Trinity Forks Chapter Meetings

Dates: The fourth Thursday of: January -- May, and August -- October.

Time: 6:30 for socialization and viewing of educational displays, 7:00 p.m. for start of meeting.

Place: The Administration and Conference Tower (ACT) building on Administration Drive at the Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas.

Social time: Second Floor Lobby.

Meeting: Room 301, Administration and Conference Tower.

Parking: On meeting nights we will be allowed to park in the visitors parking area, on the road in front of the building (in designated parking spots), or in the parking lot on the west side of Oakland Street, just north of the Human Resources building.

Maps and Directions

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Programs for future meetings



January 26, 2012

Speaker:  To be announced.

Topic:  To be announced.

February 23, 2012

Speaker:  To be announced.

Topic:  To be announced.

March 22, 2012

Speaker:  To be announced.

Topic:  To be announced.

April 26, 2012

Speaker:  To be announced.

Topic:  To be announced.

May 24, 2012

Speaker:  To be announced.

Topic:  To be announced.

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Programs at past meetings

October 27, 2011

Speaker:  Kathy Saucier and Irene Hanson.

Topic:  Sharing Your Natives, Multiplication and Division Made Easy.
Kathy will describe how to successfully dig and pot plants from your yard, keep them in pots, and transplant them so that you can either expand your landscape or share them with others.  Irene will show how she starts seedlings and then transfers them to pots.  There should be seedlings for attendees to take home.

Note Well: As has frequently been the case for the October meeting, there will be lots of little ghosts and goblins in the area around the building for the TWU Halloween party.  As a result, finding parking could be a bit challenging, so allow a little extra time.

September 22, 2011

Speaker:  Sandra Greenway, Executive Director of the Connemara Conservancy.

Topic:  The native plants found at the Conservancy’s preserve in Plano.

Biography:  Greenway is well respected throughout the conservancy community for her work in meadow preservation. She noted, “This is a great experience for people who love nature and love to see native plants in an urban setting. The hiking trails provide easy access to nature lovers. When Frances Williams donated her family’s beloved 72-acre meadow, the Connemara Meadow Preserve, in 1981, it became the foundation of today’s conservancy. Now, the Connemara land trust oversees 3,500 acres of North Texas land under its purview.  The Connemara provides the public with stellar activities in the Meadow and offers an emerging Ecological Literacy program. ”

August 27, 2011

Topic:  Ice Cream Social

Time:  9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Place:  The green house at TWU.

May 26, 2011

Speaker:  Russell Stevens from the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Ardmore Oklahoma.

Topic:  Native Grasses and the Noble research program.

Biography:  Stevens is a regional manager and a wildlife and fisheries consultant in the Agricultural Division's consultation program.  His areas of interest include grasses-range management, plant identification, wildlife habitat improvement, wild turkey management, white-tailed deer management, prescribed fire, and waterfowl issues.  Stevens joined the Noble Foundation in 1989.  Stevens is a certified wildlife biologist by The Wildlife Society, a certified range management consultant by the Society for Range Management, and a certified professional in rangeland management by the Society for Range Management.  Russell holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in biology from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and a Master of Science Degree from Angelo State University.   Stevens has authored numerous books and publications, including: Grasses of Southern Oklahoma and North Texas, Trees, Shrubs and Vines: A Pictorial Guide, Quality of Native Plant Forage Species Important to White-tailed Deer and Goats in South Central Oklahoma, and How Much Does it Cost to Burn?

April 28, 2011

Speaker:  Carrie Dubberly.

Topic:  Beautiful native plant combinations for North Texas.
“We will be sharing how to provide sustainable native landscapes that are beautiful, as well as earth-friendly with the Native Plant Society.”

March 24, 2011

Speaker:  Bobbette Brasfield.

Topic:  Water Conservation & the Role Native Plants Play in Water Conservation.

Note Well:  The location for this  meeting has been changed.  It will be in room 203 of the CFO building, just to the south-east of our regular meeting place.

 Biography:  Bobbette Brasfield is from Texas Conservation Alliance which is the state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation and has a 30-year history of work on water conservation issues.  Ms. Brasfield is a native Texan from Grand Prairie.  She earned a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Science from UNT.   She has supported environmental education and conservation efforts for many years through the Texas Master Naturalist Program, Texins Dive Club, and U.S. National Park Service.

February 24, 2011

Speaker:  Roger Sanderson Director of Botanical Gardens at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney. 

Topic:  Description of the natural wonders to be seen at the Heard sanctuary.

