Native Plant Society of Texas

July 13 - Second Saturday Workday at Cibolo Nature Center Demonstration Gardens
2024-07-13 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
July 13, 9:00 am – noon. We will meet in the Nature Center Parking Lot. Please bring hat, work gloves, water, and sun and insect protection.

Work day at RGVNPC - July 14
2024-07-14 07:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)
Come out and volunteer with us at the Rio Grande Valley Native Plant Center on South Padre Island. Bring your garden tools, water, and snacks. While mosquitos are not usually bad, bring some bug spray just in case. We start early to take advantage of the cool mornings and stop when the day gets hot.

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

Beaumont Chapter Meeting
2024-07-15 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.

Habitat Workday @ EIH
2024-07-16 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-07-23 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-07-30 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-06 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

No Chapter Meeting in July
2024-07-16 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
We take the month off with chapter meetings, so please join us in August for the next chapter meeting.

Work day at RGVNPC - July 17
2024-07-17 07:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)

Stewardship for Birds in Aquatic & Riparian Habitats
2024-07-17 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago)
Speakers: Coauthors of Land Stewardship for Birds – Jan Wrede: Environmental Educator and Writer; Rufus Stephens: Wildlife Biologist

Riparian corridors have the greatest diversity of bird species and the greatest abundance of individual birds compared to most other habitat types. Also, riparian birds are an excellent indicator of riparian and aquatic ecosystem health, and stewardship for birds along riparian corridors increases the quality of the entire ecosystem. This webinar will discuss breeding and migratory bird species that live in different levels of the riparian and aquatic habitats and have different survival needs. It will include the serious environmental problems these birds face as well as their causes and the solutions land stewards can provide.

The speaker are coauthors of “Land Stewardship for Birds”

Jan Wrede: Environmental Educator and Writer & retired from the Cibolo Nature Center

Rufus Stephens: TPWD Wildlife Biologist & Rufus Wildlife Consulting, LLC

Register for this virtual event here.

Chapter Leader Forum
2024-07-18 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Topic: Native Seed Library Program

Description:

Please join us as Craig Bruska talks about the native seed library program that he set up between the Lindheimer chapter and the Tye Preston Memorial Library in Canyon Lake this year. He is currently helping expand the program to libraries in the region. He will talk about:

Identifying local native seed collectors and sources

Connecting with local seed networks (Central Texas Seed Savers)

Finding a partner site (Libraries, Nature Centers, and other similar sites)

Helping the partner site set up their program

Choosing between a library inventory system or Scientific/Common Name indexing

Using the native seed library as a means of media outreach

Documenting the agreement (Model User Agreement)

Other benefits, challenges, and documents used

There will be plenty of time for your questions!

Presenter:

Craig Bruska, Guadalupe and Lindheimer NPSOT Chapters

When: Thursday, July 18, 2024 (Third Thursday) 12 – 1 pm

Zoom Registration Link:https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtduCsqjwjE9xgj__tXVbLjuHjH9EZe_hH

Greener Gulfton: Native Plants for Health, Resilience, and Biodiversity - July 18
2024-07-18 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to continued power outage at the Houston Arboretum, we are not able to offer an in-person meeting this week. We will meet via Zoom only. Please register to ensure we have capacity for all who want to participate: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZclduiorj8oHNeUPLx31SwIQ-Yh6I8MfMoY

Gulfton is a culturally rich neighborhood in southwest Houston with great leadership and a can-do spirit. Yet, it is a nature-deprived neighborhood, putting the human community at risk for rising temperatures, air pollution, and increased stress levels. Fortunately an effort is underway to plant trees, provide nature-rich shade shelters, bus stops and more! Part of this transformation is the Greener Gulfton effort and we will tell that story.

About the Speaker

Jaime González is an award-winning conservationist, environmental educator, public speaker, and coalition builder working at the intersection of human health, biodiversity conservation, equity, and climate action. He works to influence policy, secure funding, catalyze planning and embed community-based projects that unlock the power of nature for community well-being and environmental health. Jaime serves as board chair for the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), as a board member for Madres del Parque, and as a climate justice advisor to Harris County. He formerly worked for The Nature Conservancy, the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, Houston Arboretum & NatureCenter, and the Nature Heritage Society.

Jaime has won numerous local, state, and national awards for his work, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Houston’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the 2022 Houston Visionary Award from Center for Houston’s Future, the Prairie Champion Award from the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, and the Elizabeth Hull Abernathy Award from the Garden Club of America for outstanding contributions to environmental education of youth.

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.

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

Return to Houston Chapter Page

Greener Gulfton: Native Plants for Health, Resilience, and Biodiversity
2024-07-18 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Gulfton is a culturally rich neighborhood in southwest Houston with great leadership and a can-do spirit. Yet, it is a nature-deprived neighborhood, putting the human community at risk for rising temperatures, air pollution, and increased stress levels. Fortunately an effort is underway to plant trees, provide nature-rich shade shelters and bus stops and more! Part of this transformation is the Greener Gulfton effort and we will tell that story.

Jaime González is an award-winning conservationist, environmental educator, public speaker, and coalition builder working at the intersection of human health, biodiversity conservation, equity, and climate action. He works to influence policy, secure funding, catalyze planning and embed community-based projects that unlock the power of nature for community well-being and environmental health. Jaime serves as board chair for the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), as a board member for Madres del Parque, and as a climate justice advisor to Harris County. He formerly worked for The Nature Conservancy, the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, and the Nature Heritage Society.

Jaime has won numerous local, state, and national awards for his work, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Houston’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the 2022 Houston Visionary Award from Center for Houston’s Future, the Prairie Champion Award from the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, and the Elizabeth Hull Abernathy Award from the Garden Club of America for outstanding contributions to environmental education of youth.

Please join us at 6:45 pm at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center for a meet-and-greet and some light snacks; the presentation will begin at 7pm. Mary’s presentation will NOT be recorded for later viewing, so you’ll need to watch live – don’t miss out!Houston Arboretum & Nature Center120 W Loop N, Houston, TX 77024We will also stream via zoom.CLICK HERE to register for the zoom meeting.

Field Trip to Westcave Preserve
2024-07-20 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
An email has gone out to members about this event.

Belinda McLaughlin "Native Ground Covers"
2024-07-22 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Even the most perfect landscapes have problem areas – too hard to mow, too steep to maintain, too wet, not enough sunlight. Belinda McLaughlin will introduce all sorts of native plants that can help resolve those difficulties in our landscapes AND add beauty and diversity to our gardens. She will get you on your way toward filling every corner of your yard – even the tricky ones – with our beloved Texas natives.

Chapter Meeting - Diagnosing and Treating Native Plant Problems
2024-07-22 17:45 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Andrew Labay, horticulturist & plant biologist from San Antonio Botanical Gardens

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.

2024-07-22 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)

Seed Cleaning Workshop
2024-07-23 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Come learn how to clean seed heads to harvest seeds during this hands-on workshop! Participants will be able to take home several types of seeds, including Firewheel, Baptisia, milkweed, Basketflower, Bluebonnet, Scarlet Sage, Winecup, and Coreopsis. Participants will also help prepare seeds for Community Outreach. Bring gardening gloves.

LocationEnvironmental Institute of HoustonUniversity of Houston-Clear Lake2700 Bay Area Blvd., NOA IHouston, TX 77058

Creating Pollinator Gardens Step-by-Step
2024-07-23 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
If you want to create a pollinator garden, but don’t know where to start, this month’s speaker at Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT), Fredericksburg Chapter will share tips and resources for going from blank slate to recognized pollinator garden.

Holly Simonette, owner of Enchanted Fredericksburg Ranch & Glassblowing and communications director of the Fredericksburg Chapter of Native Plant Society of Texas, will discuss how she and her husband, Paul, created a beautiful pollinator garden/picnic area out of the destruction from Winter Storm Uri. Simonette will be speaking at the next meeting of the NPSOT Fredericksburg Chapter on July 23 at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Halle in Fredericksburg.

The Simonettes are restoring their 22-acre ranch to native Texas wildflowers, shrubs and grasses. The Pollinator Garden Assistance and Recognition Program (PGARP), a partnership between the Hill Country Master Naturalists and NPSOT, recognized their pollinator garden in September 2022. The garden is open to the public Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. and by appointment. (Closed August & September) More information about PGARP is available at https://txmn.org/hillcountry/pgarp/.

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.

Work day at RGVNPC - July 25
2024-07-25 07:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)

Learning the Aquatic Plants of Texas: Habitats, Ecology and Identification
2024-07-25 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)
By: Casey Williams, NPSOT’s 2022 Shirley Lusk Memorial Award award recipient. Casey is recognized for collecting ~ 350 specimens, with a focus on aquatic plants of Texas, with collections housed at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas in Fort Worth and the University of Texas at Austin.

Seminar Location: Meadows Center for Water and the Environment San Marcos, Texas

What makes an aquatic plant “aquatic” ?

Do you want to learn how to ID those “water weeds” or “sea weeds” and why they may not be “weeds” at all? Did you know that many of Texas’ native aquatic plants are surprisingly drought tolerant? Ever ponder your Potamogetonaceae?

Come learn about the remarkable, generally ignored, native aquatic plants of Texas ( with some emphasis on non-native species too)!

Encounter the diversity of Texas’ aquatic flora from swamps of east Texas to the arroyos of west Texas and in between. Texas is home to a variety of aquatic plants mostly unknown to amateur and professional botanists alike. Enjoy a day by the beautiful San Marcos Springs while we learn about the wet plants of Texas.

For more information visit https://aquaticfloraofTexas.rsvpify.com

July Trinity Forks Business Meeting & Program - "Native Plants in Schools"
2024-07-25 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
6:30pm – Social time7:00pm – Hybrid classroom/Zoom meeting opens.

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, youwill receive a confirmation email containinginformation about joining the meeting.

Native Plants in Schools presented by Haeley Giambalvo, founder of the web site Native Backyards web, author of the book Native Plant Gardening for Beginners, and winner of the 2023 Digital Media Award for outstanding work in digital media.
Public Welcome. Free Admission. Hosted by the Native Plant Society of Texas – Trinity Forks chapter.

This presentation discusses how teachers, students, parents, and community volunteers can incorporate native plants into their school gardens and yards.

Resources provided during Haeley’s talk include the Native Plant Society of Texas’ native plant School Garden Starter Guide, School Garden Examples, a downloadable Native Plants for Kids presentation, and free curriculum and activities resources for making learning about native plants fun.

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Work day at RGVNPC - July 26
2024-07-26 07:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)

Chandor Nature Trail "Spruce Up", Volunteer Opportunity, Cross Timbers Chapter, Weatherford, Sunday, 7/28/2024 at 9 a.m.
2024-07-28 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
Spruce Up Days

Please join us for the Chandor Nature Trail “Spruce Up” volunteer day from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Late comers are welcome. Interested volunteers can contact Cross Timbers trail steward Christie Tull, at greenwoodfarminc@aol.com or call 817-307-9307. See you on the trail!

Note: New Summer Hours for Spruce Up volunteers — 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (last Sunday of June, July and August)

About the Nature Trail

Chandor Nature Trail is just under one mile long and is open for hikers and their leashed dogs free of charge during Chandor Garden hours. The Garden’s address is 711 W Lee Street in Weatherford.

Work day at RGVNPC - July 29
2024-07-29 07:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)

Work day at RGVNPC - July 30
2024-07-30 07:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)

Work day at RGVNPC - July 31
2024-07-31 07:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)

Contest Deadline
2024-07-31 08:00 - 23:30 (America/Chicago)
Last day to submit an entry for one of our 2024 contests. If you want to enter one of your photos, videos, or your chapter newsletter, visit the Membership Portal then click on Annual Contests in the left hand pane.

Taylor Garrison, The Inner Workings of Vegetative Diversity: Monocots, Dicots & Beyond, North Central Chapter Meeting
2024-08-01 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
It has long been known that healthy ecosystems thrive from and by diversity. The needs of wildlife include food, water, and shelter. Plants provide all three. But to take it further, there are specifics in the relationships between which types of plants, what other living things rely on or interact with plants, and the arrangement of plants that can affect the ecological health of an area. The fun part? The “area” can be your ¼ acre pocket prairie or a 10,000-acre ranch or preserve. The tools are all the same in interpreting and managing a prairie regardless of size. The recipe though can be different. This presentation will broadly cover what prairies area, what they need to function, the importance of monocots (aka grasses and such), forb diversity and their importance, woody species (the good, bad, and ugly), and lastly genetics of prairie plant species and we can help.

Bio: Taylor Garrison is a private lands biologist with TPWD covering Dallas, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro and Freestone Counties. Originally form Corpus Christi, Texas, Taylor obtained his BS in Range & Wildlife Management from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and his MS in Range & Wildlife Management from Sul Ross State University-Alpine. This background and time spent on family & friend ranches near Utopia and Luling, brought on a deep interest in the wildlife, plants, ranching, and most aspects of outdoor recreation. His primarily role with TPWD is to work with private landowners to help better their land for wildlife. Taylor has leadership roles in prescribed fire, landowner outreach, native grassland restoration, plant ID, and is the current vice-chair of the Northeast Texas Conservation Delivery Network, an organization meant to coordinate conservation efforts amongst professionals and guide cost-share assistance for landowners in the Eastern 1/3rd of Texas.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden in the Rose Room

3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth, Texas 76107

6:15 pm Socializing & snacks 6:30 pm Business meeting and announcementsThe presentation will follow our business meeting.

This meeting is hybrid; in person with a virtual Zoom option.

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkcemoqDovH9Qb5PdbLPQN_ipqLjhCzESG

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

Q3 State Board Meeting - Aug 3
2024-08-03 13:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)
Chapter members are welcome, but not everyone may vote. Voting members include chapter presidents, executive officers, and state standing committee chairs.

Native Plant Society of Texas members receive an email with a registration link about one week prior to the State Board meeting. Please watch for it and come to the meeting!
