Volunteers needed to help maintain trails at Clear Creek. This will include hiking, pruning and picking up trash. Volunteers will be lead by staff members at Clear Creek. We recommend volunteers wear pants and closed toed shoes. Registration requested.

Learn about the Texas Master Naturalist program. The North Texas Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program is accepting applications for its 2019 class. Master Naturalist Trainees receive in-depth education in wildlife and natural resource management, customized to focus on our local ecosystems. In return, Master Naturalists provide volunteer service in the form of community education, conservation, citizen science, and demonstration projects, while pursuing advanced training in areas of their special interests.

The Guardians is 56-minute documentary that provides insight into the fight to protect monarch butterflies and their Mexico homeland.

Screenings at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Speaker: Chester McConnell, President of the Friends of the Wild Whoopers

The Friends of the Wild Whoopers is a private, non-profit group with a mission to assist in the protection and management of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population of wild whooping cranes. They prepare management plans for these areas to protect, improve and develop “stopover habitats” for migration.

This workshop provides an introduction to the world of grasses found in the prairies, savannas, and woodlands of North Texas. The focus will be on field identification of grasses by their distinguishing physical characteristics. It will include an overview of basic terminology related to the parts of the grass plant, a brief discussion of taxonomic classification, discussion of the significance of various grass species, their potential values, and the ecosystem services they provide. 

$25.

Learn about the importance of our endangered Blackland Prairie. How did it help settlers? Why do we need this grassland?

• Tours of the restored prairie, pavilions focused on how the prairie helps us, animals that need it, and cool stuff you can do with plants!

• Meet education raptors up-close and take a guided hike through Blackland Prairie. Raptor program at 10am, guided prairie hike at 11am.

• Touch wings and talons, see how important they are to birds of prey.

• Kids activities!

$5 adults, $3 age 5 - 16 and under 3 free

"A Cradle Of Turtle Diversity And Lair Of Lurking Leviathans" by herpetologist and author Carl Franklin, who will share his extensive knowledge of testudines. 

Free. All welcome.

Presenter: Glenn Merkord, Vice President and Senior Biologist of Bluestem Environmental Consultants

Glenn Merkord, will teach how to identify 10-15 of the most common prairie grasses. He will discuss how these grasses fit into the prairie system and why we should value grasses as much as wildflowers - seeing how they are the backbone of a prairie. The prairie community includes many different grass species co-existing in a complex ecosystem.

Please bring your favorite work gloves, shovel, litter picker upper, or gardening tools.

Wear appropriate clothing for the weather and for working in a natural area (long pants, long sleeves, sturdy shoes, hat).

Water and snacks will be available.

O.S. Gray Natural Area has no restroom facilities, but Kroger is nearby.

Info: friendsofosgray@gmail.com

The purpose of the Native Plant Society of Texas is to promote the conservation, research and utilization of native plants and plant habitats of Texas through education, outreach and example. As such, the Dallas chapter implemented a native garden grant program. A few of these grant recipients will be at the meeting to show their gardens, their purpose what they've accomplished and their future plans. Please join us in congratulating the hardworking efforts of these native plant advocates:  Tenison Park Pollinator Garden, Big Bear Native American Museum, Dallas County Master Gardener's Rain

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