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Native Plant Society of Texas

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Rewilding Our Perception of What Belongs – May 15

May 15 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

In ecological restoration, especially in disturbed or urbanized areas, the goal of returning to a singular “climax state” often clashes with the complex reality of the world. We tend to hold onto an idealized vision of a pre-human, pristine ecological state, overlooking the diverse outcomes as the result of complex processes interacting. What seems like failure or degradation may actually be the emergence of a new kind of mental interpretational climax, shaped by input factors, altered assumptions, novel assemblages, and community interactions. By shifting our perspective to recognize multiple expressions of resilience, our role becomes less about enforcing a template and more about listening, inquiring, and collaborating with what exists. Restoration becomes a relationship. 

Photo courtesy of Andrea Matthews

About the Speaker

Andy Newman is the Chief Ecologist at The Earth Partners. He has 15 years of experience working within diverse ecosystems for a wide array of project types. His position places an emphasis leading the technical ecological restoration of projects, managing construction and adaptive management, and helping clients meet their compensatory mitigation requirements. His background includes environmental restoration planning, stakeholder engagement, construction, planting, and ecological uplift assessment. Andy’s specialties include aquatic feature delineations and jurisdictional determinations, Clean Water Act permitting, threatened and endangered species identification and consultations, NEPA compliance, plant identification, and community classification. His favorite ecosystems include longleaf pine savannas, coastal prairies, and southern Appalachian forests. If his name sounds familiar, he also leads our field trips!

Our monthly chapter meetings are held on every 3rd Thursday, January – November. Our meetings are free and open to the public thanks to our members and sponsors.

The presentation will start at 7:00 pm, but come at 6:45 pm for a meet and greet with snacks.

Houston Arboretum and Nature Center

610 Entrance (preferred)
120 W Loop N Fwy
Houston, TX 77024

Woodway Entrance
4501 Woodway Drive
Houston, TX 77024

Meetings will also be live-streamed and recorded for later viewing.

Register to Attend via Zoom

Return to Houston Chapter Page

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About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

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