Biography:  Roger was one of the featured speakers at the recent 30th Annual Native Plant Society of Texas Symposium held in Denton. Roger is on the board of the Collin County Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society and the Texas Herpetological Society.”  He and his wife are also active members of the Dallas Paleontology Society and both are active birders. He was Assistant Director of the Dallas Civic Garden Center (now Texas Discovery Gardens).  Roger had a weekly column for several years in the Dallas Morning News on plants and continues to write articles about nature in several publications.

January 27, 2011

Speaker:  Troy and Martha Mullens.  NPSOT members, Texas Master Naturalists, and Frends of the FWNCR.

Topic:  Native Pollinators.

October 28, 2010

Speaker: Review of the Symposium.

September 23, 2010

Speaker:  Dr. Dottie Woodson from the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Urban Solutions Center in Dallas.

Topic:  Landscaping Design with Native Plants and Water Conservation in Mind.

Biography:  Dr. Woodson's specialty is Conservation of Water Resources.  She delivers programs and demonstrations about landscape water conservation, rainwater harvesting, rain gardens and irrigation efficiency across Tarrant, Dallas, Denton, Collin counties.  Dr. Woodson provides practical solutions and information about landscape water use from design and plant selection to water conserving landscape management practices.  Woodson has B. S. and M.S. degrees in Horticulture from Tarleton State University and a doctoral degree from Texas A&M and Texas Tech.
    Dr. Woodson is also a noted authority and much sought after speaker.  She is a contributing author for Gardening in Fort Worth and The Lone Star Gardener's Book of List and the CD and computer web site, Texas SmartScape.  She writes a weekly garden column for Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  She appears weekly on NBC5 Sunday morning news.  She also produces a television series on Times Warner, "Gardening with Dotty," and Fort Worth Community Cable, "Extension In the City."  She appears regularly on HGTV "Gardening by the Yard" with Paul James and "Backyard Boomers" on the Health and Wellness channel.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Topic:  Ice Cream Social and other delectable food items, games, and a tour of the Benny Simpson Gardens.

Location:   At the greenhouse near the Benny Simpson Gardens at TWU.

Time:  9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Important:  Bring your own chairs!

May 27, 2010

Speaker:  R. Austin Sewell,  Rangeland Conservationist at Caddo - LBJ National Grasslands.

Topic:  Characteristics of many native grasses found in the Caddo-LBJ National Grasslands.

Biography:   Austin Sewell is a native of Wise County and he has also worked professionally on several cattle ranches and as a rangeland consultant in Iowa.  Sewell received his bachelor's degree in Rangeland Ecology and Management from Oklahoma State University.  He lives with his wife and two children in Denton, TX; he also raises grass finished cattle.

April 22, 2010

Speaker:  Dr. Linda Hanson, University of Michigan.

Topic:  How Plant Pathogens Changed the Course of Human History.

Biography:   Dr. Linda Hanson is a native of Washington State, where she was a member of the local Native Plant Society.  Dr. Linda Hanson is a Research Plant Pathologist with the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, working on soil-borne fungal diseases.  Linda holds a B.S. in botany from the University of Washington; a M.S., from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. from Cornell University.  She has done postdoctoral research with the USDA Cotton Pathology Research Unit in College Station, Texas.

March 25, 2010

Speaker:  Michael Perez.

Topic:  An overview of the Fort Worth Nature Center that will include a discussion about the plants and trees native to the Cross Timber’s Region.  “Working as a Park Naturalist for the Ft. Worth Nature Center is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural history of north central Texas.  I have a profound affinity for exploring nature.” -- Michael Perez

Biological information: Michael Perez graduated from Texas A & M with a degree in Wildlife Science.  Michael Perez has also worked as a Naturalist for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

February 25, 2010

Speaker:  Camelia Maier, president of the Trinity Forks chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Topic:  Plant propagation.

January 28, 2010

Speaker:  Gail Manning, Entomologist, Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens.

Topic:  Symbiotic Relationship between insects and native plants.

October 22, 2009

Speaker:  Kathy Saucier.

Topic:  Caterpillar Gargening with Native Plants.

Be prepared to see about 50 species of butterflies, moths and skippers found in the North Texas area and surrounding areas.  She hopes to show how the use of native plants and the right ones, will increase those populations in your own yard.  Learn about the larvae, many photos included, what they eat and how to appreciate them instead of curse their devouring your plants.

Biography –  Kathy has had an interest in nature, well about since she was born.  Since she was a small child, she has collected and observed anything alive and much that is not, all related to our natural world.  That included butterflies and especially sphinx moths.  She shared that interest with fellow members of her 4-H club by being entomology project leader for other kids.

Kathy has been a member of NPSOT & the Trinity Forks chapter for almost 18 years.  She has dabbled in landscaping with native plants since the early 80’s, basically when she graduated from college and had her first yard.  She even introduced a new author of native plant landscaping to Frogfruit.

In 1994 her yard was awarded the Texas Wildscape certification, as Backyard Habitat #290, with TX Parks and Wildlife.  A few years following, she was certified as a Wildscape Instructor & did some Wildscape landscape consultation for a few years.  It was the precursor to the Master Naturalist.  She loves to encourage others to use natives and has a passion for introducing new plants.  She continually provides new species to 2 growers to encourage more natives in the nurseries, one just delivered end of September.  Some of these include Chile pequin, Bush Sunflower, and Frogfruit.  That latest is Snakeherb, Dyschoriate linearis.
Currently she has about 180 species of TX Native Plants in her yard.

September 24, 2009

Speaker:  Cynthia Maguire.

Topic:  Birds, Bees, and Native Plants.  Cynthia Maguire will share her knowledge of the interactions between birds, bees, and native plants with members and guests of Trinity Forks.
 
Her appreciation of the plant community outside her back door is deeper and richer than ever before. She sees not only an attractive landscape, but a home for many of God’s creatures.  As her collection of native plants has become more diverse, so has the wildlife that calls her garden ‘home.’  Numerous kinds of birds and butterflies, moths, frogs, and a gecko family share the land.  Cynthia credits Trinity Forks, saying, “I now find myself choosing a new plant just because it will entice a certain animal into my garden.  None of this would have happened if I had not been introduced to the value of native plants by members of Trinity Forks.”

Biological information:  Ms. Maguire has a B.S. in Medical Technology, an M.S. in Biology, and an M.S. in Chemistry.  She was employed in clinical laboratories in Oklahoma, Illinois and Missouri for about 15 years. Cynthia's teaching career began in 1994, and in a short time she was hooked on teaching.  In the fall of 2003, Ms. Maguire joined the faculty of the Chemistry and Physics Department at TWU where she currently teaches Fundamentals of Science, Introduction to Chemistry, Introduction to Environmental Chemistry, and Science Math and Technology.  She sees her greatest challenge and takes the most pleasure in helping her students overcome their fear of science and get excited about learning. 

Ms. Maguire is active both locally and at the state level in the Native Plant Society of Texas, putting her science knowledge to good use for the betterment of TWU and the greater Denton community.

May 28, 2009

Speaker:  Cecil Carter.

Topic:   "Lush Lawns versus the Coming Water Shortage".  Statistics on the existing and coming water shortage in North Texas and the need for vigorous adopton of native plants in our landscapes.
 
Biological information:   Cecil is on the Lake Cities Municipal Water Authority.  He is a Certified Community Developer, having consulted for 10 years with small towns trying to finance new water facilities.  He has taken 18 hours of graduate classes in statistics and so is very knowledgable in presenting statistical information.

April 23, 2009

Speaker:  Marshall Fox.

Topic:  Enticing birds to your yard with native plants. 

March 26, 2009

Speaker:  Allison Adams, Collin County Honey Queen.

Topic:  Honeybees in the Native Garden.  Allison will talk about the role bees  play in our native landscape.  Maximilian sunflower, horse mint,  Indian blanket, rock rose (pavonia), goldenrod and salvias are a short list of natives favored by honeybees.

Location:  This meeting will be in Room 202 of the Classroom Faculty Office (CFO) building, not in the Clock Tower.  The CFO is just to the south-east of the Clock Tower.

Biological information:  Allison Adams is the seventeen-year-old daughter of Ned and Caryl  Adams of Plano, Texas.  She began beekeeping five years ago through  the Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association youth scholarship  program and has thoroughly enjoyed it ever since.  She also finds  pleasure in drawing, cooking, gardening, sewing, English country  dancing, and most of all, spending time with her family.

February 26, 2009

Speaker:  Cathy Lustgarten; current President of the Trinity Forks Chapter.

Topic:  Natives to Neighbours:  A New Program for Sustainable Landscaping in Denton County.

Biological information:   Dr. Cathy Lustgarten, a life member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, is a veterinary radiologist by profession, but wildflowers and native plants have been her life-long passion. Cathy worked tirelessly for her neighborhood association to redesign and replace their entry landscapes with native plants. She is the current president of the Trinity Forks Chapter of NPSOT, and uses native plants extensively in her home landscape.

January 22, 2009

Speakers:  Becca Dickstein and Lon Turnbull, Denton NPSOT members.

