Category: Field Trips

Chapter Field Trips

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Trip Report: July 15’s Three Stops in Wilco

— by Cindy Chrisler

Over a dozen NPSOT-Wilco members participated in the Progressive Field Trip on July 15, 2023.  A pleasant breeze greeted us at the first stop, Papilionem Natives, a two-greenhouse operation dedicated to native milkweed propagation.  Adelis Cardenas shared her tips on potting medium, germination techniques, and more as we toured her greenhouses and native plant gardens. 

image of group listening to a speaker
Adelis Cardenas welcomes NPSOT members to Papilionem Natives in Round Rock
image of group in garden
Kathy Galloway introduces Sue Misiti of the Patterson Community Garden in Hutto

The heat was starting to build as we toured the Peterson Community Garden and Monarch Waystation in Hutto.  Peterson Community Garden volunteers gave us a history of the garden and a tour that included an active beehive, antique farming equipment, and a variety of native flowers that bloom in the heat of Texas summers.

Our last stop was Murphy Park in Taylor which boasts a Monarch Waystation, small native gardens, and a rookery for egrets.  Sue Wiseman showed us a mature Texas Palm, which has mostly been extirpated in Texas due to overharvesting.  We ended the field trip with a delightful lunch at Plowman’s Kitchen in Taylor.

group by Texas Palm
Sue Wiseman identifies the Texas Palm at Murphy Park in Taylor

Photos by Cindy Chrisler


Photos from this trip are in our field trip album=>

Field Trip Photo Album
Posted on

Update! Trip cancelled. Field Trip on Saturday, August 12, 2023, Hidden Springs Preserve Plant Survey #8, 8:00am-11:00am

This post was updated July 31, 2023. Due to the continued drought, August 12’s field trip to Hidden Springs Preserve for our 8th plant survey is CANCELLED. We are concerned about degradation of vegetation by vehicles and the heat affecting participants.

The original post is below.

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— by Kathy Galloway

image of a sign

  • What:   Hidden Springs Preserve Field Trip, Plant Survey 8 of 12
  • When:  8:00 AM – 11 AM, Saturday, August 12, 2023
  • Where:  978 CR 224, Florence, TX.
  • Our field trip is free and open to the public, but the preserve is not open to the general public.  See important details later in this post.

We’re continuing our plant survey work with plant survey #8.

Be prepared for extensive walking on uneven, open terrain. Wear sturdy walking shoes, a hat, and sunscreen, and bring water, field guides, and something to take notes on and with. Members at all plant knowledge levels can help on survey field trips. Beginners are welcome.

Please plan on arriving by 8:00 AM – there is a padlock on the front gate, and it will be locked shortly after 8:15 AM. Reservations are not required. Please feel free to contact Kathy Galloway on the Field Trip Committee (contact form here) beforehand if you have any questions.

Directions:

  • Take IH-35 north to Exit 266 (Florence/Killeen/195).
  • Turn left and follow SH 195 toward Florence.
  • Go through Florence, take the TX 138 exit (you will be near the City of Florence’s water tower with the bison on it), and then turn left onto TX 138.
  • After a little over two miles, turn right onto CR 224.
  • After about half a mile, at the fork in the road, bear to the left and stay on CR 224. Note that a car GPS system may indicate that you should bear to the right – this is incorrect.
  • After another half a mile, look for a green metal gate on your right (north side of street). There is a large wooden sign “Hidden Springs” sign between two flagpoles behind the fence. The address is 978 County Road 224, Florence, TX, but there is no number on the gate. (The gate is across the street from 981 CR 224.)
  • When you arrive, directions will be given as to where to park.

Our field trip is free and open to the public.

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See photos from our earlier survey trips to Hidden Springs Preserve.

Hidden Springs Plant Survey Album