Category: State NPSOT

Society news or activity

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Congratulations, Bob Kamper, on your winning photograph!

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Chapter member Bob Kamper’s photo won in the category for the Edwards Plateau ecoregion in this year’s NPSOT Photo Contest and also tied for Best in Show!   The Society announced contest winners on October 9 during the awards presentation at NPSOT’s Virtual Fall Symposium. Congratulations to Bob!

Describing his photo of Prairie Celestials, Nemastylis geminiflora, Bob says:

“The photo was taken in a protected nature preserve area in Southern Williamson County that is over a cavern which is habitat for an endangered species. Usually the bloom period for the Prairie Celestial ends around April 1st, but this year extended to April 18th. I walked out to look around, and this was one of many blooms open and bejeweled with drops from a light rain.”

Prairie Celestials, Nemastylis geminiflora
Prairie Celestials, Nemastylis geminiflora. Photo by Bob Kamper.

There was a lot of competition.  Click this link to see all 51 entries and 10 ecoregion winners.  Read about the photo contest rules here.

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Also during the October 9 awards presentation:

Pamela Parker Caird won the Best Video Contest. See this October 17 announcement and congrats post for details.

Randy Pensabene, NPSOT-Wilco Past President, was presented the Benny J. Simpson Fellows Award which the Society announced last month.  This award honors recipients for their service to the Society and “embodies grass roots recognition” of an awardee by their fellow NPSOT members.  See this September 9 announcement and congrats post for details.

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Field Trip Announcement: Sun Oct 10, 10:00am, Booty Road Park, Georgetown

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— by Gary Bowers

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View of San Gabriel River from Booty’s Rd Park. Photo by G. Bowers.

Open to the public, Fall 2021 Symposium Field Trip.  Location: 1631 Booty’s Park Road, Georgetown, TX 78628.  Join us for a hike as we conclude the Fall 2021 Symposium. This walk is open to the public (you do *not* have to be a NPSOT member nor a symposium attendee). Booty Road Park Trail is a 2.4 mile moderately trafficked “out and back” trail that offers scenic views and is good for all skill levels. The trail is a combination of paved and unpaved, some up and down elevations, parts densely shaded, with good bird watching opportunities including a vulture’s roost.

We expect to see Cedar elm, Ashe juniper, Live oak, Osage orange, Hackberry, Greenbriar, Boxelder and Mexican buckeye.  We will turn around at Weir dam, a sunny spot with Switch grass, Bushy bluestem and Dewberry.

Free entrance, lots of parking, restrooms available.  No RSVPs required! Masks are optional.

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Randy Pensabene receives Benny J. Simpson Fellows Award

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— by Beth Erwin
NPSOT has named Randy Pensabene as the recipient of the Benny J. Simpson Fellows Award for 2021. This award is presented by the Society to a member for work that enriches the Society at the state or chapter level. It  recognizes service to the Society and embodies “grass roots” recognition of an awardee by their fellow NPSOT members.

Randy has been a NPSOT member since 2006. She works tirelessly behind the scenes, organizing and improving our chapter projects. She faithfully records our successes and failures, giving us invaluable information to plan better projects with more effective outreach. She has developed our semi-annual plant sales into high volume educational outreach ventures. Randy has developed a strong core of volunteers eager to help with chapter projects. Volunteers know when they show up, the project will be well organized, and they will come away with a sense of accomplishment. She constantly seeks more ways to promote the use of Texas native plants. Randy’s contributions to our chapter have greatly enriched many of the ways that NPSOT-Wilco engages with the public.

Chapter member Sue Wiseman summarized the nomination perfectly.

“Randy is not self-promoting. She is that member that stands in the wings and makes things go smoothly. Something that is very hard to quantify. However, without her we would not have been able to do all the work we have accomplished over the past fifteen years. We are blessed to have someone like her in our organization.”

Congratulations, Randy, from all of us!

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