Highland Lakes Chapter

Chapter meeting May 20

Our next Highland Lakes Native Plant Society meeting is Saturday, May 20, 2023, 1:00-3:00 at the Marble Falls Library, 101 Main St.  

Meg Inglis, Executive Director, Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) will present Small scale land restoration, creating a biodiverse ecosystem – a case study.

This presentation qualifies for Master Naturalist and Master Gardener AT.

Meg will present a step by step review of the restoration project she personally conducted over two decades on her two acre plot. The result – a healthy biodiverse plant and wildlife ecosystem.

The presentation will follow a 30 minute chapter business meeting.  The presentation will be recorded for viewing on YouTube.  Inglis will cover these topics.

  • Benefits of land restoration of home lots and small acreage
  • Protecting your soil by reducing erosion and adding the right soil
  • The native plants to keep, what to add and the “invasives” to remove
  • Water and nutrient harvesting to support land improvement 
  • “Cedar” trees and mesquites, pros and cons, what to do with yours?

Meg Inglis is the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) Executive Director. Prior to that, she coordinated NPSOT’s Native Landscape Certification Program for 7 years. For many years she worked in the field of environmental health and safety for medical device manufacturing facilities. She has a Bachelor’s in Biology, and a Master’s in Public Administration.  Meg’s passion for native plants began in 2000 when she and her family built their home on a 2-acre parcel of land near Dripping Springs. Her knowledge of ecology and her decision to be solely dependent on a rainwater harvesting system drove their decision to restore their property with native plants.

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason