Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language
Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Search
Close this search box.

Lakes and Pines Chapter

Julie Mattox Puts Out Welcome Mat for Purple Martins in NWF Ranger Rick Magazine

William Ebel is helping to monitor a colony of purple martins on “landlord” Julie Mattox’s ranch. Julie’s ranch has several gourd racks. Altogether, they add up to 92 nesting gourds! And each gourd is checked every four days during the breeding season. Julie really appreciates the help from William and other kids in the area. And the kids are proud to play an important role in this huge “community science project.” 

You may be wondering, “What’s the big deal with these birds?” As with so many wildlife species, there are way fewer purple martins now than before. They need help! And they’re getting it, thanks to people like Julie Mattox and Joe Siegrist. Joe’s work allows him to share his love of martins with others. He teaches people how they, too, can help. He collects the information that Julie and other purple martin landlords send to him. And that helps him keep track of how the birds do during their breeding season. To help the population of purple martins Joe recommends planting native plants, using fewer chemicals, and putting up birdhouses. Watch the video here and visit purplemartin.org and click on the EDUCATION tab. If your school is in the right zone, offer to help host a new colony there. The martins—and Joe and Julie — will thank you!

Excerpt from National Wildlife Federation’s Ranger Rick Magazine NWF | Ranger Rick

Receive the latest native plant news

Subscribe To Our News

Subscribe to emails from the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Receive emails when new posts are added 4-6 times per month, or receive an email once a month.

Subscribe

Or join us on social media

Facebook Youtube Instagram Camera

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