. This meeting will be at Laughlin Hall in the main building near the entrance. Meet and greet starts at 7:00, presentation starts at 7:30.
-Tuesday, June 3rd, 6:00 p.m. Please note the early start time:
Tour of the Heard Prairie by Chuck Jones.
-Tuesday, July 1st, 7:30 p.m.:
Topic to be announced by Jim Varnum, Texas Master Naturalist. This meeting will be at Laughlin Hall in the main building near the entrance. Meet and greet starts at 7:00, presentation starts at 7:30.
-Tuesday, August 5th, 7:30 p.m.:
Garden Show and Tell - member's native plant photos - send to jim@smittle.com. This meeting will be at the Science Resource Center, at the north end of the museum grounds. Meet and greet starts at 7:00, presentation starts at 7:30.
-Tuesday, September 2nd, 7:30 p.m.:
"The Making of the Big Thicket" presented by Professor Pete Gunter (note that the 2008 symposium, October 17th-19th, will focus on the Big Thicket region of Texas). This meeting will be at Laughlin Hall in the main building near the entrance. Meet and greet starts at 7:00, presentation starts at 7:30.
-Tuesday, October 2nd, 7:30 p.m.:
October 2nd: Topic to be announced by Jason Singhurst of Texas Parks and Wildlife. This meeting will be at Laughlin Hall in the main building near the entrance. Meet and greet starts at 7:00, presentation starts at 7:30.
-November - date, time and location to be announced:
Annual Potluck.VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Our organization depends on the active support of members. We have a current need for a webmaster to maintain the chapter website. If you're interested, please contact Jim Smittle, NPSOT Collin County Programs officer by e-mail at smittle@sbcglobal.net. or at a chapter meeting. Also, please let him know if you are interested in becoming a chapter officer. We would welcome your active participation.