Native Plant Society of Texas

Outreach: "Habitat" Opening Day
2024-09-14 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Join our outreach team to celebrate the opening of the Houston Botanic Garden’s newest exhibition, “Habitat.” Experience the Garden as crucial habitat for native wildlife. Participants will have the opportunity to visit with organizations that protect habitat, take home a native tree, design a miniature habitat of their own, and try their hand at nest building. Bird and butterfly walks will be offered each hour, as well. This is a great opportunity to spend a day learning how protecting habitats protects life.

LocationHouston Botanic GardenOne Botanic LaneHouston, TX 77017

Keep Flower Mound Beautiful Environmental Fair
2024-09-14 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
Visit our outreach booth at the Keep Flower Mound Beautiful Environmental Fair! We’ll have knowledgeable volunteers to answer your questions and help you get started turning your landscape into a climate friendly oasis!

Flower Mound High School, 3411 Peters Colony (for your GPS) – In the back parking lot at Sagebrush Drive and Old Settlers Road

Outreach: Parks for Pollinators Bioblitz
2024-09-16 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York)
NEW DATE! Join other nature-lovers for an interactive tour that supports our local pollinators!

Every September, folks across the country compete to see who can spot the most pollinators in their region. Visit the page linked below to download iNaturalist and join the “Parks for Pollinators 2024 Galveston” project before you arrive.

LocationMcGuire-Dent Recreation Center2222 28th StGalveston, TX 77550

Beaumont Chapter Meeting
2024-09-16 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 September 16, 2024 meeting. Migration and Tagging of Monarchs
2024-09-16 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Lois Diggs: Monarch Migration: The How…Why…and When,Learn about the monarch butterfly, why we tag the Super Generation as it migrates from Canada to Mexico every Fall, discover the history of tagging, and how you can become involved in this citizen scientist project.

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

Habitat Workday @ EIH
2024-09-17 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-09-24 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

Monthly Meeting: Ricky Linex, Society President, presenting over Zoom “Pollinators and Native Plants: What it Means for Our Future”
2024-09-17 17:30 (America/Chicago)
Meetings are held at the Tye Preston Memorial Library at , 16311 S. Access Rd., Canyon Lake, Texas. Social time starts at 5:30 PM, the business meeting at 5:50 PM, and the speaker at 6 PM. All are welcome.

Austin Chapter Meeting - Native Plant Seeds with Craig Bruska
2024-09-17 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Our September meeting will be a hybrid in person and over Zoom meeting. Our speaker will be attending via Zoom, and we will be sure to project the video for everyone to see.

The September Austin Chapter meeting is Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

The meeting address is: Lakewood Clubhouse, 7317 Lakewood Dr, Austin, TX 78750.

Schedule:

– 6:30PM Social time (both in person and online)

– 7:00PM Guest speaker Craig Bruska speaking on Native Plant Seeds

– 8:00PM Chapter Business Meeting

If you want to join our September Chapter Meeting via Zoom, please register at the following link. (If you register now, you will get a reminder from Zoom the day before the meeting.) https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkdOCurzMoH91LrzBx44FYOxvqaIQpk7iD

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

September Chapter Book Club
2024-09-18 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Armadillos to Ziziphus by David M. Hillis

Open to the public!Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library 505 Water Street Kerrville, Texas

Chapter Leader Forum: Homegrown National Park® - Get on the Map!
2024-09-19 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Homegrown National Park® – Get on the Map!Training for chapter leaders, members, and guests

Description:Our September 19, 2024, NPSOT Chapter Leader Forum provides training and a discussion with Homegrown National Park (HNP) representatives. Learn how to get on the Homegrown National Park’s Biodiversity Map. Hear HNP Representatives provide answers to frequently asked questions. Receive workaround instructions to overcome Chrome and Foxfire browser access issues.

Training is open to chapter leaders, members, and their guests. Encourage all Texans to plant one or more Texas native plants. Get on The Map for Texas Native Plant Week 2024! Register your native plant contributions to ecological landscaping throughout Texas.

Presenters: Homegrown National Park representatives and Tom Kirwan (NPSOT – Trinity Forks)When: September 19, 2024 (Third Thursday) 12 – 1 pm

Zoom Registration Link:https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tcO2uqDMiEtH1QURXI534AHZydeFnen9N

Building Bird-Friendly Communities with Houston Audubon: How to Attract and Support Native Birds Wherever You Live, Work, and Play - September 19
2024-09-19 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Birds are not only beautiful and fascinating creatures, but they are also essential to balanced and healthy ecosystems. Despite their importance, bird populations across the United States have faced a staggering decline in the last 50 years. Join Amber Leung of Houston Audubon as she delves into the factors driving this decline and explores how we can make a difference. Whether you live in an urban area, suburban neighborhood, or rural setting, there are practical steps you can take to create bird-friendly environments. Anyone can play a role in safeguarding these vital creatures for future generations. Amber will equip you with the knowledge and tools to attract and support native birds wherever you live, work, and play, ensuring that their songs and presence remain a cherished part of our world for years to come.

About the Speaker

Amber Leung is the Nature Programs Manager for Houston Audubon. She teaches about birds and the rest of the natural world at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary in Houston. Her love for the natural world was nurtured from an early age through camping and hiking adventures with her family in Austin. Her passion for birding took flight during a Coastal Ornithology course while pursuing a BS in Marine Sciences at Texas A&M University in Galveston. In 2015, Amber became a certified Texas Master Naturalist and went on to serve two terms as president of the Coastal Prairie Chapter. She is deeply committed to promoting the importance of all aspects of a healthy ecosystem, particularly those that are often overlooked. In her free time, Amber enjoys cultivating her own native plant garden, creating wildlife-inspired art, and immersing herself in nature, where she delights in observing birds and reptiles.

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

Pines and Prairies Chapter Meeting - Tree Health After Extreme Weather Events
2024-09-19 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Open the Bulletin to find details about and links to the Native Plant Swap and Speaker.

Location: SHSU The Woodlands Campus, 3380 College Park Dr, The Woodlands, Room 230Speaker: Allen Smith, Entomologist & Forest Health specialist with Texas A&M Forest ServiceTopic: Tree Health After Extreme Weather Events

You can also attend via Zoom. Check your email.

Don’t miss this timely topic!

Never Forget Garden Maintenance
2024-09-21 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Chicago)
Our chapter is on the schedule to maintain this small garden this month. The Never Forget Garden is located at the Veterans Memorial Park in College Station and will likely need only an hour’s effort, so if anyone is interested and wants to come, respond to this email and we will welcome your company!

Start time is 9AM September 21st, so we will make quick work of this!

Field Trip: Memorial Park Kinder Land Bridge and Wolff Prairie
2024-09-21 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
Meeting Location

In Google Maps- Parking Lot- Memorial Park- Running Track (N Picnic Ln) – we will meet at the Rally Pavilion in the southern part of the parking area (GPS 29.76584, -95.44630).

Things To Bring

We may wander off trail, so boots/closed toe shoes and bug spray recommended. Please bring adequate hydration and other items you may require to be comfortable. I anticipate we will be in full sun the entire time, so dress appropriately.

Field Trip Overview

The Memorial Land Bridge and Prairie Project has provided Houston with a unique driving experience while providing habitat connectivity between larger environs north and south of Memorial Drive. From a plant perspective this area will provide participants with the ability to see how species respond to various restoration techniques. If time permits, we will explore forest edge, prairie, wetland, and riparian communities. Due to the amount of earthwork required for this project, erosion due to slopes and utilization of subsurface clays made rapid vegetation and soil cohesion via rooting extremely important. As a result, we will likely see a few grass species such as sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula, State Grass of Texas) and hairy grama (B. hirsuta). These species are more typical of Central and Western Texas, but inclusions within the Houston area are often on recently exposed lagoonal/marine mudstones (e.g. clays deposited in a marine/deltac systems). In addition to plant identification, we will discuss how plant species can be selected based on anticipated post-restoration conditions, how adaptive management can be utilized to promote success, and how high-profile projects demand additional planning.

Additional Site Information

https://www.memorialparkconservancy.org/discover/master-plan/land-bridge-prairie-restoration-project/

About the Field Trip Leader

Andy Newman is the Chief Ecologist at The Earth Partners and 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.

Additional Coordination Details

Please contact Bob Romero for any further coordination details at bobromero@gmail.com or by phone at 713.248.6030.

Outreach: Parks for Pollinators Bioblitz
2024-09-21 09:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Stop by our booth to chat with Patty, Cheryl, Virginia, and Kathleen. Learn about native plants and why they are important. Seed giveaway when available and while supplies last.

As a part of this event, the City of Pasadena will be providing free admission to the first 100 people through the ABNC gate. After the first 100, guests can enter with regular admission for non-members.

LocationArmand Bayou Nature Center8500 Bay Area BlvdPasadena, TX 77507

Chapter Meeting - Deedy Wright - Plant Education - Fall plant sale preview
2024-09-23 17:45 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Meeting at the New Braunfels Public Library meeting room.
Social 5:45 pm, Business 6:15 pm, Program at 6:30 pmZoom link and passcode in January newsletter and on website.

2024-09-23 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)

Tracking Shifts in Food Availability for Monarchs and Other Pollinators - September 24
2024-09-24 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Monarchs depend on a diverse suite of host plants along their migration path. Knowledge of when and where plants are leafing and flowering, and how climate change is shifting the timing, is critical for understanding availability of food resources. In this presentation I will describe how the USA National Phenology Network engages volunteer and professional scientists in collecting data on presence and intensity of leafing and flowering with simple yet scientifically rigorous phenology protocols. I’ll also describe our recent efforts to establish climate drivers to flowering and seed timing to make predictions of how this timing will shift under future climate conditions.

This presentation by Erin Posthumus, USA National Phenology Network is part of the Monarch Conservation Webinar Series by Monarch Joint Venture.

To Be Announced, Cross Timbers Chapter Meeting (Weatherford)- Tuesday 9/24
2024-09-24 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Additional details coming soon

Meeting Details:

Location: Mount Pleasant Historical School, 213 Raymond George Way, Weatherford, Texas.

6:00 p.m. Chapter Business Meeting and Update on Native Plant Sale

6:30 p.m. Educational Program

The Monarch Butterfly Migration, San Antonio Chapter Meeting, Sept. 24
2024-09-24 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Presentation by Monica Maeckle. The Monarch Butterfly Migration; Its Rise and Fall.

The Monarch Butterfly Migration Its Rise and Fall – a newly published book by Chapter Member, Monika Maeckle. In this informative and interesting book, we learn about the natural history of the monarch butterfly migration from 1976 to the present woven with a lot of cultural history and memoir. Monika will share with us her journey of from curiosity to involvement about monarch butterly migrations that touch on a variety of subjects and issues from milkweed species to tagging butterflies to the changes seen in annual migrations.

Monika Maeckle is a writer, Master Gardener, pollinator advocate, Monarch tagger, and curious student of nature who loves the whole life cycle. She founded the annual San Antonio Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival iN 2016 and posts on her site The Texas Butterfly Ranch https://texasbutterflyranch.com/.

This will be a “hybrid” meeting, attend in-person or online.

Online: Please register in advance to attend via Zoom.

In person: The Gathering Center at the Urban Ecology Center at Phil Hardberger Park, 8400 NW Military Hwy

Reduce Your Lawn, Save Water, and Feed the Pollinators!
2024-09-24 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
With the Local Drought Index at -2.88, which is moderate drought stage (as of August 10, 2024), we need to rethink how we’re using water in the landscape. This month’s meeting of the Fredericksburg Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) will provide information and tips about using native Texas groundcovers instead of grass lawn in your landscape.

Kathy Saucier, certified instructor for the NPSOT native landscape classes and Gillespie County resident, will be speaking on Tuesday, September 24 – 6:30 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Halle, about how to turn your water-guzzling lawn into a drought-tolerant pollinator paradise that is beautiful and useful.

“Children and pets love to play in the outdoors, and most people think that can only happen on monoculture lawns,” said Deborah Simmons, president of the Fredericksburg Chapter of NPSOT. “Kathy is going to share with us how we can shrink our lawn and water usage by incorporating Texas native groundcovers that are great for our local pollinators, and that children, pets and adults can all enjoy.”“There are dozens of fantastic Texas native grasses, groundcovers and shrubs that we can use in place of lawn,” said Saucier. “We’ll talk about those plants and share ideas about how to reduce the size of your lawn, save water, and help improve the landscape for pollinators all at the same time.”

Saucier grew up in the Hill Country, and since 2018 has resided on the 1904 Leyendecker family farm in SW Gillespie County. Her first landscaping with Texas native plants were those growing naturally here in Gillespie County. She especially enjoys discovering what grows here and is native to our area, and promoting their attributes. She has identified approximately 190 species on their 40-acre property and has added another 150 Texas natives. Her interest does not stop at native plants, but includes birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, dragonflies, butterflies and everything else that crawls.

The Fredericksburg NPSOT chapter holds its monthly meetings on the 4th Tuesday of the month at St. Joseph’s Halle (212 W. San Antonio St., Fredericksburg). There is a social time with snacks at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend in person and via online streaming (www.youtube.com/@fredericksburgtexasnativeg4884). More information is online at Facebook (@fbgtxnpsot), Instagram (@npsot_fredericksburg_chapter), and https://npsot.org/chapters/fredericksburg/. Meetings are free and open to the public.

Business Meeting & Program - Adding Native Plants to Our Communities - Trinity Forks 2023 Grant Recipient Project Reports
2024-09-26 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
6:30pm – Social time7:00pm – Zoom opens and meeting begins

The PETAL Prairie Restoration at Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center, presented by Rachel Weaver, Founder and Director of The PETAL Project, demonstrates her partnership with the City of Denton, TX and the Elm Fork Master Naturalists, to add native plants of ecological importance into an area of restored prairie in order to provide creative and educational opportunities that cultivate purposeful community environmental literacy.

The Keep Argyle Beautiful – Rewilding Fire Station 511 project, presented by Christian Cockrell and Kathy Salisbury, presents the transformation of an unused barren, weedy area at Argyle Fire Station 511 into a native prairie plant garden.

The Bluebonnets for Bluebonnet Elementary project, presented by LISD’s Stormy Allen,TEM Instructor, and Kamille Mayes, Teacher, allows all 700 culturally diverse Kindergarten through 5th grade students to plant, water, weed, grow, maintain and observe bluebonnet plants in their school garden and provides basic science and gardening skills and education.

The fourth grant recipient, the Town of Flower Mound’s Monarch Waystation will be the primary program for our July meeting.

Open to the public.

We hope you can join our meeting in person at TWU’s Ann Stuart Science Complex. Campus parking is open after 6:00pm.

If you can’t join us in person, we invite you to our Zoom meeting.

ZOOM PARTICIPANTS ONLY: Please Register in advance for this meeting:https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYodeCtrzoiE9LnBQR0XcOYymsF2Li5-B4G

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

Organizational Meeting for Galveston Chapter
2024-09-26 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago)
Watch us take root and blossom — a new chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas is sprouting!

Interested in helping start a new Native Plant Society chapter specifically for the Galveston area? Join us for the first organization meeting at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

Join & network with other native plant enthusiasts

Discuss new chapter’s name and bylaws

Elect new chapter’s officers

The Galveston area is a unique ecoregion with very specific native plants & animals. Help bring education for this ecoregion to this community.

LocationUnitarian Universalist Fellowship502 Church StreetGalveston, TX

Saturday, September 28 - Native Landscape Certification Program Level 2: Landscape Design with Native Plants
2024-09-28 07:45 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Saturday, September 28 – Native Landscape Certification Program Level 2: Landscape Design with Native Plants

– 7:45am – 3:00pm – Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium

For more information and to register: https://nativeplantsocietyoftexas.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/nativeplantsocietyoftexas/event.jsp?event=2351

Outreach: Squawk Walk at Exploration Green
2024-09-28 08:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
The Squawk Walk is an event held at Exploration Green to celebrate the role the city plays in the lives of birds. Attendees are encouraged to register for free guided bird walks. Bring cameras, binoculars, water, and walking shoes for birding. Texas Master Naturalists are also on hand to answer questions.

LocationExploration Green16203 Diana LaneHouston, TX 77062

Outreach Booth at The Woodlands Landscaping Solution
2024-09-28 08:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Gather your native plants to share with others. Sign up to help here.

September 28: Fall Native Plant Sale & Information Table - be sure to stop by, ask questions, say "hello" and take home some native East Texas plants!
2024-09-28 09:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Yantis Prairie Day, 124 West Oak, Yantis, Tx

Family Friendly, Free Outdoor Event – Celebrating Nature and Our Grazing Lands

Outreach: How To: Grow Native Milkweed
2024-09-28 11:00 (America/New_York)
Free workshop by Greg and Linda Pearson. Learn how to grow native milkweed for our migrating Monarchs and receive free milkweed seeds.

LocationJimbo’s Nursery15019 8th StreetSanta Fe, TX 77517

Bastrop County Chapter Meeting
2024-09-30 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Come mingle and learn with us at our first chapter meeting! Join us for an engaging presentation that delves into the unique ecoregion of Bastrop County. Explore the diverse native plants, habitats, and ecosystems that define this special region, from the iconic Lost Pines to the thriving prairies and wetlands. Learn about the vital role native plants play in supporting local wildlife and how you can help observe these natural spaces. We will also talk about how conditions such as soil, water and sun affect successful growth. Perfect for nature enthusiasts, gardeners, and anyone curious about the natural world around them!

Meeting will take place at the Bastrop Public Library in the Pressley Room. Hope to see you there!
