Category: Native Plants

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January 11 Chapter Meeting: “Fire Ant Management” with Wizzie Brown

Join NPSOT-Williamson County for our first meeting of the new year!

On Thursday, January 11, 2024, our featured topic will be “Fire Ant Management” with Wizzie Brown.  Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM.  Our guest speaker’s presentation begins after a short business meeting.

This month’s presentation will NOT be recorded for YouTube.

==> 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.

==> To attend via Zoom, register at https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUoduqspjosG9SR4dkBtog7kAzHTbz3K710#/registration

About our topic: Learn about fire ant identification, history, and biology. We’ll also talk about how to manage fire ants.

About our speaker: Wizzie Brown is a Senior Extension Program Specialist-IPM with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in entomology from Ohio State University and a Master’s of Science in entomology from Texas A&M University. After leaving Texas A&M, Wizzie worked in structural pest control before taking a job with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Austin. She is a Board Certified Entomologist with a specialty in Urban Entomology and holds a non-commercial license from the Texas Structural Pest Control Service.

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.

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Landfill Pollinator Garden Workday – Part Deux

This image shows the volunteer crew gathered around the project sign in celebration of completing the mulch spreading.

— by Gary Bowers

Six volunteers from Master Naturalists and NPSOT Wilco started the chilly, breezy morning of Sun Dec 10, 2023 bundled up to begin spreading the 15 cu yds of mulch that Louis from Waste Management had delivered. The goal: spread the mulch along the pathway – covering the weed barrier that had become visible.

Photo showing piles of mulch with the pollinator garden and Willamson County Landfill sign in the background.
Mulch ready to be spread at Williamson County Landfill Garden on Sun Dec 10 2023.

The team exchanged introductions, unloaded the tools, and quickly got to work. By the end of the first hour, we had started shedding layers of clothing. Chilly days are the best for spreading mulch!

Photo showing volunteers using garden implements to spread mulch along pathway.
GWMN and NPSOT Wilco Volunteers spreading mulch along pathway.
This photos shows the completed pathway with the pollinator garden in the background.
The mulch has been distributed, the weed barrier is hidden, and the stones repurposed as a border.

The crew sat aside the limestone pavers that had been used as stepping stones and then repurposed those to use as a garden border. Stones like this create habitat for crickets, spiders, lizards, and various other critters.

After all the mulch was spread and the tools returned to the correct vehicles, the team spent some time walking the garden, checking on the new plants put in during the previous workday, and discussing the tasks needed for the next workday.

This image shows the volunteer crew gathered around the project sign in celebration of completing the mulch spreading.
The accomplished crew celebrating their work.

Thanks to all the hardworking volunteers! See you on the next workday!


If you have not yet been to this garden, it is open to the public. Sunday is the best time to drop by as the landfill is closed so there is no traffic and it’s safe to park along the road. If you choose to go during the week, park at the Recycling Center across the street.

About the garden: The Pollinator Garden is a collaboration of the NPSOT-Wilco chapter, Good Water Master Naturalists, and Williamson County Waste Management, located at the entrance to the Williamson County Landfill, at the corner of FM 1660 and Landfill Road in Hutto, TX, across from the Recycling Center. The garden includes a Monarch Waystation and is a Certified Texas Wildscape. Volunteers help maintain the garden when the collaborating organizations announce a maintenance work day.  Anyone interested is invited to help!

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TPWD Webinar, Dec 20, (endangered) Texas Trailing Phlox

Webinar news from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department:

  • Conservation genetics and taxonomic distinctiveness of a Texas-endemic wildflower
  • On Wednesday, December 20, 2023, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
  • with Christine Edwards
    Stephen and Camilla Brauer Conservation Geneticist
    Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development, Missouri Botanical Garden

Webinar description: In this presentation, I will give an overview of conservation genetics in general and the conservation genetics program at the Missouri Botanical Garden. I will then provide an overview of a study that focused on understanding patterns of genetic diversity and structure and the taxonomic distinctiveness of a federally endangered Texas-endemic plant, Texas Trailing Phlox. (Emphasis added by NPSOT-Wilco.) I will conclude with a discussion of how the results can be applied to facilitate conservation efforts for Texas Trailing Phlox.

Bio: Dr. Edwards received a BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado, a PhD in Botany from the University of Florida, and completed a Postdoc in Botany at the University of Wyoming. She has led the Conservation Genetics program at the Missouri Botanical Garden for the last 10 years. Her research focuses on using genetic tools to understand the evolutionary and ecological causes and consequences of rarity in threatened species.

Register on the TPWD website at this registration link.

Find more info here about TPWD’s Wildlife Diversity Webinar Series.

[This is not a NPSOT event.]

[Post updated 12/12, 7:16am, new link for registration.]