Native Plant Society of Texas

NPSOT-Houston Board Meeting
2024-08-06 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
The Houston chapter is always looking for dedicated volunteers who are passionate about the native plant mission in their city. Join our team to participate in important habitat, outreach, and planning efforts the support our mission. Anyone is welcome to attend our board meetings on zoom. We would love to have you join one of our committees and start the fun and rewarding work that goes into our various projects.

We use Slack to organize and communicate. Please email us at nphouston1@gmail.com for the slack link.

Meeting ID: 845 237 64852Passcode: [REDACTED]

Return to Houston Chapter Page

Gardening for Monarchs & Other Wildlife Using Native Plants
2024-08-07 09:00 - 16:30, 2024-08-09 09:00 - 16:30 (America/Chicago)
As part of the National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Stewards Certification Program, the Federation is offering Gardening for Monarchs & Other Wildlife with Native Plants in your Ecoregion.

This interactive two-day workshop will be hosted online (via Zoom) on August 7th (9:00 am-4:30 pm CST), and August 9th (9:00 am-4:30 pm CST), with plenty of breaks and time for Q & A. We will send a link to the meeting 2 days beforehand, via email.

Main Topics:

How gardening for monarchs benefits many other wildlife species

The human benefits of native gardening

Importance of gardening with native plants

Components of a native garden

Creating native gardens, what to keep in mind

Providing themed native gardens

Growing your own native milkweed, the successful technique

Basics of Landscape Designing (includes exercises)

Installing and maintaining your new native garden

Learn more at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gardening-for-monarchs-other-wildlife-using-native-plants-virtual-tickets-906938666967?aff=oddtdtcreator

August 7: "Ecological Site Descriptions and the Effect on Plant Communities" with Brandon Bing
2024-08-07 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago)
Chapter Meeting – “Ecological Site Descriptions and the Effect on Plant Communities” Plus “How To Use the Soil Web Survey” – Presented by Brandon Bing, Natural Resource Conservation Service

Join us for the August 7 Lakes and Pines Chapter Meeting to hear Brandon Bing discuss the topic of Ecological Site Descriptions and the Effect on Plant Communities.

Clear Lake Chapter Fall Plant Sale - Tree & Shrub Pre-order
2024-08-08 00:00 - 2024-08-23 23:59 (America/New_York)
Tree & shrub pre-order is open from August 8 to 23.

Purchase online, pick up on October 5 from 8 to 11 am at the in-person plant sale.

These individual orders will be prepaid and picked up at the Plant Sale on October 5. The trees and shrubs catalog is in addition to the over 2,000 plants that will be available October 5.

All sales final. Inventory is subject to availability. In the event that an item becomes unavailable, a refund will be issued for that item.

Note: We will have a limited inventory of other trees and shrubs available at our plant sale.

Pick up Location:Environmental Institute of Houston (Click link for Google Map)University of Houston-Clear LakeNorth Office Annex (NOA) 1 Building2700 Bay Area Blvd.Houston, TX 77058

The Native Aquatic Plants of Texas - Williamson County Chapter Meeting, August 8
2024-08-08 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Join NPSOT-Williamson County on Thursday, August 8, 2024, when our featured topic will be “The Native Aquatic Plants of Texas” with Casey Williams.

Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM. Our guest speaker’s presentation begins after a short business meeting.

Updated July 22: We will know closer to the date whether or not this guest presentation will be recorded for NPSOT-Williamson County’s YouTube channel. Check the NPSOT-Williamson County calendar for the latest info about plans to record this meeting. The meeting will be recorded for YouTube. The video will be published asap after the meeting date.

About our topic: While familiarity with Texas’ native flora is improving, many people overlook the diversity of Texas’ aquatic plants. This presentation will provide a basic understanding of what constitutes an aquatic plant, why they are important and highlight varying habitats and species found throughout Texas.

About our speaker: Casey is an aquatic ecologist and plant ecologist for a private consulting firm. He has been involved with aquatic plant biology, conservation and restoration since graduate school at Texas State University where he mapped and studied the aquatic plants of the San Marcos and Comal springs. He currently resides in San Marcos, Texas and spends his free time kayaking, hiking and traveling to find…. you guessed it. More aquatic plants.

