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Native Plant Society of Texas

Dallas Chapter

March 2021 Meeting – Ricky Linex with “Riparian Management, Why Creeks Act the Way they Do”

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Join us on Zoom for our March meeting on the 15th at 6:30 for social time, 7:00 for quick announcements, then our program.  This month we’ll have Ricky Linex with “Riparian Management, Why Creeks Act the Way they Do”.  Register in order to get the meeting link via https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqd–gpj8tGNVk0S_M7JgVyQ3dErFHDFJk

This presentation goes into the relationships of riparian areas to the uplands that provide water to the riparian areas and the importance of good land stewardship for the maintenance of healthy creeks and rivers.  I will show several native riparian plants and discuss a strength rating of each plant as well as its wetland indicator rating which shows how much wetness a plant can tolerate.  We will discuss what goes wrong when vegetation and landform cannot support the excessive amounts of water provided to the creeks, say from overgrazing or urban growth, and how erosion results.  We will show how creeks can be restored by removing the hindrances that created the problem.  This will take a full hour to give and I will provide a handout that list riparian plants of north central Texas including their strength rating and wetland indicator rating.

Ricky Linex was a wildlife biologist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Weatherford until his retirement in January.  He is the author of “Range Plants of North Central Texas, A Land User’s Guide to Their Identification, Value and Management” – a plant identification book for Texas detailing regional grasses, forbs, and woody plants – which was honored as an “Outstanding Publication” by the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society.  He is also a past president of our Cross Timbers Chapter in Weatherford and is a past member of our State Board.  He has made the study of plants his passion for the past 37 years. A genuine land steward who combines his knowledge of the land with an appreciation and respect for the land.

 

Handout: https://www.npsot.org/wp/dallas/files/2021/03/Riparian-Plants-of-North-Central-Texas-with-SR.pdf

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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