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Native Plant Society of Texas

I-35 Monarch Waystations Safety Rest Areas Committee Chair

Tom Olsen
Committee’s General Scope and Responsibility
Leads the planning and maintenance group for our four I-35 Safety Rest Area Monarch Way Stations at Hillsboro TX (Hillsboro County) and Salado TX (Bell County).
Biography
Tom retired from Baylor, Scott & White Department of Radiation Oncology in 2012. Over the years, he worked in a variety of clinical and administration roles in cancer treatment centers in Houston, San Angelo, Abilene and Temple TX. Previously he directed a Human Service Aide educational program working with Adult and Juvenile Offenders. He spent 6 formative years as a Docent at Longwood Gardens in Longwood PA. In his role, He helped explain the richness and diversity of plants and nature through the seasons to guests who visited the 86 acre managed Meadow Garden. In 2010 he hiked the long Camino Santiago Compostela in northern Spain. Through these experiences, Tom has hopefully learned to see people and nature not as “things” or as commodities to be used and thrown away, but as living beings that are integral to a much larger community ecosystem.
Tom Olsen

I-35 Monarch Waystations Safety Rest Areas Committee Chair

Committee’s General Scope and Responsibility
Leads the planning and maintenance group for our four I-35 Safety Rest Area Monarch Way Stations at Hillsboro TX (Hillsboro County) and Salado TX (Bell County).
Biography
Tom retired from Baylor, Scott & White Department of Radiation Oncology in 2012. Over the years, he worked in a variety of clinical and administration roles in cancer treatment centers in Houston, San Angelo, Abilene and Temple TX. Previously he directed a Human Service Aide educational program working with Adult and Juvenile Offenders. He spent 6 formative years as a Docent at Longwood Gardens in Longwood PA. In his role, He helped explain the richness and diversity of plants and nature through the seasons to guests who visited the 86 acre managed Meadow Garden. In 2010 he hiked the long Camino Santiago Compostela in northern Spain. Through these experiences, Tom has hopefully learned to see people and nature not as “things” or as commodities to be used and thrown away, but as living beings that are integral to a much larger community ecosystem.

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