NOTE: this month’s in-person location is the Georgetown Parks & Rec Administration Building, 1101 N College St, Georgetown, Texas 78626.

The link to register on Zoom is below.

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

Pollination: What's Next?
2024-08-10 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
For the Rio Grande Valley Chapter’s August meeting, we welcome Mike Heep from Heep’s Native Plant Nursery, who will share the detail of Fruit and Seed Formation that we often don’t think about.

If you are unable to attend in person, tune in to the Live Stream on our YouTube channel.

Location: South Texas Ecotourism Center, 501 Hwy 100, Laguna Vista, Tx.

Questions? rio-grande-valley-chapter@npsot.org

Planning a Public Space Pollinator Garden & Grant Application Walk Through - Clear Lake
2024-08-10 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
NEW DATE! Join us on Saturday, August 10, in person or online. If you already registered, your registration will be automatically transferred to the new date.

Learn about our Native Pollinator Habitat Grant program, how to plan a pollinator garden for public spaces, and what the committee is looking for in an application.

LocationEnvironmental Institute of HoustonUniversity of Houston-Clear LakeNorth Office Annex I (NOA I) Building2700 Bay Area Blvd.Houston, TX 77058

Need to attend virtually? Click here to register for our Zoom option.

About the Native Pollinator Habitat Grant Program

The Clear Lake Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas awards grants to nature centers, schools, educational groups and others to help fund development and maintenance of pollinator habitats using native plants, shrubs or trees on public sites in Brazoria, Galveston or Harris Counties of Texas. Priority is given to projects located in Brazoria Co., Galveston Co., and the southeast quadrant of Harris County.

Click here to learn more about the grant program.

Mike Munsil "Native Plants in a Permaculture Environment"
2024-08-12 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Chicago)
Mike will define permaculture and briefly introduce its principles and ethics. He will then discuss the contrast in viewpoints between those who focus on permaculture and those who focus on native plants. Mike will introduce the concept of food forest, providing a list of edible native plants in Texas.

Houston Audubon in the Landscape – Native Plants, Birds, and Stewardship - Hybrid Clear Lake Chapter Meeting
2024-08-12 18:15 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Please join us for our chapter meeting in person or online!

6:15 Doors Opens – UHCL Bayou Building, Room 13336:40 Zoom Opens6:45 Business Meeting6:55 Plant of the Month7:00 Guest Speaker

Native plants play a major role in the mission of Houston Audubon. As an accredited Land Trust, their efforts go above and beyond birding, as they serve as stewards of over 4,000 acres of land in the Greater Houston Region. This presentation will offer a dive into native plant production at their Natives Nursery, how their “Bird-Friendly Spaces” initiative is rejuvenating landscapes, and provide information on their already bird-friendly sanctuary system.

About the Speaker

Gabriel Durham manages Houston Audubon’s Bird Friendly Community Program, which includes Lights Out Texas, Bird-Friendly Spaces, advocacy efforts, the native plant nursery, and community partnerships. If you are looking for ways to make Houston and the surrounding area more bird-friendly via going lights out, policy change, infrastructure change, or want to get your space recognized as a bird-friendly space, feel free to reach out! Gabriel has over a decade of experience in green space management in the Houston region and is a certified LEED Green Associate as well as a Texas Master Naturalist in the Gulf Coast Chapter.

In-person – Parking Pass Required

If you have a pass, don’t forget it – you will not get another one if you picked one up previously. If you need a pass, arrive early enough to pick one up in Room 1333 (meeting room) and to place it in your car. DO NOT park in faculty/staff parking (enforced 24/7).

Map and Directions – The meeting will be held in Bayou Building Room 1333 at UHCL.

University of Houston-Clear Lake2700 Bay Area Blvd.Houston, TX 77058

Online – Zoom

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. 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: npsot.org.

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

Pines and Prairies NLCP Committee Meeting
2024-08-12 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Dear NLCP Committee Members,

This Monday begins our first meeting of 2024. We will meet at 7:00pm on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month on this Zoom link:

https://npsot-org.zoom.us/j/87628189964?pwd=[REDACTED]

We’re a small committee, and we don’t get to see each other in person very often, so please plan to join with your camera on.

