November 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Our guest speaker this month is Chris Best (State Botanist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin, Texas) presenting, “Native Grasses and Grasslands of Texas: Ecology, conservation, and restoration of native grasslands in Texas.”
This will be a hybrid meeting, with both in-person and virtual options.
The in-person location is Lakewood Clubhouse (off 360) 7317 Lakewood Drive, Austin, TX 78750
Chris Best earned degrees in Plant Biochemistry and Botany and presented a master’s thesis on the role of arbuscular mycorrhizae in strip mine spoil restoration. From 1985–1989 he was an agroforestry extensionist with the Peace Corps and a consultant for CARE International in Guatemala. He has worked for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Plant Ecologist at Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR (1990–2006) and since 2006 as the agency’s State Botanist in Texas. His primary responsibilities include assessments of plant species for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act and recovery planning of listed plants in Texas. His current research interests include estimating the population sizes of rare plants, the role of rhizosphere symbionts in the establishment of rare cactuses in harsh environments, and the effect of smoke substances on the germination of bracted twistflower seeds.
Register for the Zoom here https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvc-mrpjIvEtJN0IIypG4VGfUj8LjfS-Q1
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.