Diario del proyecto Flora and Fauna of Ellis and Navarro counties, Texas

31 de julio de 2020

Fall Socially Distant BioBlitz

With thanks to Sam for coming up with this idea and allowing me to share with you

Posted from Fall Socially Distant BioBlitz - DFW Master Naturalist Chapters's Journal DFW competition -- what part of the metroplex has the most?!? September 6 - 12! https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/38940-dfw-competition-what-part-of-the-metroplex-has-the-most-september-6-12#activity_comment_5148076

"DFW competition -- what part of the metroplex has the most?!? September 6 - 12!
Like many of you, I've missed out on doing some public bioblitzes all this year. It is what it is. Nonetheless, nature's still out there, just waiting for us to appreciate it and document it. I hope you all have taken some time to escape outside to look for bugs and birds and whatnot.

Well, in the meantime, let's have a little fun competition! This is sorta like a local scale city nature challenge -- only just in the DFW area! What area of DFW can document the most species, make the most observations, and have the most engagement?!?

First of all, you don't have to be a master naturalist to participate! You don't have to join any projects. This umbrella project is composed of the 6 master naturalist chapter areas. Observations made in these areas are automatically added to both that project and this umbrella project. Again, you don't have to be a master naturalist to participate, but if you are a master naturalist, hopefully you can get some volunteer service time for your participation.

So, observations of wild organisms made between September 6 and 12th will count. At the end of this time, I'll put together a little report and will highlight some of the cool finds. Also, each day there will be a "daily challenge" -- I've got a list of 7 things to look for, and you get extra respect points for documenting the daily challenge organism/interaction. :) Respect points are worth their weight in gold!

Hope you will participate! And which area do you think would have the most observations/species/participants?!? :)

Posted by sambiology sambiology, July 31, 2020 12:59 PM"

Publicado el julio 31, 2020 11:55 TARDE por cgritz cgritz | 1 comentario | Deja un comentario

16 de marzo de 2020

March 23 meeting/program has been CANCELED

Our Board of Directors for the ITMN chapter have decided to cancel the meeting that was scheduled for Monday, March 24, 2020 at the Tabernacle Baptist church in Ennis, Tx.

The State Master Naturalist organization requested no gatherings through March 20, 2020. Then today the President of the USA has requested no gatherings of more than 10 people.

CANCELED
Wild Orchids of Texas
Indian Trail Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist

Monday – March 23, 2020
· Location: TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH
2200 Country Club Rd., Ennis TX 75119

Publicado el marzo 16, 2020 09:09 TARDE por cgritz cgritz | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

26 de febrero de 2020

Wild Orchids of Texas Program has been CANCELED

Indian Trail Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist

Monday – March 23, 2020 PLEASE NOTE LOCATION FOR THIS PROGRAM ONLY
· Location: TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH

2200 Country Club Rd., Ennis TX 75119

7:00 PM - Wild Orchids of Texas
Program presented by Stephanie Varnum, Texas Master Naturalist

Fifty-four species of wild orchids grow in Texas and they are found in all ten of the natural regions of the state. They range from moderately common to extremely rare and critically endangered. This talk will give an overview of the orchids of Texas and will highlight the seven non-photosynthetic, myco-heterotrophic orchids of the Hexalectris genus. Many of these species are endangered by human developments are not amenable to propagation so the only way to ensure their future is to protect their habitats.

Stephanie Varnum is a native of western Pennsylvania who has spent her adult years in Texas. She and her family have loved being out in nature to observe and care for it. Being out in the woods and prairies, bird watching, and gardening are her favorite pass-times. She enjoys sharing her love of nature with her adult children and six grandchildren and her friends. She has been a Texas Master Naturalist since 2002 and has volunteered in a Citizens Science Project, an annual botanical survey of native, non-photosynthetic orchids in Texas for 16 years.

Indian Trail Chapter is part of the statewide Texas Master Naturalist Volunteer Program of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The Mission: to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.

This program is part of a series of “no cost - open to the public” Master Naturalist programs offered the fourth Monday (generally) of each month, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please bring a friend! For more information, please call the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at 972-825-5175 or email: information@itmnc.com

Publicado el febrero 26, 2020 10:10 TARDE por cgritz cgritz | 1 comentario | Deja un comentario

09 de febrero de 2020

Western Navarro County Bobwhite Restoration Initiative

Monday – February 24, 2020

Location: First United Methodist Church
505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie, TX
Family Life Center - Gathering Room

7:00 PM - Program presented by Jay Whiteside, TPWD Technical Guidance Biologist

Western Navarro County Bobwhite Restoration Initiative

Texas contains more than 141 million ac. of private “working lands” which seems very large, but with the continued increase of the state’s population and expansion of urban areas, these lands have become divided into smaller and smaller units. In addition, approximately 2.2 million ac. of “working lands” were lost and converted to non-agricultural uses between 1997 and 2017. During this same period, Texas gained roughly 1000 new working farms annually, totaling over 240,000 new ownerships. With this dramatic increase in the numbers of new ownerships across the state, the average ownership size has decreased from 581 acres in 1997 to 509 acres in 2017. This decreasing trend in average ownership size is expected to continue as our population continues to grow. The challenge for wildlife conservationists is maintaining landscape level wildlife habitat integrity into the future by applying beneficial management practices on smaller and smaller tracts of land.

Since he was a young boy, Jay Whiteside has always been interested in learning about all wild things and being outdoors. That outdoor journey has led Jay down his pathway to promote conservation efforts, and towards his current profession as a Wildlife Biologist with TPWD. Jay graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry with a major in Forest Wildlife Management. Although Jay loves all aspects of his job, he is especially fond of working directly with landowners in delivering specific wildlife conservation projects such as native grassland restoration, prescribed burning, and brush management. One of Jay’s proudest achievements to date has been his close involvement with the Western Navarro Bobwhite Recovery Initiative (WNBRI).

Indian Trail Chapter is part of the statewide Texas Master Naturalist Volunteer Program of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The Mission: to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.

This program is part of a series of “no cost - open to the public” Master Naturalist programs offered the fourth Monday (generally) of each month, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please bring a friend! For more information, please call the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at 972-825-5175 or email: information@itmnc.com

Publicado el febrero 9, 2020 07:06 TARDE por cgritz cgritz | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

04 de enero de 2020

TxDOT’s Role in Historic Preservation

Indian Trail Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist

Monday – January 27, 2020

Location: First United Methodist Church
505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie, TX
Family Life Center - Gathering Room

· 6:00 PM - Business Meeting
· 7:00 PM - Program presented by J. Kevin Hanselka – TxDOT Archeologist

TxDOT’s Role in Historic Preservation

Texas has a rich history of human occupation that extends back more than 13,000 years. Archeological sites are abundant throughout the State, and chances are that highway projects will occasionally encounter and potentially impact them. Archeologists at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) follow Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and the Antiquities Code of Texas to identify, evaluate, and develop preservation solutions for sites that may be impacted by highway projects.

Kevin Hanselka will present on the role of TxDOT in historic preservation, including some interesting recent projects as examples. He will also introduce several research initiatives designed to contribute to the greater field of Texas archeology, including his own work exploring the potential for archeological mesquite wood charcoal to aid in reconstructing ancient rainfall patterns.

Kevin Hanselka is an archaeologist, consulting archaeobotanist, and independent researcher with more than 20 years’ experience in both academia and CRM. He holds a Master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a Ph.D. in the same from Washington University in Saint Louis.

Indian Trail Chapter is part of the statewide Texas Master Naturalist Volunteer Program of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The Mission: to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.

This program is part of a series of “no cost - open to the public” Master Naturalist programs offered the fourth Monday (generally) of each month, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please bring a friend! For more information, please call the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at 972-825-5175 or email: information@itmnc.com

Publicado el enero 4, 2020 06:11 TARDE por cgritz cgritz | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

01 de noviembre de 2019

Ecology in your Backyard: Bardwell Lake

Indian Trail Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist

Monday – November 18, 2019

Location: First United Methodist Church
505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie, TX
Family Life Center - Gathering Room

· 6:00 PM - Business Meeting

· 7:00 PM - Program presented by Stephanie Hebert - Natural Resources Specialist with the US Army Corps of Engineers at Bardwell Lake

Ecology in your Backyard: Bardwell Lake

Quite often in many suburban areas, our natural habitats and systems get lost in the hustle and bustle. Our plants go unnoticed, animals underappreciated, and the uniqueness of the natural history neglected and unexplored. Bardwell Lake is located in Ennis, TX and provides a refuge for many of the local flora and fauna of the area. Stephanie Hebert’s discussion aims to bring the natural landscape of Bardwell to light, and the possibilities it has moving into the future as a natural history hot spot in the suburban landscape.

Stephanie Hebert has been involved in the Natural Resources/ Conservation Ecology field since 2008. She is also a state-recognized member of the Mi’k maq nation, originating from Nova Scotia, Canada. Stephanie holds a Masters Degree in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology from New Mexico State University, and a Bachelors in the same from Northland College and is currently employed as a Natural Resources Specialist with the US Army Corps of Engineers at Bardwell Lake.

Indian Trail Chapter is part of the statewide Texas Master Naturalist Volunteer Program of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The Mission: to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.

This program is part of a series of “no cost - open to the public” Master Naturalist programs offered the fourth Monday (generally) of each month, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please bring a friend! For more information, please call the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at 972-825-5175 or email: information@itmnc.com

Publicado el noviembre 1, 2019 06:42 TARDE por cgritz cgritz | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

01 de octubre de 2019

The Beneficial Bat - Myth and Misinformation Busting!

Indian Trail Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist

Monday – October 28, 2019

Location: First United Methodist Church
505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie, TX
Family Life Center - Gathering Room
· 6:00 PM - Business Meeting
· 7:00 PM - Program presented by Rebecca Schumacher – Bat Rehabilitator and Texas Master Naturalist

The Beneficial Bat - Myth and Misinformation Busting!

Rebecca Schumacher, a certified Texas Master Naturalist - Indian Trail Chapter, has been a veterinary technician with experience in wildlife rehabilitation for over 30 years, and has been permitted as a bat rehabilitator for 9 years.

Seeing a lack of reliable and accessible information about the bats that occur in the North Texas area, Rebecca developed educational programs with the goal of empowering individuals to become “Bat Advocates” in their sphere of influence, and has delivered customized talks to hundreds of members of the public from kindergarten to senior citizens, including a two hour session at the Master Naturalist State Conference in 2015.

Rebecca’s discussion will include a brief introduction to the anatomy and taxonomy of bats; the beneficial role of bats globally, and why they are at risk; the common species found locally, and their habitats; and what to do in case of a close encounter with a bat.

Indian Trail Chapter is part of the statewide Texas Master Naturalist Volunteer Program of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The Mission: to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.

This program is part of a series of “no cost - open to the public” Master Naturalist programs offered the fourth Monday (generally) of each month, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please bring a friend! For more information, please call the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at 972-825-5175 or email: information@itmnc.com

Publicado el octubre 1, 2019 04:02 TARDE por cgritz cgritz | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

10 de septiembre de 2019

Native Grasses, the Foundation of Prairie Ecology & Restoration

Indian Trail Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist

Monday – September 23, 2019

Location: First United Methodist Church
505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie, TX
Family Life Center - Gathering Room
· 6:00 PM - Business Meeting
· 7:00 PM - Program presented by John Snowden – The Texas Grassman

Native Grasses, the Foundation of Prairie Ecology & Restoration

John Snowden, the Texas Grassman, will provide a discussion on the importance of our Texas native grasses. John is aggressively involved in public education and currently intensely active in volunteer prairie restorations across the metroplex, winter transplants, seeds, educational demonstrations & pollinators projects. Each outing in nature with friends and family brings new details which John uses in his endeavors. John’s message is Go, See, Enjoy, Learn!

John was raised in rural Tarrant County in what was to become heavily developed south Arlington, and earned a BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and then his MS in Horticulture, all at Texas A&M. John learned about native plant nurseries and landscaping in Texas. Noticing the absence of native grasses, John started his own nursery - BLUESTEM NURSERY. Plantings of native and adapted grasses are growing in frequency around the state. John’s efforts to restore the natural community continue with donations of seeds, time, and live transplants. Those efforts will continue into the foreseeable future.

Indian Trail Chapter is part of the statewide Texas Master Naturalist Volunteer Program of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The Mission: to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.

This program is part of a series of “no cost - open to the public” Master Naturalist programs offered the fourth Monday (generally) of each month, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please bring a friend! For more information, please call the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at 972-825-5175 or email: information@itmnc.com

Publicado el septiembre 10, 2019 11:56 MAÑANA por cgritz cgritz | 1 comentario | Deja un comentario

29 de julio de 2019

NATIVE BEES FOR YOUR LANDSCAPE Monday – August 26, 2019

Indian Trail Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist

Monday – August 26, 2019

Location: First United Methodist Church
505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie, TX
Family Life Center - Gathering Room

· 6:00 PM - Business Meeting

· 7:00 PM - Program presented by Carol Clark – Texas Master Naturalist

Native Bees for Your Landscape

Less well known than European Honeybees, Texas’ native bees are nevertheless vital components of a healthy environment, and can provide a new dimension of enjoyment in your home garden or on your acreage. Carol Clark’s program will cover basic information on the current challenges all bee species are facing, why they are important to all of us, facts about gentle solitary native bees and their lifestyles, and photo examples of the many beautiful forms and colors of native bees. The program will include tips on what to plant and provide to attract native bees to your home landscape, and basic identification hints. Carol will discuss simple homemade native bee nest sites, with real examples and slides, and how to participate in nationwide citizen science tracking efforts.

Carol Clark is an amateur botany enthusiast, a Texas Master Naturalist, and longtime member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and is now a Conservation Specialist with Monarch Watch. She also co-administrates the Texas Native Bee Co-op Facebook page. She and her husband own and operate Clark Haven Farm, a wildlife preserve and custom wildflower seed business in Cooke County. Carol grew up with a nature photographer father and wildlife artist brother, and has spent much of her life looking around in the great outdoors. Her favorite things to do are leading discovery walks in local natural areas, and finding and photographing interesting plants and insects."

Indian Trail Chapter is part of the statewide Texas Master Naturalist Volunteer Program of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The Mission: to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.

This program is part of a series of “no cost - open to the public” Master Naturalist programs offered the fourth Monday (generally) of each month, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please bring a friend! For more information, please call the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at 972-825-5175 or email: information@itmnc.com

Publicado el julio 29, 2019 06:05 TARDE por cgritz cgritz | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

01 de julio de 2019

The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat… Bird Photography In The Field

Monday – July 22, 2019
Indian Trail Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist
Location: First United Methodist Church
505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie, TX
Family Life Center - Gathering Room
· 6:00 PM - Business Meeting

· 7:00 PM - Program presented by Sue Frary – Bird Photographer and Texas Master Naturalist

The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat… Bird Photography In The Field

Sue Frary will present a program for folk interested in Texas birds and photographing them as a means to understanding bird identification, ecology, and conservation. Dr. Frary will cover the ethics of bird photography as well as camera basics, with setup suggestions for backyards, car blinds, and open field photography. Program attendees are guaranteed a digital Painted Bunting and an Elf Owl, among others including bats in perilous circumstances!

Sue is a member of Indian Trail Chapter - Texas Master Naturalist (class of 2016). She holds a bachelor’s degree from Bennington College and a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Vermont. She first developed a love of photography and a passion for conservation from Eliot Porter’s photographs of the California redwoods. Her photographic interests range from flowers, to desert and mountain landscapes, and to birds of all sorts.

Indian Trail Chapter is part of the statewide Texas Master Naturalist Volunteer Program of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
The Mission: to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.
This program is part of a series of “no cost - open to the public” Master Naturalist programs offered the fourth Monday (generally) of each month, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please bring a friend! For more information, please call the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at 972-825-5175 or email: information@itmnc.com

Publicado el julio 1, 2019 02:32 TARDE por cgritz cgritz | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario