News Magazine Summer Submission Deadline
2024-05-31 12:00 (America/Chicago)
The Native Plant Society of Texas encourages submission of articles, photos, pertinent news or other interesting information for publication.

Submit articles or written items as email attachments.

Send photos as email attachments in JPG, RAW or TIFF format.

Larger file size and best quality are preferable.

Contact the Editor for more information.

We reserve the right to edit all submissions for accuracy, relevance, length, grammar or for other reason. In matters of style our print publication generally follows the Chicago Manual of Style.

Unless prior arrangements with the editor are made, submissions may also appear on our website and linked on our social media pages.

We do not accept outside advertising in any of our publications.

June Leadership Meeting
2024-06-03 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
2024-06-04 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-06-11 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-06-18 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 Pot Luck Dinner - Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium
2024-06-04 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
June 4 – 6:00pm – Chapter Pot Luck Dinner – Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium. The Board will provide BBQ meat and non-alcoholic beverage. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share, and anything you would like to drink.

Collin County Chapter - Creating a Pollinator Paradise at Home
2024-06-04 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Pollinators and other wildlife face many challenges to their survival, and they need our help. The good news is that we can take simple steps to help them—right here, right now, right in our own gardens. Our June 4th program features Lauren Simpson introducing us to our pollinators and sharing simple techniques for transforming our own garden into a beautiful, native-plant paradise—one that supports wildlife and pleases neighbors!

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 Lauren’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 (link below) or online via Zoom – https://tinyurl.com/yn85nbzd – Meeting ID: 885 5459 6572 ; Passcode: [REDACTED]

Since early 2015, and in her individual capacity, Lauren has transformed her family’s home gardens into a wildlife-friendly habitat, currently a Certified Wildlife Habitat, Monarch Waystation, Certified Monarch Garden, and Certified Butterfly Garden. She promotes insect conservation and habitat gardening through presentations, events, interviews, and articles, as well as through a website and Instagram and Facebook communities under the appellation “St. Julian’s Crossing Wildlife Habitat”—the name adopted for her family’s Monarch Waystation.

Lauren is a member of local chapters of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT), Native Prairies Association of Texas, and North American Butterfly Association. She has also received Level 1 and Level 2 certifications through the NPSOT Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP), has attended the “Monarch Conservation Workshop: Train the Trainer” training, and serves on the NPSOT subcommittee for the NLCP Advocacy companion class.Independent of her naturalist activities, Lauren Simpson is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Houston Law Center, teaching Lawyering Skills and Strategies.

NPSOT-Houston Board Meeting
2024-06-04 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

Green Jobs: Exploring STEM Natural Resource Careers
2024-06-05 14:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago)
Webinar with Ted Stevens, Education Director, Texas Forestry Association

Learn how to use Project Learning Tree’s new Green Jobs guide that is TEKS-aligned and STEM correlated to inspire your students to pursue a future career working outdoors in a natural resource forestry related career. The guide contains four fun hands-on activities to explore this topic with your middle school and high school students.

Participants will learn how to use the four activities that are contained within the new Green Jobs curriculum guide to inspire their middle school / high school students to explore STEM and natural resource careers. “Green” jobs — defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as jobs that produce goods or services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources, or jobs that use more environmentally friendly processes or fewer natural resources — have outpaced jobs in other categories by almost 250 percent over the last decade. According to the International Labour Organization, there were 9.8 million “green” jobs in 2017 and by 2030, there will be an additional 15-60 million new green jobs. Green jobs are not just in the renewable energy, manufacturing, or technology sectors.

Some of the greenest jobs involve forests which Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers introduces high schoolers to the exciting array of career options in this field. These activities will be demonstrated in the webinar and participants will receive a free sample of one of the activities as a PDF download file. An overview of other Project Learning Tree’s award winning environmental education curriculum guides will also be presented.

Zoom link to be sent to registrants the day of the event

Texas Riparian & Stream Ecosystem Workshop – Pedernales River Watershed – June 6th
2024-06-06 08:00 - 16:30 (America/Chicago)
This in person workshop is being co-hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension & Research and the Texas Water Resources Institute. The training will focus on the nature and function of stream and riparian zones and the benefits and direct impacts from healthy riparian zones. The riparian education programs will cover an introduction to riparian principles, watershed processes, basic hydrology, erosion/deposition principles and riparian vegetation, as well as potential causes of degradation and possible resulting impairment(s) and available local resources including technical assistance and tools that can be employed to prevent and/or resolve degradation.

Location:

Gillespie County Extension Office38 Business Ct, Fredericksburg, TX 78624

Find more information here.

RSVP by May 30, 2024

FlyerAgenda

Andie Marsh, Soil is Sexy, North Central Chapter Meeting
2024-06-06 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Andie will livestream from Austin on Zoom. We will still meet at our ‘live’ meeting location at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

Explore the hidden world beneath our feet and discover the microbiome’s role in native landscapes. In this session, you will learn practical takeaways that will help you restore the relationship between soil microbes and native plants.

