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Native Plant Society of Texas

Video Contest 2025

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

The Rules

Videos must be in mov or mp4 format, and should be at least 45 seconds in length and no more than 5 minutes maximum. The contest is open to all our members. One entry per person. Videos must feature some aspect of native plants or our organization. Here are some possible examples:

  • Show and tell about a project you or your chapter is doing to promote or conserve native plants or habitats.
  • Interview with a local official or “expert.”
  • A profile of a particular plant, such as a plant of the month for your NICE Program or monthly meeting.
  • A walk through your backyard garden.
  • A plant walk through a local park or field.
  • The relationship and interdependence of native plants and wildlife

Contestants must be members of the Society and may only submit their own work. Entries will be judged in the following categories by a panel of  Society peers (judges are not eligible for contest entry).

Go to Contest Entry

The Judging Criteria

Theme Value

  • How well does the theme promote the value of native plants or habitats?
  • Videos should address Native Plant related themes.

Clarity of Theme

  • How well does the video express the chosen theme?
  • Is the theme clear and obvious?
  • Is relevant and significant  content provided in support of the theme?

Originality / Creativity

  • How well does the video draw in the viewer & keep their attention?
  • Is the video memorable?
  • Does the video utilize unique elements to emphasize/reinforce the theme?   
  • Is the video innovative in some unique way?

 

Content Quality

  • Does the video provide informative content?
  • Is the information accurate?   
  • Is the information relevant to the theme? 
  • How well organized is the content?

Video Production Values

  • Were shots and scenes paced so as to maintain interest and direct attention?
  • Was the camera work consistent throughout? In focus, well lit, sufficient contrast, steady camera and smooth movements? themes.
  • Was the editing appropriate – not choppy or erratic feeling?
  • Were text overlays clear, readable, and left on screen long enough to be read?
  • Did special effects or transitions support or detract from the content?

 

Audio Production Values

  • Was the vocabulary of the narration appropriate for the intended audience?
  • Was the speed of the narration slow enough to be understood?
  • Was the music (if used) fitting for the visual effects or audio narration?
  • Were background noises used that enhanced the message?
  • Did ambient noises detract from the presentation?
  • Were sound effects used to add emphasis to the visual track?

Inspiration/Activism Quality

  • Does the video provide a call to action?
  • Does the video provide any solutions?
  • Is the video inspiring?

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