Newsletter 2020 August
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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS N e w s Native Plant Society of Texas, North Central Chapter P Newsletter Vol 32, Number 58 S August 2020 O ncc npsot newsletter logo newsletter ncc npsot © 2018 Troy & Martha Mullens & Martha © 2018 Troy Purple Coneflower — Echinacea sp. T August Meeting August Meeting: p. 20 "Kim Conrow's Gardens" See Page 20 Virtual Presentation by Kim Conrow Virtual Meeting Chapter of the Year (2016/17) Chapter Newsletter of the Year (2019/20) Visit us at ncnpsot.org & www.txnativeplants.org Index President's Corner by Gordon Scruggs ..................... p. 3f Chapter Leaders A Walk in the Forest President — Gordon Scruggs A Book Review by Martha Mullens .............. p. 5f [email protected] Flower of the Month, Woolly passionflower by Josephine Keeney ........................................ p. 7f Past President — Karen Harden Activities & Volunteering for June 2020 Vice President & Programs — by Martha Mullens ....................................... p. 9f Morgan Chivers Bluebells by Erika Choffel ........................................... p. 11ff Recording Secretary — Debbie Stilson Button Bush, NICE! Plant of the Season (Summer) Treasurer — Vanessa Wojtas by Dr. Becca Dickstein .................................... p. 14 Hospitality Chair — Corinna Benson, Answer to last month’s puzzle and a new puzzle ...... p. 15 “August Calendar” Page by Troy Mullens ................. p. 16 Traci Middleton Portulaca by Martha Mullens ..................................... p. 17ff Membership Chair — Beth Barber August Virtual Presentation by Kim Conrow .......... p. 20 Events Chair — Chairperson needed Braiding Sweetgrass by Martha Mullens ................... p. 21f NICE! Coordinator — Shelly Borders August Membership Report by Beth Barber ............ p. 23 Plant Sales Coordinators - Gordon Scruggs Hospitality by Corinna Benson .................................. p. 23 & Sandy Fountain & Josephine Keeney Now, J. Mullens & E. Mullens ..................................... p. 23 Education/Outreach Chair — Open Photos I like, Texas Wildflowers, Leo Meier & Jan Reid Webmaster — Frank Keeney Ongoing series by Troy Mullens ................... p. 24ff Field Trips — Eric Johnson NCC Demonstration Gardens by Josephine Keeney ....................................... p. 31ff Speaker’s Bureau — Theresa Thomas Cicada Killer by Sandy Fountain ............................... p. 34 Donations/Grants Chair — Open Lady Bird's Centaury by Martha Mullens ................ p. 35f Parliamentarian — Martha Mullens White Prairie Rose by Martha Mullens .................... p. 37 Facebook Manager — Open Parting Shots, News & Views by the Editors ........... p. 38 Newsletter Editor — Troy Mullens Volunteer Position Opportunites: Must read ........... p. 38 [email protected] State Fall Symposium (Cancelled) ........................... p. 38 Farmers Calendar by Troy Mullens ........................... p. 39 Assistant Newsletter Editor — Oct. Meeting, Virtual Plant Show & Tell .................. p. 40 Martha Mullens Tandy Hills by Don Young ......................................... p. 40 Southwest Subcourthouse Garden Leaders Recommended Plants List (Complete) ..................... p. 41f Gailon Hardin & Dawn Hancock Pollinator Pledge by the Xerces Society .................... p. 43 Native Plant Gardens at the Southwest Half-Earth Pledge by E.O. Wilson ............................. p. 43 Regional Library Leaders — This Year's Programs by Morgan Chivers ................. p. 44 Theresa Thomas & Char McMorrow Join NPSOT, Mission Statement, May Meeting ........ p. 45 Newsletter Submission Requirements ...................... p. 45 Molly Hollar Wildscape Garden Leader — Ann Knudsen Fielder House Garden Leaders — Josephine Keeney & Jane Osterhuis O.S. Gray Natural Area — Questions, Josephine Keeney White Settlement Waystation — Comments ? Merita Knapp & Sandy Fountain Publicity Chair — Chairperson needed Use this link below ! & Martha Mullens Troy ©2017 NLCP Classes Coordinator — Open [email protected] The President’s Corner - August 2020 - by Gordon Scruggs I hope you and your families are doing well. We Tallamy starts by pointing out that only 5% of just came out of quarantine for the third time in the land in the lower 48 states is near pristine. three months. Living through this pandemic has The other 95% ‘has been logged, tilled, drained, been much more trying than I ever imagined. grazed, paved, or otherwise developed.” We are Normally I am not one to worry, but I have no- “destroying the biosphere to expand the human ticed a higher level of concern for the health of footprint.” America has made strides to mitigate others, particularly our sons, their wives and our this destruction