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Native Plant Society of Texas

Big Bend Chapter

Madera Canyon Trail Hike – Sunday, November 14, 2021

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Sunday, November 14th, 2021 is the Madera Canyon Trail hike and picnic, which will be for members only, as trail capacity is limited. An email with details will be sent to all members the weekend of October 30/31.

Here is a little “background” information on the history of the trail itself from The Texas Highways Magazine. “The trail opened to the public in October 2007 with help of almost 2,000 hours of volunteer labor. Colin Shackelford was the Stewardship Director of the Davis Mountains Preserve at this time. With little trail building experience, he relied on expert stonemasons with technical rock work experience and direction from an expert on trail layout borrowed from Big Bend National Park.”

An important part of the success of the Madera Canyon hiking trail was the volunteers. Volunteers are needed for our Big Bend Chapter programs like this one. It’s as easy as checking off names from a list of program participants, helping set up for an indoor presentation and greeting guests, writing an article for the monthly Chapter News on our website, helping with snacks and refreshments. We all have busy schedules, but without volunteer help the burden is placed on a few. Do your part and show your appreciation of our Big Bend Chapter by helping out. Teamwork really works!

If you are not a member yet and are interested in this hike, please join soon so that you can get the forthcoming email regarding details of the event and how to reserve a spot.

Becoming a Member
To join, please go to the Become a member page on the statewide site. From here you will be able to apply via the New member online application, or print out an application that you can mail in. If you wish to join the Big Bend Chapter of the Society specifically, please choose Big Bend from the “Chapter” dropdown menu at the bottom of the online form, or write it on the print form where it requests, “Please name your primary chapter” (or 2nd, 3rd, or 4th, if you so choose).

Phyllis Kennedy
Newsletter, Communications

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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