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Native Plant Society of Texas

Highland Lakes Chapter

March 18 Meeting

Our next Highland Lakes Native Plant Society meeting is Saturday, March 18, 2023, 1:00-3:00 at the Marble Falls Library, 101 Main ST.  

Alison Baylis, the Regional Urban Ecologist for Texas A&M Forest Service, will present Protecting our trees in the Highland Lakes, developing an urban forest.

Baylis’ presentation will follow a 30 minute chapter business meeting.  Her talk  will be recorded for viewing on YouTube several days after the meeting.

Alison will cover this topics.

  • The benefits of trees – Why should trees be prioritized in our communities? 
  • The impact of development on the urban forest – How can they coexist?
  • The municipal perspective – How communities can get started, tools, and small town examples.
  • Ordinances – A look at tree protection ordinances across Texas.
  • Where do we go from here?  What are the first steps?

Baylis is the Regional Urban Ecologist for Texas A&M Forest Service. In this role she helps central Texas communities develop sustainable programs that provide Texans with healthy trees and forests. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology, specializing in ecology, evolution, and behavior, from The University of Texas at Austin and is a current graduate student in the Master of Natural Resources program with a concentration in urban forestry at Oregon State University. Her career has focused on education in roles for Texas A&M Forest Service, Barton Springs Conservancy, and The University of Texas at Austin. She is also an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist, Master Naturalist, and certified Project Learning Tree educator.

The presentation qualifies for Master Naturalist and Master Gardener AT.

Meeting information can be found on the Native Plant Society, Highland Lakes Chapter website and Facebook.

Chapter Website:  https://www.npsot.org/wp/highlandlakes/

Facebook page:  http/www.facebook.com/HLNPSOT/

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