Highland Lakes Chapter

September chapter meeting – September 20

Lee Marlowe

Lee Marlowe, the Sustainable Landscape Ecologist for the San Antonio River Authority, is the speaker for Highland Lakes Native Plant Society of Texas’s Chapter Meeting at the Marble Falls Library, 101 Main Street, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, 20 September.

This meeting will count as one hour of Advanced Training credit for Master Gardeners, and one hour of Advanced Training credit for Master Naturalists.

Lee Marlowe is a restoration ecologist and ecological designer with over 25 years of professional experience working in the field of ecological restoration and natural resource management. Her expertise includes the use of native plants to provide wildlife habitat, biodiversity, water quality benefits, bank/site stabilization and aesthetic beauty in landscapes of all sizes. She currently serves as the Sustainable Landscape Ecologist for the San Antonio River Authority and President of the San Antonio Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Lee’s presentation “Are You Listening? Your Landscape Will Tell You What It Needs – All You Need To Do Is Pay Attention” features sustainable landscape practices and how to support native flora and fauna.

Lee’s presentation will address

·       Considerations and questions to ask yourself for a healthy landscape

·       Cues from your landscape that tell you what it needs or doesn’t need

·       Ideas on when to take action to help your landscape

·       Tips for long-term landscape sustainability and success

The business portion of the meeting will be the first 30 minutes followed by a five minute break and then the presentation. The VP Chair or another will bring the meeting to order after the break between the business meeting and presentation to introduce the speaker.

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