Topic:  “All grass to no grass, an 8-year adventure in native plant, herb, vegetable and xeriscape gardening in North Texas.”

Description: Trinity Forks husband-and-wife members Becca Dickstein and Lon Turnbull will discuss the transformation of their backyard from a boring all grass lawn to a lower maintenance no-lawn landscape containing native plants, herbs, vegetables and adapted exotics.  The backyard now has something in bloom almost all the time.  The transformation was done using organic methods and plants purchased small or plants grown from seed and therefore was done at low cost.   There will be plenty of pictures that help show the transition and how beautiful that a back yard can look when it has a large number of native plants.

Biographical Information: Becca Dickstein and Lon Turnbull are transplants to Texas who are avid gardeners and always willing to try new things in the garden.  Becca is originally from the US East Coast, while Lon is Canadian, hailing from British Columbia.  Both work in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of North Texas.  Becca is a Professor of Biochemistry and Lon is a Staff Scientist.

October 23, 2008

Speaker:  Members who have a favorite plant to report on.

Topic:  Members plant swap, photo display, and favorite plant report.

Bring potted plants of one variety. If you bring plants you can take home the same number for free.  If you want to take home more than you brought, a donation of an amount similar to the plant sale will suffice.  Please bring no more than a flat of plants.  Be prepared to give a very short educational presentation on the plant that you have brought to trade.

Bring pictures for a "Show 'N Tell" of one single subject.  These presentations will take place before the plant swap.  Tell us whatever you think that other members will want to know about this subject.  (Bring photos, or CD, or flash drive.)

September 25, 2008

Speaker:  Marilyn Sallee.  Master Gardener, Master Naturalist, and Coordinator for the Cross Timbers
Invaders.

Topic:  The Texas Invasives Program.
Marilyn is coordinator for the Cross Timbers Invaders, Texas Invasives Program, administered by LBJ Wildflower Center.  Invaders track the expansion of invasive plants and report them to the USDA. The Cross Timbers Invaders is the largest and most active Invaders group in the state.  They have partnered in reporting and removal on invasives with the City of Ft Worth, Arlington and the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as many individual property owners.  The PlantWise program is allied with the Invaders, offering education to homeowners about alternatives to invasives.
As an Invader, Marilyn documents invasive plants by recording the species and GPS coordinates every time she sees one. She then enters the data online to track the spread of invasives.  The main problem with invasives, she says, is that they out-compete and drive out the good plants, which destroys habitat and eliminates diversity.

August 28, 2008

Ice Cream Social

Speakers: Conversation with all those who attend.

Topics: Home made Ice Cream and Cookies, a guided tour on a native trail, and a game of water ballons.  (Bring your own drinks!)

May 22, 2008

Speaker: Dr. Camelia Maier, Associate Professor in Biology at Texas Woman's University (TWU).

Topic: Native Plant Research at Texas Woman's University, including snow-on-the-prairie, trout-lily, and bois d'arc, etcetra.

Note Well: The location of this meeting will be at TWU in Room 313 of the Arts and Sciences Building.  (Building # 3)  This building can be accessed from Oakland Street.  Parking is available the parking lot on the west side of Oakland Street, just north of the Human Resources building.

April 24, 2008

Speaker:  Steven Ray, with the USDA Denton office.

Topic:  Prairie Grasses.

March 27, 2008

Speaker:  Master Naturalist Jim Varnum.

Topic:  Botanical (A)musings, where he explores the world of plants and plant naming with plenty of nature jokes and trivia mixed in.  For example, would you like to know how our state flower, the Texas bluebonnet, became to be known as Lupinus texensis?

February 28, 2008

Speaker: Rodney Love owner of a company that places emphasis on waterwise landscapes. 

Topic:  The incorporation of native or regionally adapted plants with enhanced soil composition and an efficient irrigation system into yard designs.

January 24, 2008

Speaker: Kathy Saucier

Topic: Photography for the Average Nature Lover: Topics include composition background, light, close-ups, and flash.

October 25, 2007

Speaker: Tony Lucido, Registered Landscape Architect, North Texas Tollway Authority Landscape Manager.

Topic: Influencing Our Community to Grow Native: President George Bush Turnpike Landscape Project.

September 27, 2007

Speaker: Paul Cox, Assistant Director of the San Antonio Botanical Garden and senior author of Texas Trees: A Friendly Guide.

Topic: Influencing our Community to Grow Native – A Public Garden's Perspective.

