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Native Plant Society of Texas

Clear Lake Chapter

FIELD TRIP: Tour of Galveston Bay Foundation’s EcoCenter

Saturday, March 29, 2025

Join us on Saturday, March 29, for a guided tour of the GBF EcoCenter with Carter Clay. Located northeast of Baytown, this site has long been a hub for plant propagation and potting and is now expanding its efforts to include marsh restoration.

Carter will lead a two-hour in-depth tour of the EcoCenter. Additionally, he is offering to host a visit to the Galveston Bay Foundation’s Turtle Bayou property, a lesser-known corridor rich in wildflowers. He describes the area as providing a unique perspective on the area’s prairie, with a nearby exposed midden where indigenous hand tools have been discovered as recently as six months ago. This optional, but highly recommended tour, includes an additional 25-minute drive, a 1/3-mile walk, and a guided visit lasting 1–2 hours, depending on the group’s interest.

Lunch will not be provided, nor will it be easy to obtain. Bring your own lunch and water. There are no designated dining facilities, so plan to eat on the hood of your car, inside your vehicle, or wherever is most convenient.

Schedule

  • 8:15 a.m. – Meet at the Environmental Institute of Houston for carpooling
  • 9:00 a.m. – Arrive at the EcoCenter; tour until 11:00 a.m.
  • 11:00 a.m. – Depart for Turtle Bayou parking lot
  • 11:30 a.m. – Arrive at Turtle Bayou; tour prairie area for 1–2 hours

Limited to 20 participants. Please register and submit a waiver by March 29.

Clear Lake Chapter members have priority registration. Any remaining spots will open to the public and guests on Thursday, March 20.

Register here

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