Past News & Events

Spring Field Trips and Events

Texas’ beautiful spring is here! Come out for the Burleson Prairie field trip and the Riesel Prairie work day! Check out the Fort Worth Prairie Fest in April and visit NPAT’s largest preserve in May.

Simpson Prairie Field Trip

Saturday, May 15th, 9:00am - 11:00am
Crawford, TX (McLennan County, south of Waco)

Come see spring prairie wildflowers and emerging native grasses at Simpson Prairie, a terrific tallgrass prairie remnant protected by owner Mike Williams and the Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT). Field trip leaders are owner Mike Williams and Lisa and Jason Spangler.  An optional nearby seed collection trip may follow (plants permitting).

Simpson Prairie is an outstanding example of rare Texas tallgrass prairie, of which less than 1% out of the original 20 million acres now remains. See an incredible part of Texas’ natural heritage in bloom after the abundant rain this winter and spring!

Mike harvests seed from Simpson Prairie and uses the seed when planting Laura Bush’s prairie at nearby Prairie Chappel Ranch. Mike will talk about his management and restoration at Simpson Prairie and his restoration work at Prairie Chappel Ranch as we walk the prairie and identify native plants.

We will meet at parking lot at the southeast corner of the main Crawford intersection (FM 185 and 317) at 9:00am, and we will car pool to Simpson Prairie from the parking lot. Click here for directions from Google Maps.

Please RSVP and provide contact information (phone number and email address) in case of a rain-out or other updates.  The field trip is limited to 20 attendees. Wear appropriate clothing, and bring water, sunscreen, and a snack (or have lunch in Crawford.)

RSVP to Lisa Spangler by emailing .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or calling at 512-736-5553.

Exploring Plants of the Blackland Prairie

With Jason Singhurst of Texas Parks and Wildlife

Saturday May 1, 9:30am to 12:30pm
Burleson Prairie, near Temple TX
Burleson Praire is over 250 acres of restored and remnant blackland prairie.  Bob and Mickey Burleson began conducting praire restoration on the site in 1969, and were founding members of the Native Prairie Association of Texas.  Come see the land which inspired them and explore the prairie in springtime. 
Jason Singhurst has served as a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department botanist/ecologist in Texas for the past 13 years. He has extensive field knowledge with rare plant species in eastern and central Texas. He has authored or co-authored over 40 scientific publications and in 2007 co-authored a book on Rare Plants of Texas.  He is also a board member of the Native Prairie Association of Texas.
This field trip will be a mix of on trail and off trail hiking and the ground may be bumpy and uneven.  This hike is open for humans of all ages although it is geared towards adults and older sub-humans, with those under 18 being accompanied by a parent.  Participants should bring water , snacks, and anything they need to be comfortable in the field. 
This trip is limited to 25 individuals. To reserve your space and receive driving directions, please email Daniel Dietz at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call 512-731-2517.

Volunteer Work Day at Riesel Prairie

May 8, 2010 10:00 am.  If the weather or soil conditions are not favorable, May 15 is the alternate date.
184 County Road 149, Falls County, Riesel
Volunteers needed to care for Riesel Prairie - remove excess wild plum and eastern gamagrass plants, remove old sign, spray dewberries, and apply herbicide to sapling trees. Wear sun screen, insect repellent, work clothes, gloves, and (optional) wide brimmed hat. Bring a sack lunch and your favorite sharp shooter, hoe, rake, grubbing hoe, and string trimmer.  Water will be provided.
For more information and to sign up, contact James Alderson 254-721-6842.
 

Advanced Grass Identification Workshop

Introduction to Identifying Local Grasses [this class is full] With Tom Watson, retired university botanist and master naturalist

Date:  April 24, 8:30am to 4:00pm
Location:  Just west of Buda TX, directions sent upon registration
To register contact Daniel at 512-731-2517 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
 
Want to know those native grasses that you encounter along the highways, in the fields, and in your flowerbeds?  This class will help you confidently identify the more common grasses of the Hill Country in the vicinity of Austin and surrounding towns.  You will be introduced to the typifying features and you will learn how to use structural features to analyze and identify local species, as well as, how to distinguish grasses from similar plant families.  This will be a lecture (1 1/2 hr) followed by a field excursion in which you get hands on experience while enjoying the great outdoors.  This class is intended for those who have deeper interest in identifying grasses and will provide an introduction to grass structures as illustrated in the spring species.  A second class will follow later in the Fall for attendees of the Spring class in which the grasses of the Fall season will be studied in the field. 
 
The class is offered on Saturday, April 24, from 8:30 am until 4:00 pm (1 hour off for lunch) on one of the properties of the City of Austin Wildland Conservation Division properties just west of Buda.  The class is limited to 15 participants and you must pre-register by April 17.  By calling 512-731-2517 or emailing .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 
 
Wear field clothes including sturdy, closed toed foot wear.  Bring a sack lunch, a drink, a pencil, a notepad, and a clipboard.   A loop (2 or three folding lenses – 10X) will be handy.  Radio Shack has the best loop for the money, costing about $9 if you want to purchase one there otherwise you may order from scientific supply houses online.  Also if you have a copy of “Grasses of the Texas Hill Country” by Loflin & Loflin please bring it with you so you can get some practice using the book and learn to use it more efficiently.  The loop and grass book are NOT required but they will enhance your learning experience.
 
This class is sponsored by Hays County Master Naturalists and the Native Prairie Association of Texas and will be conducted by Tom Watson, a retired Botanist, Master Naturalist, and WCD Land Steward.

Prairie Fest

April 24, 2010, 10 AM - 8 PM
Tandy Hills Park
3400 View Street, Fort Worth
Free and Open to the Public
This is an outdoor festival to celebrate our connection to the natural world through music, art, dance, environmental stewardship & wildflower tours.
Tandy Hills Natural Area is a 160 acre indigenous remnant of prairie located in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas. The land was obtained by
the City of Fort Worth Parks Department in the 1960’s and designated a natural area in 1987. The park is managed by the Fort
Worth Nature Center and Refuge.
For more information go to www.tandyhills.org/prairiefest.htm

Maddin Prairie Preserve

Breeding Bird Survey and Open Preserve Day

Date: Saturday May 22, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Colorado City, Texas
For more information, contact Kirsti Harms at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call 512-296-9160.
To learn more about NPAT’s Maddin Prairie Preserve.

Nash Prairie Field Trip

Saturday, June 20th, 2009, 9:30am

(West Columbia, south of Houston)

When: Saturday, June 20th (Sat.) at 9:30 am
Where: West Columbia (Brazoria County, south of Houston)

Come visit Nash Prairie, over 300 acres of very special coastal tallgrass prairie!  Owned by the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and the West Columbia Hospital District, this prairie is a rare remnant of the coastal prairie that once covered over six million acres of Texas and Louisiana.

Field trip leaders Rev. Peter Conaty, his wife Susan, botanist Dr. David Rosen (who has conducted studies of the prairie), and Lisa and Jason Spangler (NPAT president) will tell us about the history of the prairie, the church’s stewardship of this special piece of Texas, and the native plants that call it home.  Read more about Nash Prairie by clicking here.

We will meet at Nash Prairie at 9:30 am.  From West Columbia, go on east on State Highway 35.  Turn left onto CR 25 and proceed north.  Nash Prairie is approximately 6.5 miles past front gate of Columbia Lakes on the left.  Park along CR 255 which is to the right of the prairie.  Click here for directions from Google Maps.

RSVP appreciated but not required.  Wear appropriate clothing, and bring water, sunscreen, and a snack.  Field trips are open to everyone.

Contact Lisa Spangler, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 512-736-5553 (cell), for more information.

Tallgrass prairie is the most endangered large ecosystem in North America, with less than 1% of Texas’ original 20 million acres estimated remaining.  In addition to beautiful prairie flowers and lush native grasses, our prairies are habitat for grassland birds, the most declining group of birds in North America, butterflies and other pollinators, and other prairie wildlife.  We must protect these special places to save Texas’ prairie heritage.

Tallgrass prairies also sequester large amounts of carbon, so tallgrass prairie restorations could be used to help fight global warming.  In addition, native grasslands increase water quality and quantity, a vital issue for our growing state.  Tallgrass prairie plantings on marginal cropland have been identified as the best source of low-input cellulosic biofuel that would not impact our food supply.

Join the Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT) to help advocate and protect Texas’ prairie heritage, native plants, and wildlife.

NPAT and TXSER Joint Conference - Grassland and Savanna Restoration

August 8-10, 2008

Fort Davis, TX

Join us at the Texas Society for Ecological Restoration (TXSER) and the Native Prairies Association of Texas joint conference, to be held on August 8-10, 2008 at Sproul Ranch and Indian Lodge in Ft. Davis, Texas. The conference theme is Grassland and Savanna Restoration, however presentation topics are open to all areas of ecological restoration.

Optional field trips are scheduled for Friday, August 8th followed by an evening mixer. The Plenary Address and 24 presentations (15 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A) will be held Saturday, April 9th, from 9 am to noon, and from 1 pm to 5 pm, and Sunday, April 10th, from 9 am to noon. An optional Saturday evening dinner and social is also scheduled.

Conference updates and additional information about Texas SER may be found at the Texas SER website: http://www.ser.org/txser. Information about the Native Prairies Association of Texas can be found at the NPAT website: http://www.texasprairie.org.  Click here to read the call for abstracts.

Hotel and bed and breakfast accommodations in the Fort Davis area can be found at: http://www.fortdavis.com/accommodations.html. Information about camping at Davis Mountains State Park can be found at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

21st North American Prairie Conference

August 4th-8th, 2008 (Mon-Fri)

Winona, MN at Winona State University

“The Prairie Meets the River” - Hosted by Winona State University, Winona, MN. See the conference web page for more information.

Parkhill Prairie Field Trip

May 31st (Sat.), 10am - 2pm

Eastern Collin County (NE of Dallas)

Join Master Naturalist and former NPAT board member Jim Varnum for a tour of the Parkhill Prairie for native grasses and wildflowers, grassland birds and butterflies. See native and restored prairie locaitons and gilgais. The tour includes a short stop at a nearby bison ranch for further information about life on the early prairies in North-Central Texas.

Parkhill Prairie is a 436-acre native blackland prairie preserve in eastern Collin County. Over 200 plant species were observed and identified in 2006-2007. Native grasses include little bluestem, big bluestem, eastern gamma grass and yellow Indiangrass. Wildflowers on the prairie include prairie parsley, Rattlesnake master, milkweeds, Indian plantain, coneflowers, Mexican hat, prairie clovers, Texas giant sage, several paintbrushes, and prairie celestials. Parkhill Prairie is the home of the Parkhill Prairie crawfish (Procambarus steigmani).

Parkhill is easily accessible from IH-30 in Greenville and US 75 in McKinney. Visit the park web site for directions. The tour is approved advanced training for Texas Master Naturalists. Bring cameras and binoculars, sun and insect protection, water and snacks.

Contact Jim Varnum at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more information. RSVP’s are appreciated but not required.

Pittman Ranch Field Trip (DWF/TNC)

May 24th (Sat.), 10am - 1pm

Valley View (north of Dallas/Ft Worth)

Sponsored by the Dixon Water Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.

Join The Nature Conservancy’s Jim Eidson and ranch manager Robby Tuggle on a tour of a working ranch which supports a spectacular part of the Grand Prairie.  Owned by the Dixon Water Foundation, this carefully managed ranch is an example of the prairie as it was encountered by the early settlers.  Rare and beautiful wildflowers are expected!

Directons: At Valley View and IH 35 go west on FM 922 to FM 373.  Go north on FM 373.  Ranch gate is marked, and we will be waiting for you.  Click here to see the field trip flyer for a map and futher information.

For further information, contact: Jim Eidson, 903-568-4139

Fort Worth Prairie Park Field Trip (GPRC)

May 24th (Sat.), 10am-2pm

Near Crowley (SW of Fort Worth)

From the Great Plains Restoration Council:

Great Plains Restoration Council (GPRC) is working to protect 2000 acres (the former Rock Creek Ranch) of the biologically rich remaining Fort Worth Prairie Ecosystem as an anchor of urban tallgrass prairie wilderness, ultimately leading to a larger network of core wildland reserves and biological corridors connecting this lush remaining Fort Worth Prairie with the Western Cross Timbers. The State of Texas General Land Office owns the property and is seeking to sell it to developers.

Please RSVP by May 14th to Eileen Porter .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 817-596-5567.

Clymer Meadow Field Trip (Nature Conservancy)

May 17th (Sat.), 10am -3pm

Celeste (Hunt County, NE of Dallas)

The Nature Conservancy hosts a wildflower tour and dedication of a new prairie remnant at Clymer Meadow, the largest preserved Blackland Prairie remnant!

See the Nature Conservancy’s event page for more details. Contact Jim Eidson, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (903) 568-4139 for more information and directions to the preserve.

Nash Prairie Field Trip

May 17th (Sat.) at 10am

West Columbia (Brazoria County, south of Houston)

Come visit Nash Prairie, over 300 acres of the best coastal prairie in existence!  The prairie is owned by the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and the West Columbia Hospital District. 

Rev. Peter Conaty, his wife Susan, and botanist Dr. David Rosen (who has conducted studies of the prairie) will lead the tour and tell us about the history of the prairie, the church’s stewardship of this special piece of Texas, and the native plants that call it home.

We will meet at Nash Prairie at 10am.  From West Columbia, go on east on State Highway 35.  Turn left onto CR 25 and proceed north.  Nash Prairie is approximately 6.5 miles past front gate of Columbia Lakes on the left.  Park along CR 255 which is to the right of the prairie.  Click here for directions from Google Maps.

RSVP appreciated but not required.  Contact Jason Spangler at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 512-736-4199 for more information.  Wear appropriate clothing, and bring water, sunscreen, and a snack.

Bear Creek Ranch Field Trip (DWF/TNC)

May 10th (Sat.), 10am - 1pm

Aledo (west of Ft Worth)

Sponsored by the Dixon Water Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.

Join The Nature Conservancy’s Jim Eidson on a tour of a working ranch which supports a spectacular part of the Ft. Worth Prairie.  Owned by the Dixon Water Foundation, the 1700-acre Bear Creek Ranch supports limestone glades, deep soiled tallgrass prairie, and streamside forest.  Rare and beautiful wildflowers are expected!

Physical address: 2701 Beak Creek Rd., Aledo, TX 76008.  Click here to see the field trip flyer for a map and futher information.

For further information, contact: Jim Eidson, 903-568-4139.

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