Gardens and Gardening

Apr 26 2023, JULIE THIBODEAUX

Dallas names city's first 'Greening Czar'

Dallas appoints Garrett Boone as the city’s first Greening Czar to transform vacant city-owned land into green spaces. Boone, a seasoned environmentalist, will lead this initiative, with an aim to create more parks and improve green space access for Dallas residents, enhancing neighborhoods across the city.

Apr 07 2023, MARSHALL HINSLEY

PepsiCo perfecting bio-based bags at North Texas facility

PepsiCo researchers in North Texas are using compost bins to test biodegradable food packaging, aiming to replace plastic waste. The facility accelerates innovation, striving for home compostability and marine degradability. Amid criticism of plastic pollution, PepsiCo seeks to lead with eco-friendly packaging by 2025.

Mar 10 2023, MICHAEL SMITH

Urban prairie burned again in Fort Worth — here’s why

A prescribed burn was conducted by a fire team at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas to maintain a 1.5-acre urban prairie. The burn, a crucial ecological tool, prevents shrub overgrowth and enriches soil. Experts and professionals attended a workshop to learn about fire's role in sustaining healthy prairies.

Nov 08 2022, JULIE THIBODEAUX

Leave the leaves! They're good for your yard and wildlife

Organic gardening and wildlife experts, like Howard Garrett and Texas A&M horticulturists, advise against bagging leaves, emphasizing benefits for landscapes and wildlife. Leaves enrich soil, reduce runoff, and save costs. They recommend mowing, mulching, and composting. Wildlife relies on leaf litter for habitat, and leaving leaves supports diverse ecosystems.

Mar 22 2022, BRANDI ADDISON

Corps preserves some of the last Fort Worth prairies

Rocky Creek Park, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, preserves one of the last Fort Worth prairies at Benbrook Lake. The updated master plan designates 1,100 acres as Environmentally Sensitive Areas, protecting significant landscapes and habitats. The park offers diverse wildlife, trails, and unique prairie ecosystems.

Mar 11 2022, MARSHALL HINSLEY

Botanists launch DNA 'moonshot'

Plant researchers are launching an effort to sequence the genome of every plant on Earth, comprising about 500,000 species. This Earth BioGenome Project aims to solve global challenges like food scarcity and climate change, with potential applications in agriculture, medicine, and ecology through plant-based solutions.

Mar 10 2022, BRANDI ADDISON

Butterflies settle in at new Fort Worth exhibit

The Fort Worth Botanic Garden's popular "Butterflies in the Garden" exhibit features around 2,500 butterflies from various continents, facing initial challenges due to weather delays. The six-week event, running through April 10, emphasizes conservation and marks a celebratory post-renovation reopening.

Mar 04 2022, AMY MARTIN

How North Texas natural areas are battling privet

March 4, 2022

To the untrained hiker, privet is a cheery sign of spring on the trail. But to those who care for our natural areas in DFW, it’s a formidable foe.

"There's a greenbelt in my town,” said naturalist and native plant expert Carol Clark. “The trail seems green, leafy and inviting at first, but as you walk in, you realize because the privet grows so densely that there is no place to put a foot down anywhere but on the path.”

And it's all surrounded by dead silence, says Clark.

Mar 04 2022, AMY MARTIN

Local success stories in the fight against privet

March 4, 2022

Privet continues to be a formidable foe for park managers and volunteers as Amy Martin chronicles in her in-depth feature story. But staff and volunteers at seven parks and preserves in North Texas are determined to thwart privet dominance and share their successes and unique challenges. Read their stories below:

Feb 11 2022, JULIE THIBODEAUX

Dallas Zoo animal waste to be recycled into retail compost

The Dallas Zoo has partnered with Silver Creek Materials to recycle animal manure into retail compost called Zoo Poo. This initiative supports sustainability goals, with a portion of sales funding wildlife conservation. Silver Creek, a seasoned recycler, handles the zoo's herbivore waste, sold in stores and the zoo's gift shop.