npsot_bluebonnet_full_color
Loading Events

This event has passed.

New Prairies on the Block – August 14

Coastal Prairie

August 14, 2023 @ 6:45 pm 8:30 pm

Join us for a double feature!

Prairie/Savannah Restoration on UHCL Campus by Rowena McDermid
We know from historic aerial photographs that much of what is now UHCL campus used to be open prairie. Rowena McDermid’s presentation will showcase the ongoing work of staff, students, and volunteers in restoring a degraded habitat in the transition space between prairie and woodland called savannah.

The Dick Benoit Prairie by Davis Clay and Lisa Hardcastle
A few years ago Davis Clay learned about a local remnant prairie in League City called the Dick Benoit Prairie. The Dick Benoit Prairie is a ±44 acre parkland preserve on SH96 in League City. It is just to the east of the entrance to the Mar Bella subdivision. It is owned by the League City Parks Department and is a set-aside as wetland retention for neighboring subdivisions. It was established to be a natural area. It is one of the best examples of natural coastal prairie in our area.

Register in advance for this meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This is a FREE EVENT, but please register to join the meeting and participate in the Q&A. This meeting may also be live streamed on our Facebook page.

Meetings are open to members and non-members. If you would like to become a member, you may join online. For more information about the Native Plant Society of Texas and the benefits of membership please visit: www.npsot.org.

Hosted by the Environmental Institute of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake

Receive the latest native plant news

Subscribe To Our News

Subscribe to emails from the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Receive emails when new posts are added 4-6 times per month, or receive an email once a month.

Or join us on social media

About the Region

New Braunfels, the location of our Fall 2024 Symposium, straddles both the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion and the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Interstate 35 divides the city of New Braunfels; its path through the city closely parallels the boundary of these two ecoregions, with the Edwards Plateau on the west side and the Blackland Prairies region to the east. 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