April's meetup will explore spring on the prairie. We have activities planned to shed some light on our local prairie partners and their Spring treasures. In particular, we will take a look at some of the grasses and wildflowers found on our April plant walks with Jeff Quayle. 

If you are unable to attend the plant walks, this will be a chance to see what you've missed.

Meet at 9am in the larger parking lot to the south of the main parking lot and Oakmont Blvd.

We will caravan from Oakmont to Ridglea Hills Park for the second half of the walk. The prairie is an exposed, chalky outcrop that faces West Vickery Boulevard.

Noon – 1:30pm

Ridglea Hills Park (City of Fort Worth)

4985 Stonedale Road

Fort Worth, TX 76116

We will visit a sandy prairie along a riparian area with rare plant species, such as Glen Rose Yucca (Yucca necopina), Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata) and Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum) and a limestone bluff prairie site overlooking the Clear Fork of the Trinity River, just below the Lake Benbrook dam. Notable species on the limestone bluff include Locoweed (Oxytropis lambertii), Early Flowering Gayfeather (Liatris aestivalis), Purple Paintbrush (Castilleja purpurea), Hall’s Dalea (Dalea hallii), Cutleaf Germander (Teucrium laciniatum), Edible Scurf Pea (Pediomelum hypogaeum) and Reverchon’s Scurfpea (Pediomelum reverchonii). 

Please wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat.

Held at the Grapevine Botanical Gardens, the event features green vendors, kid’s activities, along with an alternative transportation demo with EV cars and bicycles and a Recycle Rally, where people can bring e-waste from 9am-1pm. Free.

Adam Jonas Horowitz shot his first film in the Marshall Islands in 1986, and was shocked by what he found there in this former American military colony in middle of the Pacific Ocean. Radioactive coconuts, leaking nuclear waste repositories and densely populated slums were all the direct result of 67 Cold War U.S. nuclear bomb tests that vaporized islands and devastated entire populations. Twenty years later, Horowitz returned to these islands to make this award winning shocking political and cultural documentary. Audience discussion follows. Free. Info: JudAnnWat@sbcglobal.net. 

The city named Bluebird Capital of Texas celebrates the iconic bird with arts and crafts, pageant, carnival and bluebird tours in Van Zandt county, east of Dallas. 

The city hosts the family friendly celebration at the Government Center, 285 Uptown Boulevard. Event-goers can enjoy workshops, vendors, food and live music from Vocal Trash. Free trees will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
 

During the month of April, the bluebonnets are on display in Ennis and the city provides a map, showcasing the best viewing spots along 40 miles of driving trails.

In addition, the city puts on a weekend festival with arts and crafts, children’s activities, entertainment and bluebonnet souvenirs. 

The combination Arbor and Earth Day event features green vendors, tree and plant sales, gardening products, along with family friendly activities. 

The city of Plano hosts this eco event held at the Plano Centre, 2000 E Spring Creek Pkwy, featuring booths, kid’s activities and animal adoptions. 

Highlights include New York-based Bash the Trash, which builds, performs and educates with musical instruments made from reused and repurposed materials. Sign up for the instrument-building workshop.

This community-wide clean up and fair hosted by Keep Flower Mound Beautiful is held at the Flower Mound Home Depot, 852 Long Prairie Road. Be sure to stop by the Trinity Forks Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas plant sale from 10am-1pm, featuring hard-to-find native plants.

Residents can also drop off paper for shredding  and as well as housewares and electronics.