Category: Chapter Meetings

Chapter Meetings

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April 14 Chapter Meeting (In Person and Virtual),”The Importance of Native Plants for Birds” with Gil Eckrich

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Join NPSOT-Williamson County on Thursday, April 14, 2022, when our featured topic will be The Importance of Native Plants for Birds with Gil Eckrich.   Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM.

About our topic:  Native plants are essential to our avian species. They provide shelter, nesting material, and what the birds eat!

Ruby-throated Hummingbird enjoying nectar from native Cardinal Flower/Lobelia cardinalis
Ruby-throated Hummingbird enjoying nectar from native Cardinal Flower/Lobelia cardinalis (USFWS Flickr Creative Commons)

About our speaker:  Gil Eckrich was born in Germany and came to Texas in 1964. Upon graduation from college in 1970, he entered the U.S. Army as an officer in the Infantry. Twenty years later, and with assignments around the globe, he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in Central Texas.  After that, Gil taught state and federal government courses for Central Texas College until retiring from that position in August 2009.  Until his most recent retirement in March of 2013, Gil had also been a wildlife biologist in Fort Hood’s Natural Resources Management Branch for 22 years. In that position he became knowledgeable about Central Texas native plants, their beauty, and their necessity for wildlife. Since his retirement, Gil has been traveling extensively in the US, Germany, Ecuador, Scotland, Alaska, Costa Rica, and most recently on his third trip to Colombia – always in search of a good photo of an elusive “lifer” bird species.

At every meeting, we give away a book — about native plants or the meeting topic — to one randomly chosen meeting attendee!

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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.

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March 10 Chapter Meeting (In Person and Virtual), ”Landscaping with Native Plants Series: #1 Solving Landscape Problems with Native Plants” moderated by Beth Erwin

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Join NPSOT-Williamson County on Thursday, March 10, 2022, when our featured topic will be Landscaping with Native Plants Series: #1 Solving Landscape Problems with Native Plants, moderated by Beth Erwin.   Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM.

About our topic:  This month’s topic is #1 Solving Landscape Problems with Native Plants, moderated by Beth Erwin with input from homeowners and other members.  The presentation is first in a series called Landscaping with Native Plants which the chapter will lead over the coming months. Other topics in the series will be announced at a future date.

  • #1 Solving Landscape Problems with Native Plants will examine two cases:
    • We will look at an established home landscape in western Georgetown (Edwards Plateau). The landscape contains a mix of native and non-native species. The owner wishes to replace some undesirable trees he had removed and to replace some flowering shrubs that aged out.
    • One of our chapter members has embarked on a multi-year project to, in his words, “have a nicer view from the kitchen window.” This home is in Round Rock, east of I-35, in Blackland Prairie soils.

About our moderator:  Beth Erwin is a professional horticulturist and naturalist who has spent her life promoting the use of native plants in the landscape. Beth is currently serving as president of the Williamson County Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Planting bed. Mainly fall aster, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Photo provided by Gary Bowers. Fall asters, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium. Mexican Buckeye, Ungnadia speciosa. Greggs Dalea, Dalea greggii. Cup grass. Live oak.

At every meeting, we give away a book — about native plants or the meeting topic — to one randomly chosen meeting attendee!

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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.

** ARCHIVED POST – LINKS AND IMAGES MAY NOT WORK**

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February 10 Chapter Meeting, In Person and Virtual: “Still Learning to Propagate Native Plants” with Barbara Wright

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[This post was updated Feb 10, 2022 to add Barbara’s handout.] Access Barbara’s handout at this link.

Join NPSOT-Wilco on Thursday, February 10, 2022, at 7:00 PM when Barbara Wright will present Still Learning to Propagate Native Plants.  Free and open to the public.

About our topic and speaker:   Barbara Wright will share her expert knowledge about propagating native plants by germination and cuttings. Barbara owns and operates Wright’s Nursery (open by appointment only) in Briggs, Texas, growing native and adapted plants as well as seasonal veggie starts.  (For many years, Wright’s Nursery has been a key supplier to NPSOT-Williamson County’s spring and fall native plant sales.) Barbara has been gardening since the age of nine.

image of Texas bluebonnet sprout. Lupinus texensis.

At every meeting, we give away a book — about native plants or the meeting topic — to one randomly chosen meeting attendee!

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.

** ARCHIVED POST – LINKS AND IMAGES MAY NOT WORK**