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Native Plant Society of Texas

Contest to promote membership

NPSOT Archive

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Chapters with the highest percentage increase and highest numerical increase in memberships in the first quarter of 2016  will be recognized at the State Board meeting in April.

This is the third year for the contest. Rules are the same as in previous years. We”ll make a record of the number of memberships at each chapter on the morning of January 1. Then on the morning of April 1, we’ll check the number of memberships again and calculate the percentage of increase.

In the fall of 2014 the Membership Committee decided on a friendly competition among chapters to call attention to the need for new members and to make chapters and members both aware of all the tools that are available to them to help with attracting and retaining members. Membership has steadily increased since the first year of the contest after remaining steady for many years.

Members can find many ideas to help their chapter on our website and in the Chapter Leader Handbook. A tool that many chapters have found useful is these Ten Tips for Increasing Membership.

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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: Bill Hopkins

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