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Native Plant Society of Texas

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Land Stewardship for Birds and the Importance of Native Plant Communities with Rufus Stephens and Jan Wrede – Williamson County Chapter Meeting, Feb 8

February 8, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Join NPSOT-Williamson County on Thursday, February 8, 2024, when our featured topic will be “Land Stewardship for Birds and the Importance of Native Plant Communities” with Rufus Stephens and Jan Wrede.  Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM.  Our guest speakers’ presentation begins after a short business meeting.

About our topic: Birds depend on the native plants in their natural habitats for their food, a place to nest and essential protection from weather and predators. Bird stewardship conservation is done by habitat. Thus, it is necessary to understand the plant composition of Central Texas’ healthy, natural habitats: woodlands and savannahs; grasslands; rivers and streams; canyons, springs, and seeps; constructed tanks, ponds, and lakes; plus, residential yards.

Nearly 50 years of data tells us that bird populations are declining at an alarming rate, but with thoughtful practices you can be an agent of change. Our presentation will summarize the basic principles of Land Stewardship for Birds in Central Texas, offer examples of native habitat types in this area, and cover environmental problems occurring west and east of IH35 with the most useful tools for addressing them.

About our speakers:

Rufus Stephens
Certified Wildlife Biologist, educator, and coauthor of Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas published by TAMU Press; worked as a wildlife biologist for 35 years with 23 years at TPWD; his last position was as district leader for the 25 county Edwards Plateau Wildlife District; co-founder of the Texas Master Naturalist program and in recognition for this accomplishment is a co-recipient of the Wildlife Management Institute’s award for Innovation.

Jan Wrede
Environmental educator and writer; retired Director of Education and Citizen Science at the Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne; author Trees, Shrubs and Vines of the Texas Hill Country; co-author of Attracting Birds in the Texas Hill Country: A Guide to Land Stewardship and its new second edition Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas.

NOTE: this month’s in-person location is the Georgetown Public Library, 2nd floor, 402 West 8th St, Georgetown, TX 78626.

The original meeting announcement is here on the Williamson County Chapter’s blog page.

Williamson County Chapter

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About the Region

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Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason