May 4 - 8:00am-3:30pm - Native Landscape Certification Program, Level 4
2024-05-04 03:00 - 03:30 (America/Chicago)
NLCP Classes

On May 4, the chapter will offer Level 4 of the Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP) with instructors Kathy Ward and Veronica Hawk. This workshop will focus on land stewardship. As more land is developed, good examples of healthy, natural habitats are disappearing. This is an opportunity to learn how to create an effective land stewardship plan and how to restore/rehabilitate wildlife habitats in the greenspaces, backyards and parks around our community. Learn how to assess what is present, set and prioritize goals, and monitor the effectiveness of your effort. We will tour the Cibolo Nature Center and learn to recognize habitats and how this beautiful property is maintained as an example to emulate.

The Level 4 class does not have a pre-requisite. The purpose of this class is to learn how to care for a public or private property, to contribute to a healthy environment and to add to our homegrown national park. Check out the website (https://www.npsot.org/our-work/class-schedule/) and register today!Native Landscape Certification Program Level 1 – Introduction to Native Landscapes, will be presented at Cibolo Nature Center on April 6 by Brenda Fest, Ed Noack, Gary Fest and Terry Lashley. This class is full, but a waiting list is maintained in registration:

If you have taken any of the NLCP classes and would like to be an instructor, please contact Veronica at veronica.hawk@gmail.com for details.

Level 1 - Introduction to Native Landscapes
2024-05-04 08:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago)
In-person class is FULL. Online option is open as of 4/4/24.

Learn about the benefits of native plants, desirable plants for your area and design considerations for your landscape. NLCP is a state-wide program, but classes focus on the characteristics and plants in the region in which they are taught.

NOTE: This class is hosted by the Clear Lake Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) and is specific to the Houston-Galveston area.

Level 1 is a prerequisite for Levels 2 and 3.

Native Plant Sale, First Monday Trade Days, Cross Timbers Chapter, Weatherford, Saturday, 5/4/2024 at 9 a.m.
2024-05-04 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us for our 2024 Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, May 4th.

Available Plants

The current list of available plants is located at: https://www.npsot.org/chapters/cross-timbers/cross-timbers-plant-sale-list-spring-2024/ This list will be updated as the sale gets closer.

Where to Find Us…

Weatherford First Mondays Trade Days — our booth is located in the south parking lot across from where Lee Street ends into Santa Fe Drive. See map below for approximate location.

Flyer may be downloaded from Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VwNwN9Ut-aMRQqPdSPCGkgnbAXHixiAa/view?usp=drive_link

Chapter Members

Please see April newsletter for volunteer opportunities and discounts.

Spring Plant Sale, River Legacy Parks Elm Grove Pavilion in Arlington
2024-05-04 10:00 - 12:30 (America/Chicago)
River Legacy Parks Elm Grove Pavilion

701 NW Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington, Texas 76006

The North Central Chapter holds two native plant sales each year, one in Spring and one in Fall. The Sales feature a large variety of Texas Native Plant species good for our soils and climate. Native Plants make healthy Habitats:

No need for pesticides or fertilizers

Low water needs once established

Host plants for Butterflies

Nectar Plants for Pollinators

Plant Sale NPSOT Dallas – May 4, 2024
2024-05-04 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago)
Save the date! Join us for our plant sale at Native Plants and Prairie Day on May 4, a free event celebrating our Blackland Prairies! Don’t miss this chance to add new native plants to your landscape and support your local NPSOT chapter.

Details

When and Where

When: May 4 10:00-4:00 (or until sold out)

Location: Bath House Cultural Center at White Rock Lake 521 E Lawther Dr Dallas, TX 75218

Plant List

The current plant list can be found on our Plant Sale page. Please note that this list is still being updated and will change as the sale approaches.

Q2 State Board Meeting - May 4
2024-05-04 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!

Collin County - Stiff Creek Wildflower Walk
2024-05-05 09:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
A GUIDED TOUR OF LOCAL WILDFLOWERS

The 22nd Annual Stiff Creek Wildflower Walk is a wonderful opportunity to learn about native plants for people of all ages. Members of the Native Plant Society of Texas will help you identify native wildflowers growing in the countryside.

What to Wear: Long pants, closed toe shoes, sunscreen, and insect repellent are recommended.

What to Bring: your camera, wildflower guides, binoculars, swimsuit (if you want), and a brunch item to share after the walk. We plan to start at 9:30 with brunch around noon. Please bring your brunch item ready to be served. We can keep your items hot or cold but cannot cook or heat them.

Directions: 4545 CR 412, McKinney, TX 75071 (Home of Brett and Brigette Laplante)

From the intersection of Hwy 5 (N McDonald Street) and Hwy 380 in McKinney, go east on 380 about 1 mile to Woodlawn Ave (CR 331) where there is a Circle K service station on the northeast corner. Turn left and go 2.1 miles to the end of Woodlawn. Turn left on Texas Farm Road 2933 (no sign) and go 3.5 miles to CR 412. Turn right on 412 but it is more like going straight as 2933 curves to the left. Go about 1.2 miles and turn left into the driveway at 4545 CR 412. You can park along the driveway. You will see trucks and a flatbed trailer with hay bales for the wildflower walk.

May Leadership Meeting
2024-05-06 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago)
Chapter Leadership meeting: our officers will meet from 6pm – 7pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. Let me know and I will send you the meeting invitation.

Our Chapter Leadership consists of:

Roberto Gaitan – PresidentEva Ryan – Vice PresidentMaki House – TreasurerJames Grizzard – SecretaryDevin Johnston – Membership ChairRichard Blanton – Communications Chair

Anyone wishing to lead a program, champion a project, etc., please let me know. The more help the better our chapter will become.

rio-grande-valley-chapter@npsot.org

(Our virtual Leadership Meetings will be held monthly on the 1st Monday and begin at 6pm.)

Habitat Workday @ EIH
2024-05-07 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-05-14 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

Chapter Meeting at Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium
2024-05-07 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
May 7 – Chapter Meeting at Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium – 6:00pm – Social Time; 6:45pm – Chapter Announcements, followed by the Speaker

Speaker: Leslie L. Bush is a paleoethnobotanist, an archaeologist who specializes in identifying bits of plants preserved on archaeological sites, usually in the form of charcoal and occasionally as waterlogged or desiccated plant parts. Through her consulting practice, Macrobotanical Analysis, she is currently involved with investigations associated with Lake Ralph Hall in East Texas, road improvements in Webb County, and a small pueblo site in New Mexico.

Topic: Texas Plants and Indigenous Landscapes: Insights from Archaeology This talk will cover four or five pre-Columbian archaeological sites from across the state with special attention to how sites are located in relation to natural features of the landscape, what plants would have been available to site inhabitants, what plants were recovered in archaeological investigations, what purposes they might have served, and how such knowledge is inferred.

Collin County Chapter - Controlling Invasive Plants
2024-05-07 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Our May 7th Chapter Meeting will feature a presentation by Chad Cummings – AgriLife County Extension Agent, on “An Integrated Vegetation Management Approach to Controlling Invasive Plants”. Chad will be discussing invasive plant’s impact on our economy, biodiversity, and biophysical processes, and potential control mechanisms. In addition, he will cover common North Texas native species as replacements for invasive species.Our program opens at 6:30 with a welcome and testing of connections, then at 7:00, Rodney Thomas, our chapter president, will have a short chapter update, followed by Chad’s presentation. The meeting will conclude with a Q&A session.You can attend the hybrid meeting in person at the Heard Museum in McKinney or online via Zoom.https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88554596572…After 14 years of working at Corteva Agriscience, Chad started as the AgriLife Grayson County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources in April 2022. His passions for agriculture, wildlife habitat restoration, and pollinator habitat conservation brought him to the Extension Service, and he hopes to guide North Texans in their agricultural endeavors.Chad has served as the Constitution, Bylaws, and Op Guide Advisor to the Western Society of Weed Science (WSWS) Board of Directors (2020-2023). He also served with both the WSWS and the Society of Range Management (SRM), ensuring continuity between weed science and range management objectives, goals, and product stewardship. Chad also served as Chair of the SRM Rangeland Invasive Species Committee (RISC) in 2011 and again in 2021.

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NPSOT-Houston Board Meeting
2024-05-07 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

2024 Ashe Juniper Symposium
2024-05-08 09:00 - 2024-05-09 17:00 (America/Chicago)
The 2024 Ashe Juniper Symposium by Biodiversity Works will take place on May 8th and 9th, 2024 at the Commons Conference Center in Austin, Texas.

The goal of the symposium is to advance our collective understanding of the science of Ashe juniper and facilitate applications of this understanding into management and conservation of sustainable, resilient and ecologically-appropriate ecosystems.

The symposium will bring together scientists, land stewards, conservation practitioners, private landowners and others, and will provide an opportunity to hear about and discuss historical perspectives, recent research, and current initiatives pertaining to Ashe juniper ecology and ecosystem management, the social science of land stewardship, as well as land management programs and projects in central Texas.

Executive Committee Meeting - May 8
2024-05-08 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.

Archeology and Ethnobotany in Texas Botanical Gardens - Williamson County Chapter Meeting, May 9
2024-05-09 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Join NPSOT-Williamson County on Thursday, May 9, 2024, when our featured topic will be “Archeology in Texas Botanical Gardens / Ethnobotany in Texas Botanical Gardens” with Susan Reynolds, ED, Texas Botanical Gardens & Native American Interpretive Center.

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

About our topic: There will be two separate, but short presentations.1. Archeology – Topics covered will include Texas prehistoric peoples, the Texas Archeological Society, artifacts in the gardens, active sites in Mills County.2. Ethnobotany – Definition, role in the creation of the Texas Botanical Gardens, interesting plants growing there.

About our speaker: Susan Reynolds retired from a 30 year career as an award winning band director in California and Texas in 2022. She has always loved plants, gardening, and digging things up from the side of the road and now serves her community as the Executive Director of the Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center (TBG) in Goldthwaite, TX. She is the organizer, grant writer, fundraiser, and “general flunkie” for the Board of Directors. On March 28, 2024, Susan spearheaded the Grand Opening of the new Demonstration Gardens at the TBG’s office, a ground up, grassroots project that netted nearly $52,000 in grants and just over $18,000 in gifts.

NOTE: this month’s in-person location is the Georgetown Public Library, 2nd floor, 402 West 8th St, Georgetown, TX 78626.

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

Members Plant Swap and Plant Sale Volunteer Meeting
2024-05-11 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Chicago)
We are holding a plant swap for Austin Chapter members on Saturday May 11 from 9 to 10AM. If you are not a current member, please join or renew and then join us in the fun! See the plant swap details and RSVP on our invitation. (If you don’t have any plants to share, you can still join us! Just be sure to be a chapter member and RSVP.)

We are also hosting a Fall Plant Sale Volunteer Meeting immediately following (starting at 10AM). If you are only interested in volunteering for the Fall Plant Sale, come join us then. Please use the same invitation to let us know you are coming to the volunteer meeting.

Second Saturday Workday at Cibolo Nature Center Demonstration Gardens
2024-05-11 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
May 11 – 9:00am – Noon – Second Saturday Workday at Cibolo Nature Center Demonstration Gardens.

Please bring work gloves, hat, water, sun and insect protection.

Native plant Pop-up sale, Cross Timbers Chapter (Weatherford) — Saturday, May 11 from 9 am - noon
2024-05-11 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
Where: Peacock’s Feed & Boutique122 W Water St J, Weatherford, TX 76086

Details:

Native plants!!! Pop-up sale on Saturday from 9 am until sold out! Here is what was remaining as of this past Sunday

Gallons: $94 inch: $3Quarts of frog fruit: $45 gallon shrubs: $305 gallon perennials: $15 or less

Hope to see you there!!!

Denton County Master Gardener Garden Tour, Flower Mound and Double Oak
2024-05-11 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago)
The Native Plant Society of Texas will be hosting a booth at this fun event. We’ll have information for you as well as knowledgeable volunteers to answer your questions. Please stop by and say “Hello.”

Purchase a ticket at dcmga.com for specific addresses on this inspirational tour of Master Gardener home landscapes and a community garden bonus!

Happy gardening!

Outreach: Native Milkweed 101: Anyone can grow native milkweed from seeds
2024-05-11 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Earth Lab – Learn how to successfully grow native milkweed from seed with Greg Pearson at Hesed House of Wharton. These are important host plants for the dwindling population of Monarch butterflies.

Location421 W Colorado StWharton TX, 77488

Sorelle Farms Mother's Day/Spring Festival
2024-05-11 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Join Sorelle Farms in Mineola for their second annual spring event celebrating mothers. Bring Mom and celebrate her with an afternoon of food, music, plants and more! And don’t forget to shop their great native plant selection! Located at 975 County Road 2220, Mineola, Texas

Spring Social at Landa Park - with a bioblitz using iNaturalist
2024-05-13 17:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Landa Park
New Braunfels NPSOT is transforming the usual July summer social into a May spring fling! A pot-luck picnic at Landa Park will be held on Monday, May 13 at 5:30 pm and we will hold our own bioblitz, documenting plants, animals, organisms of all kinds, using the iNaturalist app. If you are inexperienced with iNaturalist, this spring is a great time to get started with it. First step is to download the iNaturalist to your phone and create an account. More help in learning iNaturalist is on the way, if you need it! We will also pair up new users with experienced users at our bioblitz picnic.
This article explains the ins and outs of iNaturalist: Learning the Basics.You will need to create an account at www.iNaturalist.org. Here are some videos to familiarize yourself with making observations. https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/video+tutorialsTo join the New Braunfels NPSOT bioblitz on iNaturalist after you have created your account:To join the Bioblitz project, follow these steps:1. Click on the menu button and choose Projects.2. Click the search icon on the upper right 3. Enter NPSOT Bioblitz at Landa Park4. Hit “join”

Pollinator Road Trip 3: A Habitat Grant Update - Hybrid Clear Lake Chapter Meeting
2024-05-13 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 12176:40 Zoom Opens6:45 Business Meeting6:55 Plant of the Month7:00 Guest Speakers

For May’s chapter meeting, we will take a virtual road trip to visit pollinator habitats funded by the chapter’s Native Pollinator Habitat Grant Program. You will hear from projects at three sites: FJH Outdoor Classroom at Friendswood Junior High School, Pollinator Habitat in the Discovery Garden at Carbide Park, and Cornelius Re-Spark Park at Cornelius Elementary School. Grantees will highlight their successes, obstacles, and lessons learned.

About the Sites

Cornelius Re-Spark Park at Cornelius Elementary School (Houston ISD): Cornelius was one of the first five schools in Houston to receive a SPARK Park back 1983 and has benefited from a few re-SPARK efforts. This initiative by the Cornelius PTO is creating a native pollinator garden at JP Cornelius Elementary, enriching the learning environment for students while supporting local wildlife.

Outdoor Classroom at Friendswood Junior High (Friendswood ISD): Friendswood Junior High’s project aimed to create an engaging and educational native pollinator garden, fostering a connection between students and the environment.

Pollinator Habitat in the Discovery Garden (Carbide Park): The project led by the Galveston County Master Gardeners at Carbide Park is centered on enhancing a pollinator habitat within the Discovery Garden. This initiative not only provides essential support to local pollinators but also offers valuable learning opportunities for visitors.

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 1217 (meeting room) and to place it in your car. DO NOT park in faculty/staff parking (enforced 24/7).

Arrive early to socialize and enter your name in the drawing for the door prize.

Map and Directions – The meeting will be held in Room 1217 of the Bayou Building 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
2024-05-13 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)

Chapter Meeting -The Importance of Dark Skies
2024-05-14 02:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
This presentation provides information about the effects of artificial light on the natural world, ways you can change your own impact and hopefully, that of others such as neighbors and your community. Join us at Riverside Nature Center. Business meeting at 1:30 pm, presentation at 2 pm. This event is free and open to the public.

Presented by Kathleen Brinkman and Bill Rector

NPSOT Website Committee
2024-05-14 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]

Welcoming Pollinators to Your Yard
2024-05-14 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Supporting all pollinators, especially honey bees, is so important, and there are many things each of us can do on our property to help them along. Our program, “Welcoming Pollinators to Your Yard” will be delivered by Liz Moyer of the Denton County Master Gardeners Association and the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Hosted by the Denton County Beekeepers Association at the recreational center at 2001 W. Windsor, Denton

Field Trip: Nature Discovery Center & Kinder Land Bridge
2024-05-15 09:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Wednesday, May 15

9:30 am -Depart from UHCL-EIH parking lotRiders – Don’t forget your UHCL parking pass!

10:30 am – Guided Tour at Nature Discovery Center

??? – Lunch

??? – Tour Kinder Land Bridge at Memorial Park

??? – Return before rush hour

The Clear Lake Chapter has a 10:30 am guided tour of the Nature Discovery Center lead by Eric Duran, who spoke to our chapter at our March meeting. This three-acre site in Bellaire has inside and outside components and we will be welcome to both.

In addition, we are offering to include a walk over and around the Kinder Land Bridge and Prairie Project at Memorial Park. The land bridge is a gentle climbable incline. If no incline is desired, the immediate area before the bridge is also noteworthy prairie plants.

Both of these adventures will also allow us to stop for a quick bite, so no one suffers from hunger, and it is fun to break bread together anyway. We intend to be on the way home before rush hour.

We hope to carpool, leaving from UHCL parking lot in as many cars as needed. We will need a quick response to count noses and cars and people willing to drive.

Please respond by Monday, May 13.

Location – Meet at UHCL-EIH to carpoolParking lot D4 near UHCL Entrance 3

Location – Guided TourNature Discovery Center7112 NewcastleBellaire, TX 77401

Location – ExploreKinder Land Bridge & PrairieMemorial DrHouston, TX 77007

Chapter Leader Forum: H-E-B Initiative - May 16th
2024-05-16 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Topic: H-E-B Initiative

Description:

About a year ago the Society began a collaboration with H-E-B. The Native Plant Society of Texas team and H-E-B had the following objectives for the collaboration:

Get more native plants into Texas landscapes

Educate H-E-B partners and customers about the benefits of native plants

Help H-E-B reach its goal of sourcing plants through local Texas wholesalers.

Please join us for an update about the program – come with questions!

Presenters:

Haeley Giambalvo, Claire Sorenson, Laura Legett, Meg Inglis

When: Thursday, May 16, 2024 (Third Thursday) 12 – 1 pm

Zoom Registration Link:

https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkd-mrrj0qGNX740qRb2glY_FATiTbGQrx
