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Native Plant Society of Texas

August 5th Chapter Meeting

Tim Castelli

Collin County Chapter

Land Stewardship for Birds

Please join us on Tuesday August 5th for our chapter program on “Land Stewardship for Birds and the Importance of Native Plant Communities”. You can attend either in person at the Heard Museum in McKinney or virtually via Zoom.

Our speaker, Rufus Stephens, will be discussing how diverse and healthy native plant communities are the cornerstone of healthy wildlife habitats. Birds can be a great indicator for healthy plant communities. Recent articles have sounded the alarm about dramatic declines in bird and butterfly populations. Learning to look at the plant community level and identify needed habitat improvements can improve stewardship for birds, insects and native plants.

Photo courtesy of Martin Reid, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center; Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia); Black-capped Vireo

Joining our meeting

Our meetings are open to the public and you can join us in person at the Heard Museum’s Laughlin Hall, via the south entrance to the building, or online through Zoom using the following details:

Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/yn85nbzd

Meeting ID: 885 5459 6572 / Passcode: 571904

About our speaker

Rufus Stephens is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, an educator, and coauthor with Jan Wrede of “Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas” by TAMU Press. He has worked as a wildlife biologist for 37 years, 23 years with TPWD. Rufus is one of the founders of the Texas Master Naturalist program and in recognition for this accomplishment was a corecipient of the Wildlife Management Institute’s award for Innovation.

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason