Conservation

Cathy Downs of Monarch Watch will present: Monarchs as a Model for Change. For thousands of years, Monarchs and other butterflies have been a symbol of spiritual transformation. In more recent times they have become the icon for physical transformation of the landscape. The Monarch decline amplified a host of much larger issues and has become a symbol of multinational cooperation in restoring and conserving native plant habitat for all pollinators.

Bruce Benz, professor at Texas Wesleyan University, and John Tandy, local prairie activist, will present a BioBlitz Double Feature combining nature, technology and citizen science. The presentation begins with the showing of a 20-minute video titled “2016 BioBlitz: The Tandy Hills Story,” followed by a discussion about the ongoing iNaturalist project for Tandy Hills Natural Area and the underlying science and conservation concepts behind it.

An evening of dinner, dancing and fun at Bedside Manor in Montgomery Farm to celebrate Texas open space and support the organization’s conservation efforts and programs to restore critical habitats for Monarchs, bees and other pollinators. Benefits the Connemara Conservancy, which currently protects more than 6,000 acres of open space throughout North Texas. $100.

This is our first official full-scale prairie assessment project! This will tie together the previous workshop & field training.

There is a groundswell developing in Tarrant County among public and private property owners and managers to identify, conserve and in many cases restore native prairie remnants for a variety of reasons. What motivates people to learn about and save their local natural heritage? And how can folks connect to other like-minded conservationists? To explore answers to these questions and to facilitate networking we have put together a panel of local prairie owners/managers for our April meeting. Currently scheduled to serve as panelists are:

Bring spades, hoes, loppers and other gardening tools as we work the prairie at Boy Scout Hill at White Rock Lake. Dress for field work: sturdy comfortable shoes, jeans or shorts and t-shirt, hat and sunglasses, plus sunscreen and bug spray. We'll be under the naturalist guidance of Brett Johnson, city of Dallas Parks and Recreation. He asks that you bring a smart phone with the free iNaturalist app already loaded.

Info: Leigh Ann Ellis, laellis55@aol.com or 214-321-7159

Taxonomists with the help of volunteers will document all living species - plants, animals and insects - seen on the 2,600-acre natural area using the iNaturalist app over the course of the day. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Scott Keister at skiester2@gmail.com

READ THE GREENSOURCEDFW.ORG ARTICLE

Presentation by Roger Sanderson, director of horticulture at the Texas Discovery Gardens, naturalist, and owner, Prestige Environments, garden/nature writer. Roger's program will be Gardening for Butterflies.  Social time 2:30 p.m. Meeting at 3 p.m.

Ricky Linex, author of Range Plants of North Central Texas, will present a program on plant identification will provide a basic understanding of plant ecology and a framework for determining the identity of plants.

Info: Dr. Cathy Lustgarten, drgoodrad@gmail.com or  940-271-0409

Clean up of the Paluxy River that runs through the park. Bring your family and friends! Pick up some trash, see a really cool State Park and join us after for some food and laughs.

Info: Stephen Riella, Board Chair, Cleaner Parks at cleanerparks@yahoo.com.