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Native Plant Society of Texas

Newsletter Contest 2025

Thanks for considering our 2025 chapter newsletter contest! If you’d like to enter our 2025 newsletter contest, please fill out the form below. Winners will be announced at our 2025 Fall Symposium in Salado Texas

The Rules

To prevent duplicate entries, we ask that only the newsletter editor or chapter president submit entries. Regardless of the publication frequency, please select the best issue of the publication published between June 1, 2024, and June 1, 2025.  Chapters who won in the past three years may not enter this year’s contest.

Newsletters must be accessible to the public for reading or download. Regardless of how you publish and distribute your newsletter you must submit a link.  It can be pdf or html or any other format . Newsletters published by email marketing software are eligible as are pdf newsletters.   Newsletters sent via mailchimp or similar software usually have a message at the top to view online. That would be the link that you would enter on the form. If you publish your newsletter as a pdf, then please enter the link that you use on your website.

Go to Contest Entry

The Judging Criteria

Organization Branding

  • Are volume and Issue # present on first page?
  • Are publication date or season present on first page?
  •  Is there a Table of Contents, if needed?
  • Is the Organizational mission statement presented?
  • Is there a Publication schedule with submission deadlines?
  • Are Fonts easily readable and consistent throughout?
  • Are plant names properly identified by Latin names in italics?
  • Is Editor contact information present?

Formatting Basics

  • Are volume and Issue # present on first page?
  • Are publication date or season present on first page?
  • Is there a Table of Contents, if needed?
  • Is the Organizational mission statement presented?
  • Is there a Publication schedule with submission deadlines?
  • Are Fonts easily readable and consistent throughout?
  • Are plant names properly identified by Latin names in italics?
  •  Is Editor contact information present?

Content: Relevancy, Originality & Uniqueness

  •  Is the content relevant to the NPSOT mission?
  • Is there content relevant to local chapter needs – includes reports of local events?
  • Does newsletter provide original and unique content, in lieu of just reprints?
  • Is content factually accurate without error or omission?
  • Are there articles written by local members?
  •  Is there a variety of content and quantity of content appropriate to the newsletter frequency?
  • Are members and member activities featured?
  • Is there a calendar of events for upcoming events?
  • Is there an announcement and speaker synopsis for upcoming meetings?
  • Is content appropriately attributed to author with contact information?
  • Is the content appropriate to the reader’s expertise?

 

Aesthetics / Creativity of Design

  • Is it visually appealing with an inviting layout that attracts reader to features?
  • Is the newsletter balanced in offering a varied array of reading content with images and graphics?
  • Are the Article headlines inventive and clear about article content?
  • Are the styles,fonts, colors, and background consistent and harmonious?
  • Is there creative use of photos – photographs sized appropriately with clear captions that enhance the articles?
  • Are the photos appropriately credited to the photographers?
    g. Are photos by multiple photographers used?
    h. Is there creative use of graphics (i.e. charts, graphs, graphical images) to enhance but not overwhelm content?

Writing & Editing

  • Are spelling and word choices correct?
  • Is proper grammar, punctuation, sentence structure used?
  • Is content clearly written: author expresses purpose and includes major concepts of topic?
  • Is it well organized with a logical flow of content?
  • Is it readable with clear, concise, understandable writing?
  • Does the newsletter appear to be professionally edited?

Accessibility

  • Is the newsletter easy to download and read?
  • Is the newsletter formatted in a free and universally available application (ex. Pdf or html)?
  • Is it formatted to easily read on a desktop computer and a mobile device (phone or tablet)?
  • Is it formatted to be easily read on a phone – no side to side scrolling or skipping from page to page, only top to bottom scrolling, ideally in a one column format?
  • Do the url links work properly?
  • Are there links to newsletter archives that can easily be accessed online?
  • Are there active links to references and resources that are easily accessible?

Bonus Points

  • Does the newsletter provide a call to action?
  • Is the newsletter inspiring?
  • Are there other features not covered above which are unique and/or extraordinary?

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason