October 2005 Vol. III
No. 3
Ruth Loper, Director Lynn Sherrod, Director Jim Showen, President 3312
Gail Tyler, TX 75701 jimshowen@aol.com Roberta Gustafson, VP Programs Sonnia Hill, Secretary/Treasurer Elizabeth Parks, VP Field Trips Jane Washburn, VP Membership Kay Fleming, Newsletter Editor
Directors &
Officers
FROM
THE PRESIDENT
Active chapter membership: 49 Average attendance at chapter
meetings: 20–25
Current chapter treasury balance: $1,213.25
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES DURING 2004 - 2005 INCLUDED:
- PUBLISHING
OF MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Newsletter
included Information for members, articles written by members about Texas
Dutchman's Pipe, Viburnum Rafidulum, Persimmon, Farkleberries, East Texas
Violets, Invasive Plants, Cactus, and Florida Betany.
- PROGRAMS WITH INVITED SPEAKERS
Ron Loper - Wildflowers of the
Piney Woods
Dar Richardson - Learn the Plant Propagations Techniques Used by
Wholesale Plant
Growers
Lynn Sherrod - Shade Trees for East Texas: The good, bad & ugly; Brief
overview
of Arbor Day
Dick Pierce - Permaculture
Ron Loper - Wildflowers
David Bezanson - NAPA Preserves in North & East Texas
Bill Lamar - A Naturalist in Tropical America
All Chapter Members – Plant Show & Tell and a Walk About
- FIELD
TRIPS
White Oak Creek Wildlife
Management Area (combined with NE Texas Chapter)
Athens Freshwater Fisheries Center's Wetland Trail
Breakfast and Trilliums - home of Ruth and Ron Loper
Grasses, etc. - Camp Tyler, Tyler
Matlock Hills - near San Augustine
Gardens, trees and wildflowers - home of Boo Eubanks
NAPA "Glades" Preserve - Mill Creek Farm, Pine Mills, TX
- SPECIAL
EVENTS
Annual joint meeting and Christmas pot luck with Tyler
Audubon Society - Camp Tyler
5. FUND RAISING
Received over
$500 worth of trees from Scobal Nursery in Columbus, TX. Sold them at the
2005 ET Spring Landscape & Gardening Conference, Tyler Rose Garden Center;
Tyler's Spring Fling Plant sale at the Rose Garden Center, and some individual
sales.
6. OTHER ACTIVITIES - Helped
with the 2004 NPSOT Annual Symposium. Jim
Showen
OCTOBER
PROGRAM
Our October 3rd program is titled “Edible
and Useful Plants” and will be presented by Dr. Charles Allen. Dr. Allen is
a Research Associate with Colorado State University stationed at Fort Polk,
Louisiana. He is a retired Professor of Biology from the University of
Louisiana at Monroe and a charter member of the Louisiana Native Plant Society
(LNPS). He served as President of LNPS from 1995-1997 and has organized and led
many field trips throughout Louisiana. He is the co-author of “Trees Shrubs and
Woody Vines of Louisiana” and “Grasses of Louisiana, 3rd ed.” He is
currently preparing “Edible Plants of the Gulf South” which should be out in
late 2005 and “Wildflowers of Louisiana” that is scheduled for release from LSU
Press in 2006. He has presented “Edible and Useful Plants” to many groups
including Louisiana Archaeological Week at Ft Polk in 2002 and 2003 and in
Sulphur in 2004; Haynesville Butterfly Festival 2002, 2003, and 2004; Cajun
Prairie Society in 2000; and Louisiana Archaeological Society in Monroe in
1999.
The program is a hands-on (actually mouth-on
and nose-on) presentation with fresh and dried samples of edible and useful
plants. A brief overview of each plant is presented and then participants are
encouraged to graze on the salad plants. Freshly brewed teas from an assortment
of dried plants such as New Jersey Tea leaves, blackberry leaves, persimmon
leaves, and others will be prepared for sipping. Jars of dried leaves of red
bay, mountain mint, and other spices will be available for all to smell. Each
participant will depart with a list of plants that includes common and
scientific name, part used, and how it is used.
On the evening of the presentation we will treat Dr. Allen to dinner at about 5:00 or 5:15 p.m. at Posados Mexican restaurant on 5th St. in Tyler. That way we won't have to rush to get to the meeting. If you would like to join the group for dinner, please call Jim Showen at 903-566-0733 or email him at: jimshowen@aol.com Roberta Gustafson
FIELD
TRIPS
There were
14 of us at the Soutendijk's field trip on Saturday, September 17th. We
saw lots of bog plants, even though that area has had an extended drought this
summer. We saw the green spider orchid in bloom (see photo), pitcher
plants, yellow-eyed grass, blue curls, eryngo, purple lobelia, pipewort,
boneset, and many more. After we had lunch, we stopped by Bartlett Hillside
Gardens to purchase some of the natives that they sell there. Thanks
again, Bart & Elizabeth Soutendijk!
On October
15th at 10:00 A.M. we have an invitation from Jim
Varnum and his wife Stephanie to visit Clymer Meadow for a fieldtrip.
They have also invited us to their open house at their 126-acre ranch
nearby. We will start with a tour of Clymer Meadow, looking at gilgais,
wildflowers, and birds. At noon, we "mosey" over to the
Varnum's ranch for lunch (their treat!). After lunch, Jim will take us to
see the bison herd (wherever they may be roaming that day) and to nearby
Parkhill Prairie in Collin County. We will meet again at the Super 1 Food
Store on Loop 323 near Highway 69. This time we need to leave Tyler at
8:00 A.M. because it is about a 2 hour drive. Please let me know if you
plan to attend. The Varnums need to know how much food to
prepare. If you plan to travel to Clymer Meadow on your own you can
inquire to Jim Varnum at 972-243-4098 or Email jevarnum@aol.com for
information. Elizabeth
Parks
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
Our
joint Audubon/NPSOT Christmas Party has been set for December 13th at
6:00 PM. It will once again be at Camp Tyler. The Lodge is already
reserved. More will be reported on this annual event in future
newsletters.
NEW MEMBERS
We
want to welcome our new members to the Tyler Chapter of the Native Plant
Society of Texas. Its great to have you
with us! If you haven’t come to one of our meetings or our field trips you are
missing out. Also if you have recently
joined our chapter and you’re not listed below, let Tyler Chapter President Jim
Showen know. Sometimes our State office is slow in getting the word to us.
RECENTLY JOINED MEMBER
Bev Cavitt
Contributions to Newsletter
Members are encouraged to submit
articles for publication in the newsletter.
Contributions will be considered on the basis of interest, suitability,
and available space. Grammar and
spelling corrections will be made at the discretion of the editor. Send
your articles and announcements to the editor at kfleming@mycvc.net or mail to
Kay Fleming at 809 E. Clinton, Athens, TX 75751. If you are able to receive your newsletter by Email, please send Kay your
Email address. This will save the Chapter mailing expenses.
If you have never attended one of
our meetings, and you are interested in learning more about native plants and
their habitats, we invite you to give us a visit. We have a good time! Our
meetings are normally held at the Walter Fair United Methodist Church in Tyler
on the first Monday of each month, September through May. Walter Fair United Methodist Church is
located just off 5th Street
(Highway 64) at 1712 Old Omen Road, east of Loop 323.
NPSOT, Tyler Chapter
c/o: Kay Fleming
809 E. Clinton
Athens, TX 75751