by starting the National Park grandchildren. We also miss not being able to Service in 1872 and with enactment of the En- spend time with our friends. I do believe America dangered Species Act in 1966. Although these will be stronger once we pull through this pan- programs have set aside habitat and provided demic. protections for plants and animals, they have failed to stem the loss of species. The North Central Chapter needs a few good people who are responsible and can dedicate The shortcoming of these programs is the result- some time to be a leader. We have positions open ing limited habitat that is not large enough nor for Chairpersons on the following committees: connected so as to act as biological corridors. Tal- Events, Field Trips, Donations and Grants, Ed- lamy states “…habitat - places that provide both ucation / Outreach, and Publicity. We also need food and shelter for plants and animals – is so volunteers to help with the website and Facebook. fragmented, and those fragments are so isolat- No experience necessary, the current chairperson ed from one another, that they are hemorrhag- will train you. Please contact me if you have an ing species at an alarming rate.” He notes that interest in working with us to keep our Chapter 83% of the land in the lower 48 states is private- the best in Texas. ly owned, so any strategy to address the habitat problem must consider the use of private land in Several months ago I discussed how I considered the solution. Tallamy suggests that we reduce the my backyard my micro-ecosystem that is an en- lawn in our yards and replace it with gardens of vironment where native plants and animals inter- native forbs and shrubs so the collective effect of act and thrive together. I read a great book that our gardens will be to act as biological corridors reinforces this idea by proposing a nationwide connecting our parks and open spaces. conservation program that encourages everyone to develop a micro-ecosystem in their yard. The Tallamy stresses the need for native plants in our cumulative effect of these individual ecosystems gardens to “restore insects, the little things that will be a “homegrown national park” that will pro- run the world.” He points out that 90% of the in- vide the needed connectivity to make our current sects that eat plants have evolutionary histories park system more effective at saving native spe- that restrict their development and reproduction cies. The book is Nature’s Best Hope , a New York to the plant lineages on which they have special- Times bestseller, by Douglas W. Tallamy. This is ized. Just like Monarch butterflies must have milk- the first of Tallamy’s books I have read. According weeds to reproduce, nine out of ten insects must to the famous biologist Edward O. Wilson, “Tal- have specific plants to reproduce. Ninety-six per- lamy is one of the most original and persuasive cent of the native terrestrial birds of North Amer- present-day authors in conservation.” ica raise their young on insects. Continued on Page 4 August 2020 NPSOT News North Central Chapter Page 3 The President’s Corner - August 2020 - by Gordon Scruggs Continued from Page 3 Considering that Carolina chickadees bring from What can each of us do to participate in Tallamy’s 6,000 to 9,000 insects to their young from a two Homegrown National Park? Shrink our lawn by acre area around the nest during a normal nest- replacing some of the non-native grasses with ing period, many hundreds of thousands of in- native forbs, bushes, and trees. It is okay to have sects are needed just to support a small local bird some non-native plants, but remove invasive spe- community. Tallamy suggests that we direct our cies. Plant keystone genera of native plants that planting to support specialist insects, because research has shown to be the backbones of local the generalist insects will follow. The example he ecosystems, such as native oaks, cherries, wil- provides is goldenrod in the Mid-Atlantic region. lows, birches, cottonwoods, and elms with asters Fifteen species of bees rear their young on only and sunflowers. Be generous with your plantings the pollen from goldenrod, but eleven other gen- and provide diversity. Plant for specialist pollina- eralist species use asters (which includes golden- tors and the generalists will come. Network with rod). So by cultivating goldenrod in the garden it neighbors, team with likeminded neighbors to will help sustain 26 species of bees. Native plants focus on conservation goals, and educate your are the key to bring in many species of native in- neighborhood civic association. Do not use in- sects. When you plant non-native plants, you may secticides or fertilizers. see insects come to them for nectar, however, re- search has shown that native plants are needed I thought it was a great book