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The Native Plant Society of Texas recognized excellence in writing, acts of conservation and public service, and lifetime achievement in the field of Texas native plants during the annual awards banquet at the Texarkana Convention Center on October 18.
The awards are named in honor of early members of the Society. Recipients are chosen by an Awards Committee consisting of representatives from a diversity of regions. The committee this year consisted of Chair Lonnie Childs (Fredericksburg Chapter) and members Ginger Frazier (Amarillo Chapter), Cynthia Maguire (Trinity Forks Chapter), Jerry Morrissey (San Antonio Chapter) and Kathy Trizna (Austin Chapter).
The awards were presented during the Fall Symposium in Texarkana. Read more about that event.
Delmar Cain
The Carroll Abbott Memorial Award for writings in the popular vein is presented to Delmar Cain.
The Boerne Star newspaper features a bi-weekly column entitled “Native Grown” which focuses on educating the public about the value of native plants, invasive threats to our native habitats, and the interaction of wildlife with native plants. The column was started by the late Bill Ward, and upon his death in 2011, the column required a new standard bearer to carry on Bill’s mission of educating the public about our beloved native plants. Out of respect and in tribute to Bill, Delmar stepped forward to carry the torch. His column tells a story and he incorporates our native plants into those stories through his memories and experiences. Every month his column features the Boerne Chapter’s NICE! plant of the month.The “Native Grown” column serves as an excellent media vehicle for carrying on the Society mission to educate the public about the importance of native plants and native habitats.
Delmar is a self-described “recovering attorney” who formerly worked for the FBI and Texas A&M, but has been on a successful recovery path by immersing himself in the study of nature and native plants.
Meredith O’Reilly
The Digital Media Award recognizes outstanding digital publications featuring Texas native plants. The award, which is presented for the first time this year, goes to Meredith O’Reilly for her blog Great Stems.
The Great Stems blog began in 2008 and quickly became a rich and accessible resource filled with beautiful photos and engaging stories featuring native plants and the wildlife they support. Often using beautiful wildlife as the initial attraction the blog educates the public that the key to a healthy population of native wildlife in your backyard is a healthy native plant habitat. Meredith has worked hard with both children and adults to share and create an appreciation of native fauna an flora. As an added attraction of her youth audience she sometimes incorporates a game or activity to encourage children to become involved with nature.
Dr. Roy L. Lehman
The Donovan Stewart Correll Memorial Award is given for scientific writing about native plants of Texas. It goes to Dr Roy L. Lehman.
His book Marine Plants of the Texas Coast (Texas A&M University Press) is written for biology students, teachers, nature lovers, amateur naturalists, conservation workers and parks and wildlife personnel. This up-to-date easy-to-use guide describes the marine plants of the Gulf of Mexico coast. The author’s photographs accompany the identification keys, which are visually oriented and simple to use. Marine Plants of the Texas Coast collects our unique marine species for the first time in a single volume. As coastal issues, such as hurricane preparedness, beach erosion, wetland mitigation, freshwater inflows and more, remain in the forefront of public concern this botanical reference should find a permanent place on the bookshelves of scientists, policy makers and citizens alike.
Dr Lehman is professor of biology at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi where he is also director of the Laguna Madre Field Station and a research associate at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies. He is the coauthor of the award-winning book Plants of the Texas Coastal Bend, pulbished by Texas A&M University Press in 2005.
Lonnie and Judith Schockley
The Nancy Benedict Memorial Award is presented to an individual for a specific act of conservation or public service. The award this year goes to Lonnie And Judith Shockley for their work with the Invaders of Texas
Lonnie and Judith have worked tirelessly during the past five years in identifying and eradicating invasive plants and educating individuals and groups as to the negative impacts of invasive plants on native ecosystems. As the leaders of the Balcones Satellite of the Invaders of Texas, they have trained over a hundred citizen scientists and written numerous articles about invasive plants. They have inspired more than 150 individuals to donate 2700 volunteer hours in the eradication of more than 32,000 plants in the Greater San Antonio area. With their leadership the Balcones Satellite has contributed more than 50% of the total volunteer hours eradicating invasive plants in the entire state of Texas. They have offered educational workshops to numerous groups and have shared their accomplishments at three Texas Invasive Plant & Pest Council conferences.
Friends of the Tandy Hills Natural Area
The Native Star Award is given to an organization or agency for a specific act of conservation or public service. The award has been given to the Friends of the Tandy Hills Natural Area for their Kids on the Prairie program directed by Anne Alderfer.
Kids on the Prairie is a science-based field investigation program begun by Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area in 2011 to introduce at risk, low-income school children to their native landscape in their own neighborhoods. They were compelled to take this step after the Fort Worth ISD cut field trips because of budget shortfalls. Field investigation trips to Tandy Hills Natural Area provides real world, hands-on learning experiences that are aligned with national and state standards across subject and grade levels. The program introduces students to nature including native plants in way that they might never receive.
Kids on the Prairie is aligned with the National Science Foundation, Next Generation of Science Standards and Texas State Standards and partners directly with the Cross Timers Master Naturalists, the Fort Worth Nature Center and the City of Fort Worth.
Friends of the Tandy Hills Nature Center was started in 2004 by Society members Don and Deborah Young to bring more public awareness to the park that was threatened with urban gas drilling operations. They engage in fundraising and educational programs and events to support the continued health and appreciation of the park.
Dr. Timothy Fullbright
The Charles Weddle Award is given for lifetime achievement in the field of Texas native plants. It goes to Dr Timothy Fulbright.
(photo by Cecil Carter)
Dr Fullbright is a research scientist and Meadows Professor in Semi-arid Land Ecology at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University – Kingsville. He is a key advocate and advisor who helped start the South Texas Natives project at CKWRI in 2001, and authored many of the proposals that initially funded the effort.
He conducted and oversaw much of the seminal research on the effects of exotic grasses on wildlife population and native plant communities. The findings of this research have collectively and dramatically led to significant changes in land management actions on millions of acres of South Texas over the last three decades. His work has provided landowners and managers the knowledge needed to be able to effectively conduct native plant restoration and to lessen the impact of exotics.
Dr Fullbright’s research includes publications on the effects of exotic grasses on wildlife populations and native plant communities; the impact of common land management techniques on exotic grass invasion and native plant community conservation; and numerous studoes on native plant restoration in applied settings such as retired croplands, roadsides and pastures.
He has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, numerous book chapters and books, 28 popular articles and given hundred of presentations.
In addition he has been a teacher and mentor to hundred of undergraduates and graduate students at Texas A&M – Kingsville, including holders of significant conservation positions directly impacting native plant conservation and managers collectively of millions of acres of private ranchland in Texas.
Joan Mukherjee and Sue Wiseman
The Benny Simpson Fellows Awards are given for service and work by a member for the enrichment of the Society at the state or chapter level. The awards are chosen by popular vote of the membership. This year we presented two awards – to Joan Mukherjee of Highland Lakes Chapter and to Sue Wiseman of Williamson County Chapter.
Joan Mukherjee has been a driving force in her chapter and served as president 2003 to 2005. She took over leadership of the chapter when it was in danger of disbanding and helped lead the chapter back. Membership has tripled since then. She leads nature walks and opens her ranch for field trips and her native plant nursery has been the source for many of the plants in the chapter plant sales.
Sue Wiseman has been a chapter president and served on the State Board as President and Vice-President Finance and as member of the Audit Committee. She performed notable service to the Society by helping to resolve past accounting errors relating to missing funds and tax issues.
She is a chapter liaison to the local County Parks & Recreation Department and spear-headed efforts for native plant signage and for plant inventories prior to development. She promoted a series of plant taxonomy classes at her chapter. She was the driver to organize the Helping Hands for Healing Lands project in the aftermath of the Bastrop fire, utilizing youth groups to produce seed balls for distribution to local land owners.
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