Collin County Chapter

April 7th Chapter Meeting – From Forgotten Ground to Living Memory

Our Tuesday April 7th chapter meeting will be available to attend in person at the Heard Museum in McKinney or online via Zoom. The program will feature Julie Fineman of the Constellation of Living Memorials (CLM) presenting on “From Forgotten Ground to Living Memory: Reimagining Forgotten Cemeteries to Reconnect People with Natural and Cultural History“.

Presentation Summary
Across cities, historic cemeteries sit quietly overlooked. What if these spaces could be restored as native landscapes that reconnect communities to local ecology, cultural heritage, and collective memory? Reimagining cemeteries as living memorials transforms them from neglected land into vital civic spaces rooted in history and nature.

Note: See below for information on becoming a CLM partner and also the CLM Grant Agreement and Plan.

Attendance Options
Our meetings are free and open to the public. This is a hybrid meeting held at the Heard Museum in McKinney and virtually via Zoom.
Location (in-person): Laughlin Hall at the Heard Museum. Please enter through the south doors of the building.
Zoom Linkhttps://tinyurl.com/yn85nbzd –Passcode: 571904; Meeting ID: 885 5459 6572
Doors and Zoom Open: 6:30 PM (for setup and connection testing)
Meeting Begins: 7:00 PM, with a brief update from Chapter President Rodney Thomas, followed by the featured presentation.
We look forward to seeing you at our program!

About our Speaker
With over 33 years of work experience, Julie is a versatile and creative professional who combines her passion for photography, healthy living, and wildlife conservation. She is driven by a vision of creating a harmonious and respectful relationship between humans and nature and bringing awareness and education to the community about the value and beauty of native wildlife habits. Reimagining cemetery landscapes as wildlife habitats celebrates the cycle of life is now being realized through the Constellation of Living Memorials. She is also the President at Friends of the Warren Ferris Cemetery, where she leads the restoration of the Blackland Prairie ecosystem, one of the most endangered habitats in the world.

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 fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason