Celebrate Native Plant Week at the Native Plant Society of Texas Fall Native Plant sale Saturday, October 28, 9:00 am on the Burnet Courthouse Square. Locally grown native trees, shrubs and plants will be available. Experienced gardeners will be on hand to answer questions on choosing the right native plant for one’s landscaping goals.
In addition to expert plant advice, a “Natives in the Urban Forest” presentation will be delivered by Dr. Valdez Barillas, Associate Professor of Biology at A&M-San Antonio at 10:30 am in the library on the Burnet Courthouse Square. Professor Barillas’ talk will include:
1. How a changing climate is showing us the importance of trees and native plants in urban areas.
2. How to develop a landscaping plan which integrates soil characteristics and native trees to form a healthy plant and tree community and canopy.
3. How planting an urban forest helps clean our air and water while cooling our towns and cities.
Dr. Valdez Barillas earned his Masters and Ph.D. in Rangeland Ecology at Colorado State University. He has recently established a Field Ecology Laboratory that supports undergraduate and graduate research. His research involves collaborative work with Texas Parks and Wildlife on the ecology of plant-insect-microbes interactions in native versus non-native invasive plants.
