Welcome to the Lakes and Pines Chapter
of the Native Plant Society of Texas
Founded in November of 2023, the Native Plant Society of Texas Lakes and Pines Chapter promotes research, conservation, and utilization of native plants and plant habitats of Texas through education, outreach, and example.
With towering pines and hardwoods, rolling hills and prairies, and lakes too numerous to count, our Chapter includes Wood and surrounding Northeast Texas counties and takes in two Level 3 Ecoregions: the East Central Texas Plains and the Western Gulf Coastal Plain.
Native Plants . . .
- Have grown and survived here for over 500 years
- Are drought-tolerant, naturally conserving our precious water resources
- Don’t need special pampering or fertilizing
- Are natural to their ecosystem: Texas has over 5000 native plants but very few grow state-wide
- Help us maintain biological biodiversity
- Provide habitat and food for birds, butterflies, bees and other wildlife
Texas Native Plant Database
Find the Perfect Texas Native Plant for Your Landscape HERE!
Lakes and Pines Chapter Meetings and Events
Our meetings are in person and open to the public. Chapter Meetings are generally held at 1:30pm on the first Wednesday of the month.
• 1:30PM – Greeting friends old and new
• 2:00PM – Meeting begins, starting with a special presentation about native plants or related topics followed by a brief business meeting.
• Monthly Doorprizes – Really cool items are being donated by our members for doorprizes.
• We currently meet at Bob Wells Nursery @ Sorelle Farms located at 975 County Road 2220 in Mineola, TX. Join us and bring a friend!
Lakes and Pines News
June 3 Lakes & Pines Chapter Meeting: “Where Gardening Meets Stewardship” presented by Ann Reynolds
Ann is a life-long gardener with a passion for nature, birds and native plants. The presentation will highlight the conservation area of the iNaturalist app.
May 30 New Lakes & Pines Chapter Saturday Program
Many of you have shared that you are unable to attend our chapter presentations and meetings because they are held during the workweek. We heard you and are excited to announce our first Saturday Program on May 30th at the Mineola Memorial Library. Space is limited to 30 attendees, so
Lakes & Pines Field Trip to the Laura Bush Native Texas Park
Pictures don’t do this park justice – you just have to be there – and six members of the Lakes and Pines Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas were there May 2 ! The Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park, a stunning 15-acre park featuring native Texas trees,
BE SEED MINDED!
Native Plant Seed Library Initiative – The Lakes and Pines Chapter is partnering with the Mineola Memorial Library to create a local native plant seed library. By collecting and donating native plant seeds, you help preserve local plant diversity and expand access to plants that support pollinators, wildlife, and healthy
Join thousands across America restoring nature in their own backyards. It’s fun, easy, and free!
Take the free challenge.
See more birds, bees, and butterflies in your yard while shrinking your lawn.
You’ll get 12 weeks of emails with doable steps, expert tips from leaders, a yard health scorecard, and fun rewards along the way. You’ll start by seeing how healthy your yard is today, and finish by celebrating how much it has grown!
This challenge is 100% free, powered by Wildr. We created it because nothing like this existed, and spreading this movement to every yard in America is too important to put behind a paywall.
Check out Wild Thumb, a free app from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Growing a few native plants or a pocket prairie is easy with this interactive step-by-step gardening guide. The mission to support pollinators and restore prairies in Texas starts here! Available for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
Adding your garden to the Homegrown National Park Biodiversity Map is now quicker and simpler than ever. This is one of the most impactful actions you can take to help NPSOT showcase the incredible habitat restoration work happening across Texas.
With just a short form and a single email confirmation, your garden will be counted toward our statewide effort to make Texas #1 on the map.
ADD YOUR GARDEN HERE ! Let’s grow native plants for Texas!
Winter 2026 Texas Native Plants Magazine
The Magazine for Native Plant Society of Texas Members
- Executive Update
- Symposium Recap
- Native Plant Database
- Good Host
- Bird Sanctuaries
- Native Grasses
- Making Peace with HOA
- Member News
- Early Spring Care
Native Plant Society State Virtual Events
These events are generally available on-line, are produced by NPSOT Chapters around the state and are accessible by all members.
Native Plant Society State News
June 2nd Chapter Meeting: Encouraging Native Landscapes in HOA Neighborhoods
Our Tuesday June 2nd chapter meeting will be available to
Guided Walk through beautiful old-growth prairie at Clymer Meadow Preserve in Celeste
The Nature Conservancy is holding their Clymer Meadow
May 5th Meeting: An Introduction to the NICE Program – Building Partnerships for Native Plants
Our Tuesday May 5th chapter meeting will be
Bob Wells Nursery at Sorelle Farms in Mineola is a NICE nursery! They are a partner in the NICE (Natives Improve and Conserve Environments) Native Plant Partner program, a collaboration between the Native Plant Society of Texas and local nurseries around the state to offer native plants that are right for the local environment. For more information about the Bob Wells Nursery at Sorelle Farms, click here. To search for other area nurseries supporting the NICE Native Plant program click here. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR NATIVE PLANT PARTNERS!
Keep Up With Our Chapter Activities Through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Email
