Cold weather did not deter eleven NPSOT members from conducting the January 20, 2024 plant survey at Hidden Springs Preserve.
Four sites in the preserve were scoured for signs of forbs, shrubs, and trees that are more easily identified at other times of the year. Notable finds were white rosinweed, green comet milkweed, and the seed pod of a primrose. This preserve will be spectacular in the spring, with firewheel, milkweeds, coneflowers, and more wildflowers that the group observed beginning to emerge.
This is the 9th survey taken at the preserve in a series of 12 that will be conducted in each of the months of the year, taken over four years.
Hidden Springs Preserve, January 20, 2024. Photo by Cindy Chrisler.
See photos from this field trip and others in our album=>
Join NPSOT-Williamson County on Thursday, February 8, 2024, when our featured topic will be “Land Stewardship for Birds and the Importance of Native Plant Communities” with Rufus Stephens and Jan Wrede. Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM. Our guest speakers’ presentation begins after a short business meeting.
==> If you attend in person, we’re at the Georgetown Public Library, 2nd floor, 402 West 8th St, Georgetown, TX 78626. Come early (6:30 PM) for expert advice, to check out the seed swap board, or just to visit.
About our topic: Birds depend on the native plants in their natural habitats for their food, a place to nest and essential protection from weather and predators. Bird stewardship conservation is done by habitat. Thus, it is necessary to understand the plant composition of Central Texas’ healthy, natural habitats: woodlands and savannahs; grasslands; rivers and streams; canyons, springs, and seeps; constructed tanks, ponds, and lakes; plus, residential yards.
Nearly 50 years of data tells us that bird populations are declining at an alarming rate, but with thoughtful practices you can be an agent of change. Our presentation will summarize the basic principles of Land Stewardship for Birds in Central Texas, offer examples of native habitat types in this area, and cover environmental problems occurring west and east of IH35 with the most useful tools for addressing them.
Our speakers will have copies of their book for sale, Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas. $50. Cash and check only.
About our speakers:
Rufus Stephens Certified Wildlife Biologist, educator, and coauthor of Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas published by TAMU Press; worked as a wildlife biologist for 35 years with 23 years at TPWD; his last position was as district leader for the 25 county Edwards Plateau Wildlife District; co-founder of the Texas Master Naturalist program and in recognition for this accomplishment is a co-recipient of the Wildlife Management Institute’s award for Innovation.
Jan Wrede Environmental educator and writer; retired Director of Education and Citizen Science at the Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne; author Trees, Shrubs and Vines of the Texas Hill Country; co-author of Attracting Birds in the Texas Hill Country: A Guide to Land Stewardship and its new second edition Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas.
At every meeting, we give away a book — about native plants or the meeting topic — to one randomly chosen in-person attendee!
Have an idea for a speaker? Let Program Leader Susie Hickman know via email to wilco-chapter@npsot.org.
NPSOT-Williamson County meetings are free and open to the public. We hope you attend! Meetings may be in person, virtual, or both, so be sure to check details in the meeting announcement. Meetings are announced on our website, our calendar and Facebook. See upcoming topics on our page Wilco Home or on our Calendar.
NPSOT’s Native Plant Rescue Project is compiling a history of Williamson County’s MoKan Prairie, an area with a prairie remnant in eastern Round Rock facing increasing amounts of development. We are specifically looking for first-hand accounts, memories, photos and oral stories of the MoKan Prairie area. We would love to hear from you!