Biography:  Texas plant expert and author Paul W. Cox has a B.S. in biology/forestry and a master's degree in botany from Stephen F. Austin State University. He is assistant superintendent of the San Antonio Botanical Gardens and this summer celebrated his 30th year with that facility.  Paul is an adjunct professor at Palo Alto College teaching about Texas trees and native plants. He is an expert in the care of native roses.  Paul has named and released several introductions to the nursery trade, e.g., "Bubba" Desert Willow, "Spank" Chomonque, "Kara's Revlon" Globe Mallow, and "Pink Ice" Rose.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Annual Ice Cream Social, Lake Ray Roberts picnic area.

Topic: Socializing, games, tour of new intrepretive center, and eating.

May 24, 2007

Speaker: Phyllis Dolich, President of the Williamson County Chapter and Chair of the 2007 State Symposium

Topic: A preview of the Fall NPSOT Symposium "The Blackland and Grand Prairies"

April 26, 2007

Speaker: "Native Dave" of Native Texas Garden Designs

Topic: Landscaping with Native Plants: Balancing Economic with Ecological Values

March 22, 2007

Speaker: Pat Haigh of TxDOT 

Topic: Influencing our Community to Grow Native - Blooming Denton County Roadsides

February 22, 2007

Speakers: Susan Randolph and Rob Wier 

Topic: Influencing our Community to Grow Native - a Nursery's Perspective

January 25, 2007

Speakers: Steve Spurger, Dorothy Thetford and Cathy Lustgarten 

Topic: Natives in the Neighborhood

October 26, 2006

Speakers: George Diggs, Barney Lipscomb and Robert O'Kennon

Topic: Flora of East Texas

September 28, 2006

Speaker: Camlelia G.-A. Maier

Topic: Fruit Diversity and Ecological Significance

August 24, 2006

Ice Cream Social on the TWU campus

Topic: Socializing and Games

May 25, 2006

Speaker: Dr. Al Knauf

Topic:  Practical Soil Science for Plant Lovers

April 27, 2006

Speaker:  Don Kenney.  Don and Marilee Kenney run the Painted Flower Farm, a small, family-owned nursery that specializes in TexasTuff  perennials either native or adapted to the rigors of growing in North Texas.

Topic:  Plant Roots and Soil Microorganisms: The Perfect Couple

March 23, 2006

Speaker: Dr. Ken Dickson, professor with the deparment of biology at the University of North Texas

Topic: Water Needs of North Texas Native Plants

February 23, 2006

Speaker: Betty Dunn from the Boerne Chapter of NPSOT

Topic: Using native plants instead of common exotics!

January 26, 2006

Speaker: Howard Garrett, the "Dirt Doctor" and author of " Plants of the Metroplex"

Topic: Dirty Secrets Revealed

October 27, 2005

Speaker: Dr. Rebecca Dickstein, Associate Professor of Biochemistry at UNT

Topic: Plant Propagation: Multiplication and Division

September 22, 2005

Speaker: John Cooper, TAMU Agricultural Extension Agent for Denton

Topic: Landscaping with Native Trees

August 25, 2005

Ice Cream Social in the Gardens on the TWU campus

Topic: Socialization and Games

May 28, 2005

Speaker: Dr. George Diggs, Austin College

Topic: The Cross Timbers Across Time--a history of Cross Timbers Forest Plants

April 28, 2005

Speaker: Bill Lindemann, past president of NPSOT

Topic: Big Bend National Park: A Naturalist's Dreamland

March 24, 2005

Speaker: Dr. Howard Arnott, UT Arlington

Topic: Crystals in Plants

February 24, 2005

Speaker: Russel Stevens, Noble Foundation

Topic: Prairies and Grasses

January 27, 2005

Education topic: Dr. Becca Dickstein, biochemist at UNT will give a 5 minute demonstration on seed propagation.

Speaker: Bonnie Bradshaw, Texas Discovery Gardens in Dallas

Topic: Backyard Wildlife Habitats: Butterflies, Birds & Botany

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Speakers who canceled.

January 27, 2011

Speaker:  Roger Sanderson Director of Botanical Gardens at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney. 

Topic:  Description of the natural wonders to be seen at the Heard sanctuary.

Biography:  Roger was one of the featured speakers at the recent 30th Annual Native Plant Society of Texas Symposium held in Denton. Roger is on the board of the Collin County Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society and the Texas Herpetological Society.”  He and his wife are also active members of the Dallas Paleontology Society and both are active birders. He was Assistant Director of the Dallas Civic Garden Center (now Texas Discovery Gardens).  Roger had a weekly column for several years in the Dallas Morning News on plants and continues to write articles about nature in several publications.




Last noted update by Lon: November 26, 2011.