Tag: invasive plants

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Join the Big Pull… locally in Round Rock!

[3/4: post updated due to event reschedule]

This event has been rescheduled to March 21. See details about the reschedule in the announcement at this link.

National Invasive Species Week is February 23-March 8. Team up with Good Water Master Naturalists for the Big Pull in Round Rock on March 7 March 21.

Info from GWMN:

The Good Water Master Naturalists are supporting the Native Plant Society of Texas by joining them for The Big Pull! Let’s make an impact during National Invasive Species Week by removing invasive species and supporting healthy native ecosystems at the park by our iconic Round Rock on Saturday, March 7, March 21 9am-12pm.

Williamson County Conservation Foundation is taking care of sign up since it’s part of their responsibility so we’ll be signing up on their website. If you’re new to volunteering with them, every participant will need to sign the WCCF waiver before participating. (It is good for the rest of the calendar year in case you want to volunteer with WCCF again.) All are welcome, bring friends and family members if they want to join in on the fun.

All the details

If you have any questions, send an email to wilco-chapter@npsot.org and we’ll put you in touch with chapter member (and master naturalist) Michelle Goerdel.

Read NPSOT’s announcement about the Big Pull and invasive species.

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Volunteer for… Invasive Plant Removal!

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Looking for some outdoor exercise?  Volunteer to join Charles Newsom tackling invasive plant removal.  To contact Charles, complete the form at this link.   NPSOT members and non-members are welcome.

Working as a volunteer, chapter member Charles Newsom leads projects in local parks, preserves and recreation areas that help land managers deal with invasive plants by figuring out what can be done and then leading teams to do it.  If you’ve ever been to Berry Springs Park and Preserve in Georgetown, or Miller Springs Nature Center in Belton, you’ve enjoyed a couple of examples among the public spaces that benefit from Charles’ volunteerism.

Current and upcoming project locations include preserves owned by the Texas Land Conservancy (2.4 acre Berry Creek Preserve and 6 acre preserve along the San Gabriel River), Georgetown’s Garey Park, and Williamson County’s Berry Springs Park & Preserve.

The project at Berry Creek Preserve, owned by the Texas Land Conservancy (TLC), can use volunteers now.   TLC’s Berry Creek Preserve is in Georgetown just off Shell Spur Road.

Mindful of safety concerns for social distancing, Charles says any number of volunteers from 1 to 6 would be safe working at Berry Creek Preserve.  The work site is adjacent to the parking area so it’s a short walk and easy for you to stop at any time.  You will need to complete a TLC release form in advance.

If you need tools, Charles can provide 4 pairs of loppers and 2 hand saws.  You need gloves and closed toe shoes.  Long pants are best.  Tights should be avoided as there are scratchy branches everywhere.  Everyone should bring their own water, and bring a hat since not all work is in the shade.

Charles described the project:

“It is an area of 2.4 acres and is adjacent to Berry Creek. It is forested and rocky in spots.  It is also fairly pristine.  I have already removed about 70% of the invasives and will finish the rest (the largest trees) when it is cooler.

It has a significant number of downed Ashe junipers that make exploring the area difficult as well as creating eyesores.  Volunteers could saw off and/or lopper off the many small limbs on each tree and I could cut up the trunks.  We could make a nice pile of cut pieces and then all of it could then be used for firewood or for woodworking.

The trees are not very large so we don’t have that to deal with.  They are also well-separated so one person per tree at any given time would nicely space out the work.   It is probably less than a dozen trees but it would open up the area quite nicely.

The last step would be in putting in a trail.  The trail-making consists of minor brush clearing (easy) using hand clippers or loppers and removing any trip hazards such as small rocks. “

Charles also shared the following about this preserve: “There is little poison ivy (I have not seen any yet) to worry about.”   That’s welcome news!

Contact Charles (contact link at the top of this article) for more information about any of his projects.

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Program Summary for Oct 10, “Unnatural Texas”

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Unnatural Texas

— by Nancy Pumphrey
Our program on October 10, 2019 was an engaging talk by Drs. Robin Doughty and Matt Warnock Turner, co-authors of the book Unnatural Texas? The Invasive Species Dilemma. They spoke of starlings, sparrows and their introduction into the United States. They then went on to pigs, feral felines and then to plants.  Of interest was the proliferation of water hyacinths, and how they are clogging up waterways around the world. An interesting unintended consequence is that they actually clean waterways by filtering heavy metals and contaminants when used with control.

We know about the Chinese tallow. But new to me is that the USDA actually encouraged plantings in the ‘60’s as an agricultural crop for oils, fuel and wax products like candles.

Salt cedars were introduced in Galveston to control erosion and make windbreaks, now crowding out salt marshes.

The new threat is the emerald ash borer which was noted in Michigan in 2000 and is now spreading across the US.

More info about Robin’s and Matt’s book can found be at Texas A&M University Press or on Amazon.  (Shopping at Amazon Smile? Designate the Native Plant Society of Texas as your nonprofit charitable organization of choice!)

You can see the October 10, 2019 business presentation slides here.

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