Andie is a Soil Health Practitioner and Science Communicator on a mission to help others restore life and functionality to their soil systems. Equipped with her microscope and the power of observation, she assesses soils and compost to inform restoration efforts through her business, Rhizos LLC – a Soil Food Web Certified Lab.

Andie attended Texas A&M University where she studied agricultural microbiology and bioremediation in the Bioenvironmental Sciences program. She is a certified lab-technician through Dr. Elaine Ingham’s, Soil Food Web.

Instagram: @soilissexy

Substack Newsletter: www.soilissexy.substack.com

Fort Worth Botanic Garden, Rose Room
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth, Texas 76107

6:15 Socializing and snacks 6:30 Business meeting and announcements

The presentation will follow our business meeting.

This meeting is hybrid; in person with a virtual Zoom option.
Advance registration is required to receive the Zoom link: Zoom Registration
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Pines and Prairies Board Meeting
2024-06-06 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Help your officers plan out the fall calendar. Make your opinions known and voicesheard.

Seed Collecting with Gisel Garza, Seed Hunter with American Forests
2024-06-08 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
For our June meeting, we welcome Gisel Garza, Seed Hunter with American Forests. Gisel supports the reforestation of the Rio Grande Valley by collecting native seeds, processing them, and planting our important native species.

“It is eternally fulfilling to me that I am able to contribute to the reforestation of the area where I was born and raised. From the beautiful birds to the unique species of plants and animals, several of which are endangered, the Rio Grande Valley of Texas contains plenty of biodiversity to fall in love with. As an admirer of nature that exists not only in the Rio Grande Valley but across the United States, I am grateful to American Forests for making my dreams of conserving biodiversity a reality.” –Gisel Garza

Our meeting will take place at Hugh Ramsey Nature Park in Harlingen. Gisel will share more about her role and that of American Forests before she takes us on a demonstration walk through the park.

See you then!

Bring plenty of water and bug spray.

Location: Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, Harlingen, Tx.

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

iNaturalist app -- "How To" collect data, Volunteer Opportunity, Cross Timbers Chapter, Weatherford, Saturday, 6/8/2024 at 9 a.m.
2024-06-08 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us for a “How-To” session on the uses of Naturalist at the Chandor Nature Trail. We will be learning how to develop programs with the information anyone collects on the species they locate. This event will be led by Rachel Richter and Brent Franklin. Rachel is an Urban Wildlife Biologist with DFW Texas Parks and Wildlife, and field trip instructor for Cross Timbers Master Naturalists (TXMN). Brent is a past instructor, Master Naturalist, and avid iNaturalist contributor.

This event will be shared with the Native Plant Society of Texas, Texas Master Naturalists, Friends of Chandor Gardens, and Parker County Master Gardeners. The public is welcome to attend. Cost: Free

Event Organizing Committee — Christie Tull is requesting volunteers to assist with the event, as they are hoping to have a large group. If you are interested in assisting, please contact Christie at greenwoodfarminc@aol.com or call 817-307-9307.

RSVP Requested – Please RSVP to Christie Tull, so there will be adequate seating, water and snacks available.

What to Bring and Do:

PRIOR to the event, please download and install the iNaturalist app on your smart device

Bring your smartPhone, Tablet, or iPad with the installed software

Wear comfortable clothing, closed toe shoes, and a hat

Bring insect repellent and sunscreen (we will have some extra if you forget)

RSVP to Christie Tull

Directions: Enter main gate for Chandor Gardens, 711 W Lee St, Weatherford, Tx. Park. We will meet inside the mansion for a morning video presentation prior to heading to the trail to practice and learn about iNaturalist.

June 8 - Second Saturday Workday at Cibolo Nature Center Demonstration Gardens
2024-06-08 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
June 8, 9:00 am – noon. We will meet in the Nature Center Parking Lot. Please bring hat, work gloves, water, and sun and insect protection.

Pop Up / No Frills Tour
2024-06-08 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
Richard and Ann Thames and Michael Golden invite members and friends (and their friends) to a “last minute” NO FRILLS TOUR of native gardens, prairies, ponds, and woods on Schoenberg Road, 3 miles west of Carmine. There will be several options for walks, or just strolling through gardens. Wear good shoes and bring a bottle of water. Several late spring/early summer natives are blooming, and there are some unusual plants to see.

The tour starts at 1452 Schoenberg Rd, Carmine, TX 78932

Outreach: Artist Boat World Ocean Day Festival
2024-06-08 11:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Stop by our booth to chat with chapter members Peggy, Angela, and Cheryl. Learn about native plants and why they are important. Seed and/or native plant giveaways when available and while supplies last.

LocationR.A. Apffel East Beach Park1923 Boddeker Rd.Galveston, TX 77550

The festival is FREE; however, East Beach parking fees will apply. ($15/Car All Day)

Pollinator Road Trip 3: A Habitat Grant Update, Part 2 - Hybrid Clear Lake Chapter Meeting
2024-06-10 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 Speakers

For June’s chapter meeting, we continue on our virtual road trip to visit pollinator habitats funded by the chapter’s Native Pollinator Habitat Grant Program. You will hear from current projects at two sites: Ward Elementary Pollinator Garden at John F. Ward Elementary, and Hometown Heroes Park in League City. In addition, we will also have updates on previously funded projects that are currently thriving, showcasing the continued impact and success of our grant program.

About the Sites

Ward Elementary Pollinator Garden at John F. Ward Elementary (Clear Creek ISD): Ward’s school garden aims to serve as a safe haven and nursery for pollinators. And, importantly, will also provide context for teaching students and their families about the importance of pollinators and native plants.

Pollinator Garden at Hometown Heroes Park (League City): This Eagle Scout project, located on the 5K Loop Trail at Hometown Heroes Park, features plants that provide nectar and pollen sources to a wide range of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

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).

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

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
2024-06-10 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)

NPSOT Website Committee
2024-06-11 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]

Executive Committee Meeting
2024-06-12 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.

All About Seeds - Williamson County Chapter Meeting, June 13 (in-person only)
2024-06-13 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Due to the hands-on nature of this month’s presentation, this meeting is in-person only. It will not be hosted on Zoom. It will not be recorded for NPSOT-Williamson County’s YouTube channel.

Join NPSOT-Williamson County in person on Thursday, June 13, 2024, when our featured topic will be “All About Seeds” with Beth Erwin. Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM. Our guest speaker’s presentation begins after a short business meeting.

==> This month, we meet in-person only, at the Round Rock Public Library, 200 E Liberty Ave, Round Rock, TX 78664. Come early (6:30 PM) for expert advice, to check out the seed swap board, or just to visit.

About our topic: How to collect & process native seeds, along with methods for testing their viability.

About our speaker: Beth Erwin is a charter member of the Louisiana Native Plant Society, with a B.S. in Horticulture, and a past president of the Williamson County Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. Beth has 40+ years working with native plants through propagation, sales, and professional plant propagators.

Denton County Master Gardener Association Fruit, Vegetable, Herb & Flower Show
2024-06-15 09:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
North Texas Fairgrounds, 2217 N. Carroll Blvd., Denton

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.” Happy gardening!

Member Field Trip: Wood County Arboretum Tour
2024-06-15 09:00 - 23:00 (America/Chicago)
NPSOT Members tour of the beautiful Wood County Arboretum.

Prairie Commons Tour with Bill Nieman
2024-06-15 09:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
Sponsored by Native Plant Society of Texas – Trinity Forks Chapter

Open to the public. Free!

Explore the unique integration of over seventy-five native plant species within a commercial real estate development. You will observe firsthand how sustainable landscaping practices can enhance biodiversity, conserve water, and promote night sky-friendly lighting. Bill and Leslie from Native American Seeds will lead the tour and answer questions.

Prairie Commons (https://www.prairie-commons.com/) exemplifies how commercial spaces can harmoniously coexist with nature, promote environmental stewardship and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors.

You will be inspired to incorporate native plants and sustainable practices into your own landscape.

Only 40 people can be accommodated for this tour. Please register at https://forms.gle/NgYLzLBHeyqDthwc6 to reserve your spot!

Beaumont Chapter Meeting
2024-06-17 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 June 17, 2024 meeting. Can Forgotten Cemeteries Help Restore Biodiversity?
2024-06-17 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Friends of Warren Ferris Cemetery, a nonprofit organization in Dallas, Texas, is working to transform cemeteries into sanctuaries for wildlife and native plants through a two-year pilot called the Constellation of Living Memorials.

ZOOM our monthly meetings at: https://npsot.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f20269a37974d8413fc79c831&id=12aa33f97f&e=d2e8f28b23 If needed, use: Meeting ID: 837 2523 6133 / Passcode: [REDACTED]

Native Milkweed 101
2024-06-18 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
This in-person session includes a short description of Houston native milkweeds followed by a step-by-step process for successfully growing your own native milkweed plants from seeds. Approximately 1 hour.

Attendees must commit to growing a few milkweeds for the chapter’s spring plant sale.

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

Outreach: Native Plants Presentation
2024-06-18 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Patty Steinke will be at the Evelyn Meador Branch Library in Seabrook to talk about the benefits of including and preserving native plants in landscapes and building wildlife habitats.

LocationEvelyn Meador Branch Library2400 North Meyer AvenueSeabrook TX 77586

Rainscaping: The Next Generation of Water-Wise Landscaping - Austin Chapter Meeting June 18
2024-06-18 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
With droughts and floods, our water challenges need an innovative solution. Rain gardens help solve both problems by maximizing the amount of water that stays on and in your landscape. Rain gardens support lush vegetation to provide habitat for butterflies and birds. Create your own backyard oasis by learning how to harvest the rain in this presentation

Shannon founded Ecosystem Regeneration Artisans (ERA) Landscaping in 2017 to unite talented land stewards on projects that realize the vision of creating healthy ecological communities. From residential Rainscapes to wildlife management on large-acreage ranches, Shannon and her team create projects focused on earth care and people care. Their gardens use native plants to provide wildlife habitat for pollinators and birds, incorporate perennial food crops for human consumption, and involve mechanisms to harvest rainwater to capture it into the soil before it runs off, and contributes to flooding.

This is a virtual meeting using Zoom. Please click here to register and get the Zoom for this meeting.

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