See you Monday!

—

Jay Gowen, NLCP Chair, Pines and Prairies Chapter, 832-513-5785 (cell)

Habitat Workday @ EIH
2024-08-13 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-20 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Habitat volunteers help weed and mulch flower beds, plant native plants, maintain pathways, and trim trees and bushes. Volunteers may also help clean out the pond on select work days.

No experience necessary—we’ll show you what goes and what stays

Bring your own tools or use ours (we have gloves too)

Don’t forget to bring a reusable water bottle, hat, and sunscreen!

Volunteers must be 18 or older to participate in EIH’s workdays unless prior arrangements have been made.

We do not hold workdays when the university is officially closed. Also, workdays are canceled during inclement weather, though a light sprinkle or drizzle rarely keeps us out of the garden. If you’re not sure, please call 281-283-3950 or 281-283-3045, and we’ll let you know if we’re digging in.

LocationEnvironmental Institute of Houston (Click link for Google Map)University of Houston-Clear LakeNorth Office Annex (NOA) 1 Building2700 Bay Area Blvd.Houston, TX 77058

NPSOT Website Committee
2024-08-13 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Open to any members who help manage content on their chapter or committee website.No registration required.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 897 7771 6314Passcode: [REDACTED]

Austin Chapter Meeting - What's the rush video with Dr. Doug Tallamy, Aug 13
2024-08-13 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Doug Tallamy presents on video the science-based solution to the biodiversity crisis and explains why it’s so urgent. Native plants are the foundation of the solution, and we can do it together.

This is a virtual meeting using Zoom. Please register to get the Zoom for this meeting. https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqd-6gpz8sH9yU0Gnv_I3PexdIUvwbJpvi

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

Workday at butterfly garden, Conservation Plaza
2024-08-14 08:00 - 10:00 (America/Chicago)

Rainwater Harvesting - August 14
2024-08-14 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago)
Robert Mace, Executive Director & Chief Water Policy Officer, with The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

Coming Soon!

Register here for this virtual event.

Water Wednesdays: Xeriscape - August 14
2024-08-14 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join Water Wednesdays on August 14, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM to hear from NPSOT’s own Deedy Wright on Xeriscaping. This is a FREE virtual event, but registration is required. To register for this event: REGISTER

Coming Soon!

Register here for this virtual event.

Executive Committee Meeting
2024-08-14 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago)
Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) Executive Committee meetings occur monthly and any member may attend. Contact the Executive Director prior to the meeting at state@npsot.org for Zoom and applicable document links. Please be prepared to follow the Visitor’s Executive Meeting Protocol.

November 5, 2024 - Boerne Chapter Meeting at Hunke Gathering Hall at Herff Farm
2024-08-15 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)
November 5, 2024 – Chapter Meeting at Hunke Gathering Hall at Herff Farm

– 6:00pm Social Time, 6:45pm – 8:15pm Chapter Announcements followed by presentation

Speakers – Rufus Stephens and Jan Wrede

Rufus is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and educator. He has worked as a wildlife biologist for 35 years, 23 years with TPWD. Rufus is one of the founders of the Texas Master Naturalist program and in recognition for this accomplishment was a corecipient of the Wildlife Management Institute’s award for Innovation.

Jan is a non-fiction writer and environmental educator. She worked for 19 years as the director of education and citizen science at the Cibolo Nature Center and wrote weekly nature columns for the local newspapers. She also was a secondary science teacher for 15 years.

Rufus and Jan are co-authors of the new edition of Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas, published by Texas A&M Press. In addition, Jan is author of Trees, Shrubs, and Vines of the Texas Hill Country.

Topic – To be announced.

Chapter Leader Forum: Resources for Battling Invasive Plants
2024-08-15 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Topic: Resources for Battling Invasive Plants

Description:Join Leah Fenley, Deedy Wright, and Ashley Hurlbert to discover the resources available to youon the Invasive Plant Committee’s webpage. Do a walkthrough of the Invasive Plant Database.Join Ashley on a tutorial on how to use the site’s rack card template to create your own cardfeaturing eco-region specific alternatives for an invasive plant. There will be plenty of time forQ&A.

Presenters: Leah Fenley, Committee Chairperson, Deedy Wright, former Chairperson andAshley Hurlbert, creator of the rack card template

When: August 15, 2024 (Third Thursday) 12 – 1 pm

Zoom Registration Link:

https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvde-hqTojH9TwonjXLGKSG74b8QXlfv8P

From the Bayou to the Hills and Lost Palms of Texas - August 15
2024-08-15 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Cut and treated Chinese Tallow in Challenger 7 Memorial Park, Webster, Texas. Photo courtesy of Eric Ruckstuhl.

If you are not aware (but we hope you are), an invasive species is defined as a non-native species to the ecosystem whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Our speaker this month, Eric Ruckstuhl, has been removing invasive, exotic plants throughout Texas for more than 25 years. Join us to learn about his work removing invasive species in Texas and witness the unveiling of his results mapping the lost palms of Texas, Sabal mexicana.

About the Speaker – Eric Ruckstuhl

Eric Ruckstuhl is a native Houstonian who has lived in Cypress with his wife and two sons for 27 years. His company, EBR Enterprises, has been involved in habitat restoration for 30 years, and invasive plant removal for over 25 years. He is a fluvial geomorphologist and a native plant and wetland specialist. (Since this newsletter editor had to look up fluvial geomorphology, I’ll share that it is the study of the physical processes that shape and maintain river and stream form, recognizing that an in-depth understanding of a river’s history and site specific conditions are critical to successful management and restoration. Now we know.) Eric is also a licensed Herbicide Applicator, with Aquatic and Land Management certifications.

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 FwyHouston, TX 77024

Woodway Entrance4501 Woodway DriveHouston, TX 77024

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

Return to Houston Chapter Page

#TXBookChat LIVE: Naturalist's Austin: A Guide to the Plants and Animals of Central Texas with authors Lynne and Jim Weber on August 19
2024-08-19 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Join the Texas Center for the Book on August 19, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for #TXBookChat LIVE:Naturalist’s Austin: A Guide to the Plants and Animals of Central Texas with authors Lynne and Jim Weber. Hosted in the Public Event Space at the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building, Capitol Complex, 1201 Brazos St., Austin.

Michele Chan Santos, coordinator of the Center for the Book, will conduct an in-person interview with the authors, discussing their new book Naturalist’s Austin: A Guide to the Plants and Animals of Central Texas. This beautifully photographed book demonstrates the natural diversity found in the urban wildscapes of the Texas capital city and beyond. With clarity and depth of knowledge, Naturalist’s Austin: A Guide to the Plants and Animals of Central Texas includes nearly 700 species of plants and animals native to the region.

This event is free and open to the public.

More information on planning your visit—including parking, accessibility, and other Texas history and library research resources available on-site—is available at www.tsl.texas.gov/visit.

Register here.

Books will not be available on site but can be purchased ahead of time by ordering at Texas A&M University Press, use the coupon code TS20 for 20 percent off. The authors will be available to sign books at the conclusion of the event.

Beaumont Chapter Meeting
2024-08-19 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Tyrell Park, 6088 Babe Zaharias Drive, Beaumont, Texas, 77705
Join us for our monthly chapter meetings. You do not need to be a member to attend. We meet the 3rd Monday of each month.

Meeting Location: Tyrrell Park – 6088 Babe Zaharias Drive, Beaumont, TX 77705

We meet in the Binks Horticultural Center in the Beaumont Botanical Gardens area of the park.

Dallas Chapter August 19, 2024 meeting. Making Sense of Horticultural Jargon....
2024-08-19 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
(and how it affects your plant choices)

…. and how it affects your plant choices.

Ever wonder what some of those commonly used horticultural terms really mean? Or witnessed an internet argument where you’re pretty sure people aren’t all defining a plant word the same way? This talk by Carol Clark seeks to demystify some of the words that get used, and used poorly. Understanding the meaning of horticultural terms can also affect your plant choices and inform your plant wish list. We’ll use familiar examples to illustrate the concepts.

ZOOM our monthly meetings at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83725236133?pwd=[REDACTED] If needed, use: Meeting ID: 837 2523 6133 / Passcode: [REDACTED]

August Chapter Meeting - iNaturalist presentation by Craig Hensley
2024-08-20 17:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
The Lindheimer Chapter of the Native Plant Society meets the third Tuesday of every month at the Tye Preston Memorial Library, located at 16311 S Access Rd, Canyon Lake, TX 78133, United States. Social time 5:30 p.m., business meeting 5:40 p.m., Plant-of-the-Month 5:50 p.m., hour-long program 6:20 p.m. Zoom meeting information can be found here.

Time to Restore: Connecting People, Plants, and Pollinators
2024-08-21 09:30 - 11:30 (America/Chicago)
The Time to Restore project, led by the USA-NPN and covering Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, seeks to generate better information about nectar availability and seed timing to help those working on pollinator restoration know what to plant and when to harvest seeds.

Help shape this important project! In this free, two-hour virtual workshop, you will learn more about the Time to Restore project, weigh in on the best plant species to target for ongoing monitoring and assessment in Texas, help generate ideas for recruitment and engagement of volunteer data collectors, and give your input on how the data collected by this project can be best presented back to those working on pollinator restoration.

Registration opens here August 1, 2024

Two options for your participation:

Wednesday, August 21, 2024, 9:30 – 11:30 am CT

Saturday, August 24, 2024, 9:30 – 11:30 am CT

Seed Longevity Study: How long do seeds live in conservation seed banks?
2024-08-21 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Chicago)
Join the Center for Plant Conservation as they explore the results of an in-depth assessment of germination viability, RNA integrity, and lipid biophysics in 100 wild rare plant species. This 90-minute, free webinar will feature informative presentations followed by ample time for live audience Q&A.

Wednesday, August 21, 20242:00-3:30 PM Eastern / 11:00 AM-12:30 PM Pacific.

Registration: https://saveplants.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5111078c47821caea413b21ca&id=1dbc31c2f1&e=8a59f9ace8

WEBINAR PRESENTATIONS:

🌱 The importance of characterizing seed longevity for seed bank curation: Study goals and design. Presented by Dr. Katie Heineman, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

🌱 Assessment of viability and aging of seeds that have been stored for 20-30 years through the lens of classic viability assays and emerging techniques measuring RNA integrity and lipid thermal behavior. Presented by Lisa Hill, Dr. Hannah Tetreault, and Dr. Christina Walters, USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation

🌱 Next steps and new frontiers: Predicting seed longevity at species and population levels and contributing factors, such as life form and geographic traits. Presented by Dr. Katie Heineman, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

Bay Area Sierra Club Meeting: P is for Prairie
2024-08-21 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
The August meeting will be conducted via Zoom.Starts 6:30 pm for social time; 7:00 pm for program.

On August 21, the speaker will be Rowena McDermid, Environmental Education Specialist at the Environmental Institute of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake. She will discuss the economic, cultural, and environmental importance of the coastal tall grass prairie to Houston.

Bay Area meetings are on 3rd Wednesday of the month, and start at 6:30pm for social hour; speaker and discussion from 7-8:30 pm.

August Trinity Forks Business Meeting & Program - How to Grow Native Plants from Seeds
2024-08-22 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
6:30 pm – Social time7:00 pm – Announcements followed by presentation

This program is only available via Zoom.

To Zoom in directly, please register in advance at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYodeCtrzoiE9LnBQR0XcOYymsF2Li5-B4G . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We also invite you to an in-person watch party of the Zoom feed from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Town of Flower Mound Public Library, 3030 Broadmoor Ln, Flower Mound, TX 75022.

Please register your in-person attendance at this Zoom watch party in advance at: How to Grow Native Plants from Seed – Flower Mound Public Library

You will be asked to enter your name, email, phone, and age group.

A Flower Mound Library card is not required for this event.

Free Admission. Public Welcome.

George Cates, Restoration Specialist at Native American Seed, will help us through the steps to start those native plant seeds you’ve been saving started this fall for a great springtime show. But just sowing seeds is not the first step. Learn about successful methods for site location, invasive species removal, and site preparation to succeed with starting native plants from seed during Fall 2024’s planting season.
