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Native Plant Society of Texas

Planting the Seeds of Service: Growing a Thriving Volunteer Program

Presentation Details

Strong conservation work depends on strong volunteers. In this 60-minute session, chapter members and leaders will explore practical strategies for recruiting, engaging, and retaining volunteers in ways that strengthen both your chapter and your mission. We’ll walk through the full volunteer lifecycle – from attracting new supporters to cultivating long-term commitment – and share tools to help you build sustainable systems, prevent burnout, and create meaningful volunteer experiences. Participants will leave with clear, actionable ideas to grow a resilient, mission-aligned volunteer community at the local chapter level.

Equipment Required:
Projector, Screen, Microphone, Table
Additional Requirements:
None
Ecoregions Covered:
Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain

Presenter Information

Suzanne Holsomback

Suzanne Holsomback (she/her/hers) grew up in Baytown, Texas gardening and tending flowers with her mother. Coaxing the Houston “gumbo” soil to grow inspired her and began teaching her what thrives […]

  • Suzanne Holsomback

    Suzanne Holsomback (she/her/hers) grew up in Baytown, Texas gardening and tending flowers with her mother. Coaxing the Houston “gumbo” soil to grow inspired her and began teaching her what thrives (and what languishes) in specific areas. Her passion for plants and flowers continued through her formal education and early career in container gardening in Central Texas and the United Kingdom. Now as a resident of Austin, Texas, Suzanne spends her evenings and weekends working in her Texas Native cottage garden. She has been a member of the Native Plant Society of Texas since 2021 and stepped into the role of the Native Landscape Certificate Program Committee Chair in Spring 2024.

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