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Native Plant Society of Texas

Clear Lake Chapter

Chapter Meeting: Pollinators and Native Plants at Nature Discovery Center

Monday, March 11 • 6:15 p.m.
Hybrid Meeting

Please join us for our chapter meeting on Zoom!

6:15 Doors Open – UHCL Bayou Building, Room 2230
6:40 Zoom Opens
6:45 Business Meeting
6:55 Plant of the Month
7:00 Guest Speaker

Located in Russ Pitman Park in Bellaire, the Nature Discovery Center is dedicated to preserving a four-acre nature park and leading programs that ignite appreciation for nature among all ages. Eric Duran will discuss what the Center has done for pollinators, the native plants featured in the Native Pollinator Garden and the common (but possibly not well known) pollinators found there.

About the Speaker

With 19 years of dedicated service, Eric Duran serves as the Head Naturalist at the Nature Discovery Center. Over the past three decades, he has immersed himself in wildlife biology and nature education. Eric’s experience spans various fields, including ornithology, herpetology, entomology, grassland restoration, and ichthyology. His adventurous spirit has led him to guide in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, survey ducks on the Arctic Tundra, count frogs at Armand Bayou Nature Center, and conduct shark surveys in Florida Bay. Eric has a keen interest in amateur entomology, pollinators, and native plant wildscaping.

In-person – Parking Pass Required

Parking passes required. Martha Richeson will be passing out parking passes Monday evening. Watch for her bright blinking vest on the sidewalk between the Bayou Building and the Pay Station near the Recreation center. If you miss out on the NPSOT parking passes, you will need to buy a parking pass from the pay station. DO NOT park in faculty/staff parking.

The meeting will be held in Room 2230 of the Bayou Building at UHCL.

University of Houston-Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Blvd.
Houston, TX 77058

Map and directions to UHCL
Click to Register on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This is a FREE EVENT. Meetings are open to members and non-members. If you would like to become a member, you may join online. For more information about the Native Plant Society of Texas and the benefits of membership please visit: www.npsot.org.

Hosted by the Environmental Institute of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake.

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About the Region

New Braunfels, the location of our Fall 2024 Symposium, straddles both the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion and the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Interstate 35 divides the city of New Braunfels; its path through the city closely parallels the boundary of these two ecoregions, with the Edwards Plateau on the west side and the Blackland Prairies region to the east. 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 four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason