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FIELD NOTESMeetingNo December Meeting but we will be back on January 26th, 2011 with long-time CAMN friend Mike Quinn

Regular Monthly Meetings are normally the last Wednesday of each month (except December when we do not meet)and are held at 6:30, at the Austin Nature and Science Center, Zilker Park. All meetings are open to the public so bring a friend!

CAMN Board MeetingJoin the Board of Directors for a spirited discussion about CAMN business on January 6th, 2011. Contact any Board Member for more details and for the location of the meeting.

Volunteer and Advanced Training OpportunitiesVisit the CAMN website at www.camn.org and log in to the CAMN Volunteer Calendar to start fulfilling those volunteer hours.

Visit the CAMN yahoo group for On-line networking

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There is nothing in the New Testament to suggest that Jesus was born at this time of year, but early Christians thought it fitting to appropriate the date of the Roman festival of Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) and the Germanic Yule. Both festivals were dated astronomically at the Winter Solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere sun reaches its furthest point south and days are at their shortest before the sun begins its journey back towards spring. Since Christmas is also about a new beginning, this seemed the right time of year for it. Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, is similarly dated near the Winter Solstice on a lunar calendar. (In the same way, the date of Easter is linked to nature—the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox.)

All these celebrations are a reminder of how conscious our ancestors were of the interlocking circles of natural time: the daily round of the sun, the monthly cycle of the moon, and the regular march of the

seasons. Individuals come and go, even species come and go, yet the earth abides.

As we prepare for our own holiday celebrations, I hope that Master Naturalists can remain conscious of the link between every human community and the natural world that surrounds it. That applies to our families as well as our larger social and political communities. We are all interlinked, which is as much the message of Christmas and Hanukkah as it was of the ancient feasts of Yule and Sol Invictus.

As this year comes to an end, we can all take a rest and look back at our accomplishments. More importantly, we can look forward to a wonderful New Year in which CAMN and its members continue their mission of service to all these natural and human communities in which we take part. Have a glorious holiday!

! ! Christine Powell

From the President

Photo Credit: LBJWC. Ilex decidua, Possumhaw, Possumhaw Holly, Deciduous Holly, Winterberry, Deciduous yauponAquifoliaceae (Holly Family)

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From the EditorWe have had several recent articles recently on the

evils of double-dipping. However, I realized this month that there is one form of double-dipping that the Master Naturalist organization not only permits, but actively encourages! Quite a few of the articles in this issue are reports on conferences, symposia, and other educational events. The authors got Advanced Training hours by attending them, but then they got Volunteer hours by writing up a report on the event for the Field Notes. This is one way that CAMN can multiply the effects of its educational efforts. The authors didn’t just benefit personally from their course, but were able to share their learning with all of our readers. Go and do likewise!

As always, thanks to everyone who sends me items every month. For you newcomers, please send your comments and contributions to Christine Powell at xtinepowell@verizon.net.

Thanks you’all.

In This IssueFrom the President

Didn’t they do well?

Exciting New Project in Williamson County

First Frost

Field Trip — UT Plant Resources Center

Native Bees and Their Importance as Pollinators

2010 Service Austin Event at SCG

Texas Plant Conservation Conference

Fall Plant Survey at WilCo NW Park, Liberty Hill

NPSOT Symposium 2010

BRIT, Its Needs, and How We Can Help

Native Orchids — Do You Have Any?

Geology of South Central Texas

Seed Cleaning Dates for 2011

Every Heath Has a Home

Evergreen Sumac — Rhus virens

Scat and Frass

Announcements From Around the State

Officers and Committee Contacts

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From the Webmaster

As you have doubtless noticed, the issue of logging in to view the Members Area of the camn.org website, including the private calendar and the Weekly Readers, has not been entirely solved. We do have a temporary fix available, however.

If you are a CAMN member and are unable to view these materials, please contact Dale Rye at CAMNWebmaster@gmail.com. I can provide you with a substitute password that will let you get into the Members Area.

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Field Awards: Christine Powell

Didn’t They Do Well?

Several of our number are regular volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and on the evening of November 4th, 2010 they were acknowledged at the LBJWC awards ceremony. Stuart Bailey, Dale Rye and Jeri Porter (pictured right) were just a few of those present.

At our November monthly meeting, we were treated to a wonderful presentation by Kevin Thuesen from Water Quality Protection Lands on a cave he found recently when he was patrolling City of Austin properties. Many of us know Kevin from our training or when we volunteer with him for the City of Austin Wildlands. It was an excellent and very fun talk and just goes to show just what you might find when you are volunteering.

At last we have our very own CAMN T-shirts and our thanks go especially to Cheryl Goveia (left with her winning design) and Sandie Mayfield (right with her winning design). Thanks also to all who helped get them organized and made, in particular Linda Nowlin and Stuart Bailey. If you would like one, we will be selling them again at our Annual Awards Meeting on Sunday, February 6th, 2011. Mark those calendars.

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Field Special!: Christine Powell

Exciting New Project in Williamson County

Leave No Trace Train-the-Trainer ClassThursday, December 16, 2010, 7:00 – 9:00 PMWilliamson County Jester Annex, Harrell Conference Room1801 East Old Settlers Blvd, Round Rock

Leave No Trace (LNT, www.lnt.org) Trainers will receive two hours of introductory training in the skills, underlying ethics, and seven principles of LNT. LNT Trainers will be “deputized” to issue LNT passes on behalf of Williamson County (WilCo) and the Williamson County Conservation Foundation (WCCF, http://www.wilco.org/CountyDepartments/ConservationFund/tabid/518/Default.aspx) for Twin Springs Preserve and other WilCo preserves not normally open to the public.

In the future, those wishing to join a CAMN or NPSOT field trip to a normally-closed WilCo preserve must complete one hour of LNT training, and receive their LNT pass, prior to the field trip. Dates for NPSOT-led LNT training classes are still to be determined.

Contact Kathy McCormack (VEFL21 at yahoo dot com, 512-698-9880) to register for this LNT Train-the-Trainer class (20 people maximum).

Will You Help?

We have been invited to help in an exciting new project in Williamson County—really it’s not that far from Austin and it will count for Volunteer hours and Advanced training!First, let me give you a little background. The Williamson County Conservation Foundation (WCCF) was established in December 2002 to provide for conservation of endangered species in Williamson County while helping to promote responsible development. Williamson County has for several years been one of the fastest growing counties in the country. Rapid growth necessitates a regional approach to balancing development needs with the needs for conservation. With this in mind the WCCF has established several important cave preserves. Two preserves form natural areas within Williamson County’s Southwest Regional Park. A third preserve, Twin Springs, near Lake Georgetown, provides a habitat for the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the Georgetown Salamander, as well as two endangered cave species. Two preserves in the southern part of the county provide a karst habitat. A newly acquired preserve in northern Williamson County has endangered cave species and potential to become an endangered bird habitat.

The "Sneak Peekers:" Linda Goff, Sue Wiseman, Gary Boyd, and Kathy McCormack at the newest Williamson County Preserve, Twin Springs Preserve.

Clearly, some help is needed with the trails!

Work Day — Jan 8th, 2011Come and celebrate the New Year in a new preserve! Be one of the first groups to see this new area and help finish the last quarter of mile of trails. A very special work day has been set up just for us so lets make this a CAMN day out! Tools will be provided and don’t worry if you are like me and mean will but are not able to do as much as you would like as there is always things for all work levels and skills. Just come and join in the fun! Let me know if you can come and I will let you have full details just as soon as they have been finalized. Lets start the New year as we mean to go on—out in the open having fun! Contact Christine Powell.

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Field Prep: by Jim and Lynne Weber

First FrostAccompanying the crunching of fallen leaves

and the rattling of seed pods drying in the breeze is the arrival of the first frost. This marks the seasonal change from our relatively warm autumn to the cooler days of a mild central Texas winter. How does frost, this sparkling layer that sometimes covers the fall landscape, form?

When the temperature of the air reaches a point where the water vapor in it can condense out into water, it is called the dew point. The frost point is when the dew point falls below freezing, and rather than producing dew, it creates frost. Consisting of tiny, spike-like crystal structures called spicules that grow out from a solid surface, frost generally forms on surfaces that are colder than the surrounding air. Even the size of the crystals can vary, depending upon the amount of time they took to grow, the relative changes in temperature, and the amount of water vapor available.

Cold air is denser than warm air, so quite often lower areas become colder on calm nights due to differences in elevation. Known as surface temperature inversion, this phenomenon forms ‘frost pockets’ or areas where frost forms first, due to cold air trapped against the ground. It is here, in these areas, that you can find a rare and wonderful spectacle of nature called ‘frost flowers.’

While many plants can be damaged or killed by freezing temperatures or frost, this varies by the type of plant and tissue exposed to these conditions. In our area, there is a plant called frostweed (Verbesina virginica), which is commonly found in low-

lying areas near streams, creeks, canyon bottoms, and in dappled shade at woodland edges. Much of the year, frostweed goes unnoticed while it grows tall and leafy, the top of each stalk crowned by small white flowers in the fall. With the first frost, the water contained in each plant stem expands, causing the stems to crack. Via capillary action, more water is drawn through the cracks, freezes when it hits the cold air, and forms long curls of ice like petals of a flower. These delicate flowers of the frost are fleeting in nature, and can only be found in early morning, as the rising temperature melts them away.

Other plants have interesting seed-heads and seedpods at this time of year, providing for a way of self-propagating as well as a winter source of food for wildlife. Goldenrods, gayfeathers, purple coneflower, Maximillian sunflower, inland sea oats, and a few indigenous species of clematis are prime examples. Postpone cutting them to the ground until late winter, as each lends a helping hand to hungry critters and a distinct character to the landscape.

Our generally cool falls and temperate winters do not require most mammals to hibernate, but a few species of butterflies that emerge in the fall overwinter as adults. These butterflies have evolved to wait out the colder months in diapause, a physiological state of dormancy with unique triggering and releasing conditions. In the case of these butterflies, the first frost triggers their need to hide under tree bark or in a wood pile, venturing

Question mark butterfly. (Photo: © Derek Ramsey)

Frostweed with ‘frost flower.’ (Photo by Melody Lytle)

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out only occasionally to bask in the sun on a warm winter day or take nourishment by feeding on the sap of a nearby tree. The increasing warmth in early spring releases these insects, ready to mate.

The most common overwintering butterflies in our area are the question mark and the mourning cloak. Like other brushfoot butterflies in the anglewing family, the question mark looks quite different depending on whether its wings are open or closed. While the upperside of the wings are colorfully marked with oranges, browns, and pinks, the undersides are a mosaic of drab browns, and along with their jagged edges, provide the perfect camouflage by mimicking a dead leaf. Mourning cloaks, on the other hand, have a handsome purple-black upperside with a wide yellow outer margin with a row of iridescent blue spots on the inner edge of the border. Mourning cloaks prefer the sap of oak trees, and they are known for walking down a tree trunk to the sap and feeding head downward.

On the surface, fall may seem as if nature is shutting down for the winter, but take the time for a second look. The first frost of the season is just another part of the ongoing cycle of life and renewal for our native plants and animals.

Send your nature-related questions to naturewatch@austin.rr.com and we’ll do our best to answer them. If you enjoy reading these articles, look for our book, NatureWatch Austin, to be published by Texas A&M University Press in 2011.

Field Prep: by Jim and Lynne WeberFirst Frost

Mourning cloak butterfly. (Photo by Kymi)

UT Plant Resources CenterSaturday, January 22, 2011,Two sessions (1:00 – 2:45 PM and 3:00 – 4:45 PM)

All are welcome on our first field trip of 2011 to the University of Texas Plant Resources Center (http://www.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/) which has over one million pressed, dried, and preserved plant specimens, some over 150 years old. The Curator has offered to give us an introduction to the nature and organization of the collection, discuss its use and relevance, and show us some of its “jewels.” The format is very open to questions and discussion. Please plan on arriving by 12:45 PM for the first session or by 2:45 PM for the second session. Carpooling is strongly encouraged due to the expense of parking on campus. Reservations are required – please contact Kathy McCormack (VEFL21 at yahoo.com, (c) 698-9880) to register for this trip and provide your name, email address, phone number, and affiliation (e.g., CAMN, NPSOT, or Master Naturalist/Gardener chapter). Please also identify which session is your first choice and which session is your second choice so that we can accommodate everyone (if you can only make one of the sessions, please indicate this, as well). Parking directions will be provided one week before the field trip.

Image courtesy of http://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/specimens/img/txu-herb-00287394.JPG

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Field Talk: DALE RYE

Native Bees and Their Importance as PollinatorsOn Veteran’s Day, 2010, 67 people—including CAMNers from as far

away as South Austin—gathered at the November meeting of NPSOT–Williamson County to hear Kim Peoples Bacon give an entertaining and very informative talk on native bees. All of us are familiar with the European Honeybee, of course, and its Africanized hybrid, but there are actually around 20,000 bee species around the world, with 1000 of them found in Texas. Since our native plants co-evolved with these native bees, they often look to them as primary pollinators. Bees are generally vegetarians, looking to collect pollen, nectar, oil, and other plant materials. They pursue almost as many distinct strategies for doing this as there are species. The bees’ relatives, the wasps, are usually predators, often on bees. Generally speaking, with some exceptions, bees have hairy bodies, while wasps are smooth.

Kim became interested in native bees when she realized that they are substantially under-studied. There are probably only 25 people in the United States who could legitimately be called “bee experts,” and not a lot more than that worldwide. Interest has grown recently, however, since the colony collapse disorder affecting honeybees has led to increased interest in alternative pollinators for all the crops that rely on insect pollination. It should be noted that much of the U.S. alfalfa crop is already pollinated by alkali bees and most greenhouse tomatoes by bumblebees.

Honeybees are really the only species in North America that swarms. If you see a swarm of bees, don’t disturb it. Most people who have been attacked by Africanized bees have run over a hive with a mower or done something equivalently dangerous. Native bees sting rarely, and they do not

travel in large groups. Some 70% of Texas bee species are solitary, living by themselves and building breeding nests in the ground or in holes.A common pattern is for the female bee to drill a hole in the ground or in wood, line it with bee loaf (processed pollen and nectar), and lay eggs in it. The larval and pupal stages are spent underground, sustained by the bee loaf before the adults finally emerge full-grown. The male eggs were laid last, near the entrance, so they are the first out. That gives them time to stake out breeding territories before the females emerge. If you want native bees in your garden, you need to provide spaces of bare earth for them to tunnel. Ground that is covered with mulch or carpet grass will not serve. Providing bees with wood that has drilled holes can also help, but these should be replaced each year to control mite infestation.Kim certifies bee gardens, if you are interested in providing a Certified Bee Habitat. For the criteria, helpful advice, and a whole lot of additional interesting material, see Kim’s website at www.beewatchers.com. Contact her at beewatchers@mac.com

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Field Work: Jerry Mayfield and Sandie Mayfield

2010 Service Austin Event at SCGThe Rotary Club sponsored its annual Service Austin event on

November 19-21, an event that asks Austinites to give thanks for living in a great community by giving back. The event, held the weekend before Thanksgiving, uses projects submitted by various organizations to the Service Austin web site. Volunteers sign up for one that matches their interests, skills, and location. We submitted a project to build an entrance at the Slaughter Creek Greenbelt (SCG) and were lucky to have it approved as a Service Austin project. As the greenbelt is CAMN 2010’s class project, this event represented one of our final big events for the year.

Building the SCG entrance at Alsatia and Currin Lane first required finding best prices and places to acquire limestone rocks, mulch, soil, and crushed granite using the monies granted to the Friends of Slaughter Creek Greenbelt by the Austin Parks Foundation. Lucky for us, the Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) provided free mulch and hauled in crushed granite at a price that couldn’t be beat. Custom Stone Supply in south Austin gave us a price break for our limestone pallets and loose rock, and The Natural Gardener provided soil.

On the Saturday morning scheduled for our SCG project, a Rotary Club member arrived with hot coffee, juices, breakfast tacos, and chicken biscuits, as well as plenty of T-shirts for all volunteers. It was an impressive turnout. More than 25 volunteers from the homes and community surrounding the greenbelt, as well as 4 members of the CAMN 2010 Class, joined together to build this first entrance, complete with two flowerbeds, trail signage, and improved trail. Just as work began, the Austin Parks Department pulled in with a trailer full of wheelbarrows, rakes, and shovels—ending a shortage of tools and making our work so much easier.

Thirty-foot long flowerbeds made of limestone rocks stacked up quickly on either side of the entrance as two teams rapidly piled rocks, and hauled in soil and mulch. Meanwhile, another team of workers began the tough job of shoveling and hauling tons of crushed granite gravel, widening the trail to seven feet along 125 yards of its length.

Cynthia Mauk, another Class 2010 CAMNer, had painted the lettering on several signs the week before. Jerry and Walter Earnest tackled putting in one of the signs to identify the trail, and added an extra flowerbed around it using leftover rock. Then, adventurously, three CAMNers—Jerry, Walter and Jason Cox—tackled hauling materials into the interior of the greenbelt and installed a sign for Elm Waterhole.

While the event was planned to run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., due to the bounty of tools and materials on hand, and through the number of volunteers sharing the work, by noon we had a finished entrance with flowerbeds and finessed trail. What a tribute to teamwork and the power of volunteerism.

Our final project in recognition of this year’s Service Austin event was actually started several weekends before the event, and

Alsatia-Currin entrance prior to Service Austin event

Volunteers starting to haul granite gravel for the trail!

Flowerbeds taking shape—native plants to be added in the spring

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Field Work: Jerry Mayfield and Sandie Mayfield2010 Class Project Success

finished a weekend after. Jerry, with minor help from a few others, prepared a cement base one weekend for a park bench, built its stone supports on Austin Service weekend, and added the wooden seat a weekend later. Several other benches are planned in key spots around the greenbelt. This one sits facing a “granddaddy” oak, and makes a wonderful resting spot to watch those hill country sunsets or listen to birds in the morning.

This year, as the greenbelt has begun to be transformed by community volunteers and the work of CAMN Class 2010, people who have visited the greenbelt have taken notice and commented on the good work. Many have wanted to join us, some have asked how they can contribute, while others are happy to see that the greenbelt is being protected and cared for.

Our hopes are that the creation of our next entrance for SCG, planned for March 2011, is as inspiring and fun—Our thanks to all who gave materials, gave their time and labor, and who continue to give back to Austin.

Jerry and Walter digging holes for sign posts Walter, Jerry and Jason done for the day

Many of the volunteers—tired but proud of our work

First bench for the greenbelt

The finished entrance—three hours after we started

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Field Conference: Christine Powell

Texas Plant Conservation ConferenceIn mid September I had the privilege to

attend the 10th Texas Plant Conservation Conference at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center as our representative. This year’s three-day conference was wonderful. It could easily have been forced into two days but we would all have been stressed. This way gave the out-of-towners time to see the area and the commuters plenty of time to miss the traffic, which certainly added to the relaxed feel and the wonderful air of camaraderie. 

The conference started at noon on September 15, but I went down early to help Flo Oxley with registration. It was a real treat to meet the speakers and participants on a one-to-one basis before the event started. For me as a volunteer at the Wildflower Center, Master Naturalist, Master Gardener, and NPSOT member, this was in many respects a plant family reunion! After the welcome by Flo—where she thanked our chapter several times for its support—we quickly moved into the presentations. There were fifteen papers presented over the three days, and these can be loosely categorized into three groups. First were the presentations on

individual rare species; second, on conservation of plant species in a broader context; and third, the use of volunteers as citizen scientists and educators.

One of the most obvious things that has resulted from the last ten years of the conference is the publication Rare Plants of Texas: A Field Guide by Jackie M. Poole, William R. Carr, Dana M. Price, and Jason R. Singhurst. That is an amazing achievement, and we have been a part of helping that happen—go CAMN! In this report I am not going to go into great depth about all the proceedings, but will just point out some things I found interesting in two or three of the talks. The general outline of the conference can be found online, as can the abstracts, so if you want to learn more please go to http://www.wildflower.org/tpcc_speakers/.

The very first paper was given by Maria T. Williams, a graduate student at Sul Ross State University in Alpine and Dr. Bonnie J. Warnock, Department of Natural Resource Management at Sul Ross, who specializes in Restoration Ecology and Rangeland Hydrology. The paper was

entitled “Population biology, habitat description, delineation and conservation of Terlingua Creek cat’s-eye (cryptantha crassipes, pictured above and to the left).” This was a fascinating report on a federally listed endangered species in a very small area of west Texas that, quite honestly, none of us stands a chance of ever seeing. However, I was enthralled by this barely-enduring Texas native. All known populations

of the plant occur within a six-mile radius in the drainage of Terlingua Creek and its tributaries in Brewster County. The area can be described as the most extreme environment in Texas, a series of low rolling hills often referred to as a “moonscape,” a term that really annoys Dr. Warnock, who grew up in the area on a ranch.

The Terlingua Creek cat’s-eye are widely spaced, often dozens of feet apart, on a geologic formation, the Fizzle Flat Lentil, a series of platelets of creamy-yellow limestone containing veins of gypsum and barite. Very few plants are adapted to grow in such a hostile environment. The perennial plant blooms primarily March - May; with fruit (nutlets) probably maturing April-June. The flowering stems—believed to be insect-pollenated—are up to two feet tall and rise from a cluster of silvery basal leaves. There is a tap root up to twelve inches in length. Several other rare plant species occur in the same habitat or the adjacent basaltic soils. There are also endangered reptiles in the area, including the Texas Horned Lizard. The plant is highly noxious to cattle, due to alkaloids, so grazing has not TPWD ©

Kathy Rice

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Field Conference: Christine Powell Texas Plant Conservation Conference

harmed it, but development has. There are nearby bentonite mines, as well as the Terlingua Ranch Resort with its home tracts, roads, and other infrastructure; there has also been greatly increased traffic by off-road vehicles.

Fortunately, Dr. Warnock is in a unique position as she was born and raised locally in the area, so local landowners have given her access to their properties and are helping to conserve this rare gem. It is believed that there are currently around six thousand plants and it is planned to fence these where possible. Currently research is being carried out to try and grow more plants but germination and success in producing viable plants is still in the early stages. A grant has been procured to continue research into the specific needs of this particular species. More research is also planned to establish growing habits and needs so the species can be reintroduced into similar habitats... but this is far in the future.

There were quite a large number of other native rare species discussed. Several presentations were given on different aspects of the Bracted twistflower (Streptanthus Bracteatus) including discussion on the colonies that we have here in Austin. There was a rather amusing yet very serious presentation by Jackie Poole on rescuing the endangered Texas poppy-mallow (Callirhoe scabruiscula) on a private land site in Runnels County slated for development. The reproductive biology of the Hill Country Wild Mercury (Argythamnia aphoroides) was by far more interesting than I could have ever imagined. I was fascinated to learn about the harvesting and regrowth plus the mortality of peyote (Lophophora williamsii). I had known it was harvested for the Native American Church but had not realized just how interesting a subject this was and how serious just a simple slip of the knife can be! For more information on this subject and some very interesting articles on endangered cacti go to the Cactus Conservation Institute, Inc., http://www.cactusconservation.org/CCI/CCI_Home.html.

Finally, one of the last papers to be presented on plants was about a tree I had no idea could be found in Texas. Did you know Texas has Aspen trees? Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) to be precise! Although Aspens are considered one of the most widespread trees in North America it is not normally associated with our state. Within Texas this species occurs within three counties, Brewster, Culberson, and Jeff Davis, and within remote high elevations of the Chisos, Guadalupe, and Davis Mountains respectively. While population limits remain questionable for some locations, future research is needed to see if the Texas aspens represent a single fractured or separate populations and their relationship to other populations.

Another fascinating presentation was by Karen Clary from the Wildlife Habitat Assessment Program of Texas Parks and Wildlife. It highlighted some of the tradeoffs that are involved in “green energy.” California has recently been dealing with the issues involved in placing solar arrays in the sensitive environment of the Mojave Desert, and with routing power lines to the cities from geothermal plants near the Mexican border. In Texas, wind energy is our major renewable source of power. It doesn’t generate carbon emissions or dangerous waste products like coal or nuclear power plants, but it does not come free. Wind turbines take up considerable area, and can pose a threat to birds. Construction of the towers, maintenance roads, and other infrastructure can also harm the native flora and fauna at ground level. However, an even more serious threat is posed by

the simple fact that most of our wind power production is in West Texas or along the South Texas coast, while most of the consumers live along or northeast of both I-10 and I-35. Transporting electricity for hundreds of miles without unacceptable losses will require extremely high voltage transmission lines placed in clear corridors up to 160 feet wide running halfway across the state. These corridors not only fragment the habitat for the native plant and animal communities and disrupt migration routes, but also provide a perfect place for invasive species to flourish. As much as 55,000 acres may be affected.

Bradford Wilcox from the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Texas A&M University shared his research contradicting the received wisdom that streamflows in the Texas Hill County have been adversely affected by the transition from open savannah to cedar brakes. His research suggests that flows have actually increased since economic considerations have brought an end to overgrazing, which was the real culprit in the decline during the first half of the twentieth century. Obviously, that has significant implications for the effort to protect the quality and quantity of recharge for the Edwards and other Central Texas aquifers. It also changes the way that we may wish to view Ashe junipers and other species in the new woody-plant climax communities that have resulted from the end of heavy grazing combined with fire suppression.

All in all, the Plant Conservation Conference was a wonderful educational experience. Besides all the formal presentations that I did not have space to list, informal conversations with like-minded individuals provided me a wealth of information. The conference is one of the largest gatherings in the country of native plant professionals and informed enthusiasts. Future conferences will be held biennially, so plan to attend in 2012.

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Field Work: Sue Wiseman and images by Bob Kamper

Fall Plant Survey at WilCo NW Park, Liberty Hill

Installing signs on National Trails Day (photo: S. Mayfield).

Sue Wiseman hosted an enthusiastic group of ten NPSOT-WilCo chapter members and guests for the final plant survey of 2010 on Sunday, October 24th. Guests included three members of the Austin Chapter and one from the Tonkawa chapter. Many of the participants were also CAMNers!

Fourteen new species were added to the ongoing plant list making a total of 236 so far. We are sure there are many more but need more pairs of eyes to help us find them. Some of our new additions are:

Aster ericoides (Heath aster), Palafoxia ca%osa (Palafoxia), Pluchea odorata (Marsh Fleabane), Euphorbia cyathophora (Wild Poinsettia)

In addition, the following plants were observed in bloom, fruiting or with fall color:

Ilex decidua (Possomhaw), Parthenocissus heptaphy%a (Seven Leaf Virginia Creeper), Viguiera dentate (Plateau Goldeneye), Eryngium leavenworthii (Eryngo).

Ilse Meier, Charles Wiseman, Sue Wiseman, Sue Anderson, Beth Blankenship, Dick Galloway, Laverne Johnston, Kathy Galloway, and Marshall Johnston at the ranch house parking area.

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Field Work: Sue Wiseman and images by Bob Kamper Fall Plant Survey at WilCo NW Park, Liberty Hill

Wild Poinsettia

PalafoxiaHeath aster

Marsh Fleabane

Possomhaw Virginia creeper

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Field Work: Sue Wiseman and images by Bob Kamper Fall Plant Survey at WilCo NW Park, Liberty Hill

Plateau Goldeneye

Two Rio Grande Leopard Frogs were seen, one an adult in the mostly dry Johnston Creek bed, and the other a juvenile in shallow waters of the South San Gabriel River.

On our way back out of the river valley we spotted some Muhlenbergia lindheimeri (Lindheimer muhly) in full inflorescence. We stopped to harvest some of the prickly pear tuna from the plant shown below.

We will continue our surveys next year so look out for the date on the website calendar and in the Field Notes. Join us and have some fun!

Eryngo

Rio Grande Leopard Frog

Prickly pear tuna Lindheimer muhly

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Field Conference: Christine Powell

NPSOT Symposium 2010This year’s Native Plant Society of

Texas (NPSOT) Symposium was incredible and well worth the trip up to Denton even if you didn’t belong to NPSOT. There was frivolity but several very important themes were put forward for us all to work on. Rather than give you a blow by blow account of all the lectures, workshops, field trips and meetings (although I have included some later on in the issue), I am going to tell you how we, as individuals and as a group can help our State and the flora and fauna thrive in the future.

First, some background. As you may know the Native Plant Society of Texas celebrated its 30th anniversary where it all began, at Texas Women’s University in Denton. The group founded by a handful of native plant enthusiasts in 1980 has grown to a statewide organization of about 2000 members in 33 local chapters. There were not just one, but three keynote speakers at the anniversary symposium—Jill Nokes, David Bamberger, and Doug Tallamy. It took three pages in the schedule to list all the field trips, and another three to list the workshops. That doesn’t even consider the most important part of the symposium, which is the annual gathering of native plant people from throughout the state to build networks for education and action. NPSOT was never just a gardening club for native plants, and it certainly is much more now. The motto for the current program is “Saving Texas, One Landscape at a Time: Our Native Plants Light the Future.” NPSOT members are called to be evangelists for the good news that there are things Texans (and new immigrants) can do to promote the preservation of our native ecosystems.

I think most of us have had the chance to hear both Jill Nokes and David Bamberger speak. Both of their talks were similar to those they have given in our area before so I won’t go into them. However, Dr Doug Tallamy was worth the price of the conference alone in my opinion. Dr. Tallamy is the author of

Bringing Nature Home, a must read for anyone interested in encouraging nature in their own garden. It should also be noted that we were all given our own copy of this wonderful book and Dr. Tallamy spent a considerable amount of time talking to us and signing our copies of his book.

In his excellent presentation, Dr. Tallamy pointed out that since World War II, the acreage of land converted to residential subdivisions has greatly exceeded the total area of all our national parks. In most cases, these developments

have replaced the rich diversity of native habitat or traditional farmlands with the impervious cover of roofs and streets, alternated with lawns planted in a monoculture of one or two species of imported grass and punctuated by a few species of exotic (and often invasive) shrubs and trees. Even in the areas still devoted to agriculture, the diversity of traditional family farms has largely been replaced by much larger “food factories,” each growing a single hybridized crop. The non-native species found in both agricultural and residential settings generally need support in the form of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and other assaults on native life.

Native plant enthusiasts were among the first to recognize this threat to everything that makes Texas look like Texas rather than Levittown, NY or Anytown, USA. Over the past thirty years, they have become increasingly aware that plants do not grow in isolation. Dr. Tallamy included some very interesting statistics that demonstrate the relationship between native plants and native wildlife. For example, Quercus (oak) supports 534 butterfly and moth species while most introduced species of trees will only support one or two at the most. The same is true for perennials and annuals. Solidago (goldenrod) supports 115 butterfly and moth species while non-native species often do not support any! For more information go to http://bringingnaturehome.net/native-gardening.

Most of the talks, workshops, and field trips at the Denton symposium related in one way or another to this reality. Native plants form just one element in a complex network of coevolved and codependent species. Most plants require specific mycorrhizal fungi around their roots to survive, and specific pollinators to reproduce; many have formed other beneficial relationships with organisms that control diseases and pests, disperse their seeds, or provide other essential services. The native animal species have similar dependencies—monarch butterflies cannot survive without milkweed, for example. Native plant people know this well, but they should be spreading the word to their neighbors, not just applying the knowledge to their own gardens. Fragmented bits of habitat cannot protect the environment for the native plants we love without concentrated blocks of land that can serve as corridors for wildlife.

We know this, but our neighbors don’t. I have met serious, well-educated gardeners who did not grasp the connection between spraying pesticides to control caterpillars and having no butterflies later in the year. I have had conversations with specialists who say we should not plant any more oaks because

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Field Conference: Christine Powell NPSOT Symposium 2010

of Oak Wilt. I have met others who wondered why no birds but grackles would visit their homes surrounded by Bermuda-grass. I have seen statements from government officials and homeowner associations who expected residents to keep their St. Augustine lawns well-maintained through the summer and simultaneously restrict their water use. The contradictions seem obvious to us, but they are not as clear to others… or they

wouldn’t be saying things like that! The message for me from the NPSOT symposium was the necessity not just to grow a few native plants, or even just to keep our own properties as close to their native condition as we can, but also to convince our communities to do the same. Public parklands can accommodate passive use by nature-lovers; it is not necessary to build soccer fields on every available square foot. Public buildings—and even shopping

malls—can have native landscaping. City code enforcers and homeowner associations can be encouraged to tolerate, and perhaps even encourage, native environments that will provide corridors for wildlife while conserving water and other resources. CAMN, its members and other naturalists can be a crucial element in this turnaround in public attitudes. Our goal now should be to share everything we know with anyone who will listen.

Common Name Plant Genus Butterfly/moth species supported

Oak Quercus 534

Black cherry Prunus 456

Willow Salix 455

Birch Betula 413

Poplar Populus 368

Crabapple Malus 311

Blueberry Vaccinium 288

Maple Acer 285

Elm Ulmus 213

Pine Pinus 203

Hickory Carya 200

Hawthorn Crataegus 159

Spruce Picea 156

Alder Alnus 156

Basswood Tilia 150

Ash Fraxinus 150

Rose Rosa 139

Filbert Corylus 131

Walnut Juglans 130

Beech Fagus 126

Chestnut Castanea 125

Common Name Plant Genus Butterfly/moth species supported

Goldenrod Solidago 115

Asters Aster 112

Sunflower Helianthus 73

Joe pye, Boneset Eupatorium 42

Morning glory Ipomoea 39

Sedges Carex 36

Honeysuckle Lonicera 36

Lupine Lupinus 33

Violets Viola 29

Geraniums Geranium 23

Black-eyed susan Rudbeckia 17

Iris Iris 17

Evening primrose Oenothera 16

Milkweed Asclepias 12

Verbena Verbena 11

Beardtongue Penstemon 8

Phlox Phlox 8

Bee balm Monarda 7

Veronica Veronica 6

Little bluestem Schizachyrium 6

Cardinal flower Lobelia 4

Herbaceous PlantsWoody PlantsBest bets for woody and herbaceous plants for mid-Atlantic butterflies and moths

These figures are for mid-Atlantic butterflies and moths but the principle is the same for our area. Courtesy http://bringingnaturehome.net/native-gardening

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Field education: Christine Powell

BRIT, Its Needs, and How We Can HelpOn my way to the NPSOT symposium

in Denton, I was able to stop in Ft. Worth for a special tour of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), which calls itself “a global institute for the conservation and preservation of botanical heritage through education, research, scientific publications, and collections.” It was founded in 1987, when it received the Southern Methodist University herbarium and botanical library. The subsequent acquisition of the Vanderbilt University herbarium and other collections means that BRIT now has over a million specimens and 95,000 volumes. That makes it the largest collection in the Southeast and one of the key resources for botanical research in the world. The BRIT Press publishes a journal and numerous books, including the definitive guide to the flora of North Central Texas, and an ongoing project on the flora of East Texas (including the portions of Williamson and Travis Counties east of I-35). These guides, amounting to thousands of pages, are available both in print and online.

However, use of the incredible BRIT collections has been hampered by lack of computerized indexing. The information on the herbarium specimens, in particular, is still contained mostly in paper records, in some cases dating back 80 years or more. That makes research a very tedious task. BRIT has recently requested support from NPSOT and others for a new project to alleviate that problem: The Digital Flora of Texas. A series of interns will work from A–Z through the 250,000 specimens from Texas, digitizing one specimen from each species collected from each of the 254 counties. They will also incorporate the plant descriptions and other data in the paper records into a database that will be accessible for online research. This database will be indexed not only by scientific name, but also by popular name and county. The work is already underway—several NPSOT chapters have each contributed, which went directly to the student doing the digitalization. Amanda Neill, Director of the BRIT Herbarium,

has requested that others consider making similar donations.

This would be of particular benefit to Travis and Williamson Counties, since we lie at the confluence of several ecological regions and have a particularly rich range of flora. As most of us are aware, there are many species attested in adjacent counties, but not explicitly in WilCo, so native plant scholars and enthusiasts would benefit enormously from a comprehensive database that allowed identifying examples in the wild that may not have been recorded here before. If properly collected, those specimens could expand BRIT’s physical and digital collections and contribute greatly to our educational mission. This project has certainly spurred my enthusiasm, and I hope it will receive the response that it deserves. Incidentally, the grand opening of the amazing new “green architecture” BRIT facility in the Ft. Worth Cultural District is scheduled for May 21, 2011, and everyone in Texas with an interest in native plants should look forward to that event.

Native Orchids — Do You Have Any?Christine Powell

At one of the lectures I attended, Dr. Margaret Brown Marsden of the University of Dallas made a plea for assistance. She is studying orchids in the genus Hexalectris, five of which are native to Texas (H. grandiflora, H. natida, H. revolute, H. warnockii, and two varieties of H. spicata). Like most orchids, these can only germinate with the assistance of fungi to provide carbon to the seedling. This myco-heterotrophic relationship is permanent in about 20% of orchids, including the Hexalectris. (The other 80% switch to a lifestyle in which carbon flows to the mycorrhizal fungus from the plant, which benefits from the association in other ways.) Because the Hexalectris cannot exist without the coevolved species of fungus, pollinators, and possibly other associated organisms, they are restricted to highly specific habitats—primarily the leaf mould under pinyon pines, oaks, and junipers growing on gentle slopes of gravelly clay loam eroded from Cretaceous chalk. The orchids are a bioindicator of these increasingly rare ecosystems. Hexalectris sp. cannot be raised in greenhouses, and can only be conserved by preserving these native habitats. It is therefore critical to identify places where Hexalectris orchids are growing, for two reasons. Studying the habitat may provide additional information that will be useful in saving these rare plants. Additionally, identifying and preserving critical habitat areas may allow conservation of the entire ecosystem. So, please be on the lookout for places where Hexalectris is growing, and let Margaret Brown Marsden know where you found them (mebrown@udallas.edu). I found this Lady Trusses (Spiranthes sp.) on one of the

field trips I attended at the Briarwood Retreat Center

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Field Journal: Bill Dodd

Geology of South Central TexasThe Texas Master Naturalist

Conference this year was held at T Bar M Ranch in New Braunfels. A number of interesting Advanced Training sessions were offered covering a diverse set of topics. One of the Advanced Training sessions I attended was Geology of South Central Texas, taught by Dr. William Ward, Geologist and Professor Emeritus, University of New Orleans.

In the first part of the class, Dr. Ward presented an introduction to limestone. Geology is a key component in determining ecological regions and the limestone geology of central Texas plays a big part in our ecology. The limestone in central Texas was formed during the Cretaceous period, starting about 120 million years ago. At that time, this part of Texas was under a shallow sea. The limestone, a sedimentary rock, is mostly made of the calcium carbonate skeletal structures of the marine life that lived in this shallow sea. Another sedimentary carbonate rock found in central Texas is dolomite. In dolomite, some of the calcium in calcium carbonate is replaced by magnesium to form calcium magnesium carbonate. An interesting characteristic of carbonate rock is that it dissolves readily in fresh water. This dissolution of carbonate rock leads to the karst features so important in our landscape. These karst features may take the form of joints in the limestone, sinkholes and the many caves in the area. These features allow surface water to

quickly move underground and into the aquifer.

In part 2, Dr. Ward discussed interpreting limestone. When limestone is exposed at the surface, it can reveal many types of patterns or characteristics. These patterns or characteristics can give clues to the environment in which that limestone formed. For example, ripple marks appearing in limestone may indicate a shallow environment where waves caused the ripple patterns. The period of the ripples are likely a function of the wave period and the water depth. Other interesting features that appear in limestone are small conical mounds or vertical burrows created by burrowing creatures like shrimps and bivalves.

In the final part of the class, Dr. Ward gave an overview of the geologic framework of south central Texas. At about 300 million years ago, in the Pennsylvanian period, a continental collision created the mountain belt we call the Ouachita Mountains. The Ouachita Mountains still appear in west central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. In central Texas they are no longer visible, but the remnants of them are still beneath us. The path of the Ouachita Mountains through Texas makes a distinctive “S” shape as it seems to curve around the Edwards Plateau. This was caused by the presence of the granite dome of the Llano Uplift, which acted like a anchor as the mountain fold wrapped around it. At about

270 million years ago (Ma), we were on the western edge of the supercontinent Pangaea. At 145 Ma, in the late Jurassic period, the gulf opened between what would become North America and South America. At 115 Ma, in the early Cretaceous period when the Glen Rose limestone formed, the gulf coast was just north of us. In the late Cretaceous when the Edwards limestone formed, the gulf coast was farther north, with almost all of Texas under water. More recently, about 20 to 30 Ma, the Balcones fault zone formed as the weight of sediment eroded from the continent towards the coast caused fractures as material “slumped” down towards the coast. The fractures follow the Ouachita fold belt.

At the conclusion of the class, Dr. Ward mentioned that he is working on a small booklet based on much of the material from this class. It is targeted for non-geologists, so should make a perfect resource for central Texas naturalists. He hopes that it will be available in about a year. Be on the lookout for that publication or any other classes or field trips led by Dr. Ward. You won’t be disappointed.

Ed Note: Dr. Ward often holds Geology classes at the Cibolo Nature Center, Boerne. Go to http://www.cibolo.org/calendar for more information

2011 SEED CLEANING PARTIESat the

WILDFLOWER CENTERSaturday, March 19, 10 am – 2 pmSaturday, April 23, 10 am – 2 pmSaturday, May 21, 10 am – 2 pmSaturday, June 18, 10 am – 2 pmSaturday, July 16, 10 am – 2 pm

Saturday, August 20, 10 am – 2 pmSaturday, September 17, 10 am – 2 pmSaturday, October 22, 10 am – 2 pm

Saturday, November 19, 10 am – 2 pm

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Field School: Stephen Brueggerhoff

Every Heath Has a HomeI love the culture of native fruiting plants, a desire brought about by gastronomic and botanical curiosity. Not sure which passion comes first, but in some cases the desire of the stomach has enhanced my botanical knowledge and helped me understand biological relationships. Some of the native fruiting plants in Texas are Mexican plum (Prunus Mexicana), southern dewberry (Rubus trivialis), stately pecan (Carya i%inoinensis), as well as several different species of my topic, blueberry (Vaccinium sp.).Our collective love affair with members of its plant family, the Heath Family (Ericaceae), is one rife with the utility of these plants: beautiful bark, fabulous flowers and those gosh darn wonderful berries! Ericaceae comprises woody perennials, some trees and mostly shrubs of about 125 genera and 3,500 species globally. According to distribution maps at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Plants Profile database (http://plants.usda.gov/), there are only 6 genera native to Texas and include our beloved Texas madrone, wild azalea and a few species of wild blueberries. Hard to identify by leaf structure alone, more accurate identification occurs through distinctive bark color and habit (exfoliating cinnamon colored bark on Texas madrone, Arbutus xalapensis, and Mexican Manzanita, Arctostaphylos pungens), specific distribution and flower shape. Heath family flowers are typically campanulate (urn or bell-shaped) with four to seven fused petals and either the same number or twice the number of sepals. One of the few genera in Ericaceae producing different looking gorgeous flowers that are a pride of southern and northern gardens is Rhododendron sp. (wild azalea for us Texans).Have you ever wondered how species of this plant family are pollinated? One very interesting pollination strategy occurs

within members of Ericaceae: some species are thought to be pollinated via sonication; sound energy agitating particles, also referred to as “buzz pollination”. Some species produce anthers with dehiscent longitudinal slits, terminal pores or apical tubes where pollen is released; noted not only in Ericaceae, but also in Solanaceae (Nightshade Family). In addition, our beloved

blueberry (Vaccinium sp.), produce awns on the back of their anthers. Here’s the song and dance: bumblebees will grasp anthers and rapidly contract their flight muscles to shake loose pollen. While these plant species do not rely entirely on sonication for pollen transfer, a little “twist and shout” always adds to the experience. You can check out an example of this type of sonication of a member of this plant family by bumblebee online at URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv_xncrZfCg&feature=related. In conclusion, the old saying “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” does have some truth to it. Sometimes a little crumb of knowledge leads one to broader concepts in understanding the world around us and in so doing helps us to understand ourselves. You can have your cake and eat it too (puns intended)!

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Field School: Bev Hoffmann

Evergreen Sumac — Rhus virensSally Wasokwski, who authored Native Texas Plants

with her husband Andy, has said this large shrub, which commonly grows in a sculpted round shape, is one of her favorite evergreens. However, like our native live oak, evergreen sumac is not a true evergreen; its leaves stay green through the winter (though after a frost some may be tinged with maroon), then drop as spring approaches and are replaced within a week by a shiny new crop. The new leaves may be tinged with pink when they first appear. Come July or August (in years with adequate rain), the female plants produce clusters of tiny creamy white blooms, much appreciated by bees and butterflies.  The fuzzy fruits turn orange-red in early fall, and will remain until Christmas - or until birds and small mammals finish feasting on them! Evergreen sumac grows relatively quickly in

almost any well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. Expect it to attain six to twelve feet in height. It can successfully be pruned to create a shorter and

denser mat of foliage, if you so desire. Occasionally a plant will grow tall and straight, with a single trunk, rather than branch to form a hedge. In the Hill Country, evergreen sumac can be found on dry slopes, attesting to its drought tolerance — and its cold tolerance as well!  These photos were taken in a natural area, not in a home landscape. Note the rocky soil, which gave birth to this hardy shrub. Evergreen sumac is moderately deer resistant, but you may need to protect it until it grows large enough to withstand periodic nibbling. The plant, native from Central Texas to northern Mexico, is now available in some nurseries; be sure to get a female plant, if you want flowers and fruit.  For more photos of evergreen sumac (or any other native plant you might be interested in), go to www.wildflower.org/plants.

LBJWC

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ACC Agronomy class, Spring 2011As part of its Erosion and Sediment Control advanced technical certificate, Austin Community College’s (ACC’s) Environmental Science and Technology department will be offering an Agronomy (soil science) class for the Spring 2011 semester. The course will give students an understanding of soils, soil formation, soil types and classification, distribution of soil types geographically, the rates of soil formation, collection and analysis of soils, and the causes and methods to address soil erosion. The student will learn soil collection and analysis techniques, as well as the causes of soil loss and degradation and the methods to prevent soil erosion. The Agronomy class will held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:05 – 9:55 PM at the Round Rock campus. Registration for the Spring 2011 semester runs from October 11th (current/former students) or November 8th (new students) through January 12th, and the first class will be on January 19th.Details can be found at:ACC – http://www.austincc.edu/ACC Env Sci & Tech dept – http://www.austincc.edu/envrnsci/ACC Agronomy class description – http://www3.austincc.edu/it/cms/www/catalog/coursedetails_fox.php?year=2011&deptcode=ESTE#AGCR1494ACC Agronomy class schedule – http://www5.austincc.edu/schedule/index.php?op=browse&opclass=ViewSched&term=211S000&disciplineid=TFPHH&yr=2011&ct=CC

An Evening with Michael Pollan at the Bass Concert Hall8-10 p.m. You are invited to spend an evening with bestselling author, journalist and food activist Michael Pollan. For the past twenty years, Pollan has written about places where the human and natural worlds intersect, challenging the way Americans think about eating. Central Texans are increasingly moving toward healthful, locally produced and sustainable food options, and Pollan has been at the front of the movement. In books such as "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense of Food," Pollan demonstrates how difficult it

is to navigate today's complex world of food production. The 2009 PBS two-hour documentary based on his book "The Botany of Desire," as well as his latest book, "Food Rules: An Eater's Manual," have prompted a generation to consider rules for eating to live healthier and happier lives. Presented in partnership with Book People & Edible Austin Eat Local Week. Edible Austin Eat Local Week is an annual, week-long celebration of local food in Central Texas and benefit for Urban Roots , a youth development program that uses sustainable agriculture as a means to transform the lives of young people and to increase access to healthy food, taking place Dec. 3-11.Location: Bass Concert Hall More about this event...Texas Performing ArtsAdmission: $42.00/$38.00/$26.00

Lets Watch the Birds!Saturday, Dec 11th, 2010 7am‐11am and 4pm to dark meet at CER, Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory Monthly Bird Survey ‐ open to all levels of birder interested in intensive monitoring – more info www.hornsbybend.org. It is 4 hours of hard hiking and counting, but lots of fun along the way. We meet again around 11am to tally up the species. The afternoon involves looking around for species missed that morning, and we go until sundown.Dec 18Saturday, Dec 18th, 2010 Austin Christmas Bird Count – all day across the Austin area including Hornsby Bend. This count is part of the National Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count. Coordinators of this event are Shelia Hargis and Laurie Foss. More info at http://www.austincbc.com/.

Scat and Frass

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Biodiversity survey at ANSC and Zilker PreservWe would love to have you join us for the biodiversity survey at ANSC and Zilker Preserve on Saturday, December 4, at 8:00 a.m.. It looks as though it will be a beautiful sunny day with a high of 74. It will be quite chilly in the morning, though, so think layers! If you plan to come, please let me know (Melissa Macdougall melissa.jane.mac@gmail.com). Dress comfortably; long pants and sturdy shoes with closed toes are strongly recommended. For your personal use, you may wish to bring a water bottle, snack, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, field guides, notebook and pen, camera, and / or binoculars. As always, everyone is welcome and no special expertise is required, although of course all expertise is welcome! Patience, curiosity, and a willingness to wander are essential. We'll meet at the Entrance Trail (across Stratford Drive from the Nature Center parking area under Mopac) at 8:00 a.m. This is a CAMN-approved volunteer activity. Our findings are shared with the Nature Center staff and visitors, as well as preserved for posterity.Lecture: The World of Nature in Central TexasCapitol Macintosh Advanced Photography Group for our combined November/December meeting will be Steve Schwartzman speaking on “The World of Nature in Central Texas.”Because Texas sits at the juncture of several geological and climatic regions, many species of wildflowers and plants grow natively here. For the past decade Steven Schwartzman has been exploring them photographically, sometimes as panormas, but more often as close-ups that reveal details the naked eye is likely to miss. Although our region isn’t famous for fall color, knowing where to look can reveal a surprising amount of that, too. Also portrayed in these pictures are some of the creatures that visit our native flowers and plants, whether to draw sustenance from them or, more dramatically, to prey on one other.• Next Meeting: Thursday, December 2nd,

6:30-9:00 PM at Episcopal Church of the Resurrection – Parish Hall• Address: 2008 Justin Lane

• Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2110+Justin+Lane,+Austin,+TX+78757Note that the Parish Hall is East of the church building and its parking lot is accessed from Justin Lane. The parking lot entrance is directly across from where Muroc St. intersects Justin Lane. This event is free and open to the public. Tell your friends. Better yet, bring your friends! Hope to see you there!

How to Attract and Care for BluebirdsThree species of bluebird occur annually in Texas, and Eastern Bluebirds will nest in suitable habitats in central Texas if appropriate cavities or nest-boxes are available. Travis Audubon will sponsor a Bluebird Workshop conducted by nationally-known bluebird expert Pauline Tom on Saturday morning January 15, 2011.Pauline is President of the Texas Bluebird Society and has conducted popular workshops on bluebird husbandry in many different parts of the state. She lives in central Texas and is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts on and advocates for bluebirds in the state of Texas. Her workshop on January 15 will cover the following:• best practices for nestbox installation to

attract Eastern Bluebirds• how to recognize and improve

appropriate habitat for Eastern Bluebirds

• how to interpret bluebird activity outside of the nestbox

• how to deter predators and alien competitors

• the process of egg-laying and incubation• how to "age" nestlings• recordkeeping / recordsharing with

NestWatchDuring a work shop break, Pauline will take participants outdoors to view bluebird habitat and to see Eastern Bluebirds nesting in manmade nestboxes. Workshop fee is $15 for TAS members and $20 for non-members. All participants may pay an additional $15 to receive a one-year TBS membership and a TBS-approved bluebird nestbox. Attention High School Teachers: a limited number of scholarships may be available for high school students. Please contact Marcia Dilly (512-944-0631) for additional details and to register for the workshop.

Purple Martin WorkshopSaturday, January 22, 2011 1:00-4:00 pmDo you want to know more about Purple Martins, how to set up a colony, and be a Purple Martin landlord? Are you an existing landlord wanting to meet other Martin aficionados and learn tips? Have you always wanted to be a citizen scientist, gathering useful data that can help Martin conservation efforts? If so, this class is for you.The first Purple Martins typically arrive in Austin at the end of January, so this class will give you information you can put to use right away. This class will focus on the life cycle of Purple Martins and how you can participate as a Purple Martin landlord or helper. You will learn the maintenance routine recommended by the Purple Martin Conservation Association. You will also learn how to record and send in nesting data that is compiled nationally. We will also include hands-on nest preparation and discussion at the Hornsby Bend colony. Class participants are invited to participate through mid-June as helpers and observers as the class teachers maintain and record the 2011 Purple Martin season at Hornsby Bend. Later in the Summer, we will invite class members to join us in educating others at the giant Purple Martin roost at Highland Mall.Andy and Julia Balinsky have been the stewards of the Hornsby Bend Purple Martin colony since 2003. They have watched over 1000 Purple Martin babies fledge during that time. They have also spent many evenings watching the Martin pre-migration staging roost in the late summer.Tuition for the class is $15 for TA members and $20 for non-members. To register, contact Lynn Hill via email or by calling 512-371-1254. Registration cut-off date will be January 15, 2011.

Scat and Frass

Paleontological Society of AustinNormally 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM at Austin Gem and Mineral Society facility, 6719 Burnet Lane, Austin, TX 78757(512) 458-9546Note: Check the calendar to ensure we have not encountered any scheduling conflicts.http://www.texaspaleo.com/psa/index.html

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Scat and Frass

Achillea millefolium Western yarrow, Milfoil, Common yarrow, Yarrow.This photo was misidentified in the previous issue of Field Notes as Abronia fragrans Fragrant sand verbena. Photographed near the north rim of the Grand Canyon in the Kaibab forest, it more closely resembled the blossoms of the verbena in the Zion Canyon wildflower field guide than the flat-topped blossoms of the drawing in the Grand Canyon field guide used as references. Unfortunately, it was not until after the was published that further investigation in the NPIN database revealed what the cropped photo doesn’t – the multi-lobed pinnate leaves that are almost fern-like in appearance in Yarrow, while the verbena has smooth ovate leaves. However, the presence of a couple of nearly identical photos by Norman C. Flaigg in the Wildflower Center database were sufficient to change my identification, especially since, ironically, my initial identification in the field was Yarrow, and it was only after reviewing the field guides that the misidentification was made. Lessons learned – One, always take both full plant and blossom photos, as it might be critical in making the identification. Second, consult as many information sources as possible when making a plant identification. Finally, don’t stop trying to learn new information from new sources.

Erratum – Plant Identification Correction

Bob Kamper

I photographed this butterfly in my yard the other day:http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertkamper/5152143294/

The Butterflies and Moths of North America website did not have a record of it in Williamson County, http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/map?dc=5761&_dcc=1&si=44 so I reported it to the Texas contact. I was able to make the identification using the Travis County reports.

What a catch!

Chlosyne lacinia Bordered Patch

Bob Kamper

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Scat and Frass

http://urbanwildlife2011.tpwd.state.tx.us/

Mark Your Calendars

The Wildlife Society - Urban Wildlife Working Group and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are pleased to host the 2011 International Urban Wildlife Planning and Management Conference at the Hyatt Regency on Ladybird Lake in Austin, Texas.The theme of this Conference focuses on the challenges faced by practitioners, planners, architects, designers and researchers when attempting to anticipate the consequences for wildlife as they plan and develop the ecology of urban environments.Interact with us while we examine urban ecosystems, challenges of urban wildlife management, planning for the inclusion/exclusion of urban wildlife, the linkages of open space, urban forestry, research needs, and New Urbanism concepts.All this and more awaits you so mark your calendars today!

Take Care of Texas This Holiday SeasonMany cultures celebrate holidays in December. This year, try following a few simple tips to help you reduce waste, save energy, and save water while you enjoy your holiday time with friends and family:  • Take reusable cloth bags for holiday shopping. Reusable bags can also be a great way to package your gifts! • Send recycled-content or electronic greeting cards; or to add a personal touch, make your own using pieces of last year’s cards. • Use cloth napkins and reusable dishes, glasses, and silverware for your holiday party. To save both water and energy when cleaning

up, make sure you wash full loads of laundry and dishes. • Compost leftover food scraps. To learn how, check out Mulching and Composting: A Take Care of Texas Guide. • Recycle your live Christmas tree or buy a potted Christmas tree and plant it after the holidays. Check with your city to see if they

have a Christmas tree recycling program. • If giving electronic gifts, look for Energy Star-labeled products. Buy rechargeable batteries to accompany the electronics. • Need to replace your holiday lights? Upgrade to energy-efficient strings of light-emitting diode (LED) lights, which use 75 percent

less electricity than incandescent strings. • Donate or recycle your old computer if you get a new one as a gift. Learn how at TexasRecyclesComputers.org. For more tips to do your part, visit www.takecareoftexas.org.

Is your New Year’s Resolution to reduce energy use? Then check out the Home Energy Library on the Texas Is Hot Coalition website. Texas Is Hot provides Texans with tips, tools, and information to be more energy efficient. The Home Energy Library provides thorough energy conservation information for existing homes, homes under construction, and outdoor living.

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Field Prep: Christine Powell

Announcements From Around the StateKeep TX Wild Videos and the TX Wildlife Action PlanHere are several resource shared by Kelly Bender from TPWD. These videos would be a good resource for your chapter. These and other videos that may be of interest to you are available at our TPWD YouTube Channel below. You will also be able to sign up for our TPWD channel 'subscription' should you like to.   The Texas Wildlife Action Plan is used by Texas Parks and Wildlife to define our conservation priorities. This series of videos was produced to provide greater insight into Texas greatest ecological challenges as well as our management objectives. If you don’t watch all the videos, please consider watching the first and last in the series, as well as the segment that highlights your ecological region. While watching these videos,

please consider developing chapter projects in your area that may address some of the objectives of the action plan and work with your local TPWD biologist to do so.  A contact list of biologists by county can be found on the TPWD website: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/land/habitats/county/See the videos here:http://www.youtube.com/user/TexasParksWildlife#p/c/6353227E5419A80D/0/Md_eEogT9PcDo you know a young "Eco-Hero" deserving of an international Award?International Young Eco-Hero Awards Action For Nature invites applications for the International Young Eco-Hero Awards, to recognize the individual accomplishments of young people, ages 8 to 16, for their outstanding

accomplishments in environmental advocacy, environmental health, research, or protection of the natural world.  Winners will receive public recognition, cash prizes, and certificates for their outstanding efforts to help protect and preserve the environment.  Responses due 2/28/11. For more info, go to: http://www.actionfornature.org/. Reverchon Naturalist newsletter is now available on the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Service home page and can be found at this link:http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/bio/reverchon.html We would like to get interesting photos of native plants and stories within the North Central Texas area. Submit articles of 350-500 words.  Please take the time to submit your items and share with other plant geeks. Ricky Linex

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President: Christine Powell Vice-President: Stuart BaileyPast President: Lynne WeberTreasurer: Jan HanzAdministrative Secretary: Beck RunteRecording Secretary: Maggie MoodyAt-Large Board Members: Jerry MayfieldRaymond BarreraAdvisory Board Members: Kelly BenderClark HancockMelissa MacDougallJeri Porter

Board of DirectorsAccording to the CAMN By-Laws, our Board of Directors consists of the Officers and the Chair of each Committee.

If you have concerns you wish the Board to consider, please contact one of the Board members via email or come to a Board Meeting (please let us know you will be coming).

CAMN Board Meetings are held on the first Thursday of odd numbered months at: 6:45 p.m. at the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin, 2700 W. Anderson Lane, Suite 204, Austin, TX 78757. Check with a Board Member for more details.

The agenda for the next Board Meeting is available here.

Got info for the Field Notes?

Send info, photos and articles for publication in the Field Notes to:xtinepowell@verizon.net Deadline for submission is the 27th of each month.

Officers CommitteesAdministrative Contact: Beck Runte Maintains database of students and alumni, including names, addresses, class attendance, volunteer hours earned, and advanced training completed.

Communications Contact: Dale RyeWebpage: Dale RyeField Notes: Christine PowellPress releases: Kelly Bender Responsible for the Internet web page and press releases.

Curriculum Contact: Patricia McGeeDevelops the CAMN curriculum, as well as plans the lectures, activities and field trips for each class.

Advanced Training Contact: Bill DoddPlans, coordinates, and approves advanced training opportunities.

Food & Fun Contact: Andy SwainFacilitates the social aspects of CAMN including the Certification Ceremonies and holiday celebrations.

Volunteer Opportunities Contact: Vernon BergerDevelops criteria to determine whether volunteer opportunities may be counted for CAMN credit. Reviews, approves, and publicizes opportunities.

Education and Outreach CommitteeContact: Whitney Milberger Promotes CAMNContact: Outreach CAMN

Sponsors/PartnersMission Statement

To develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities.

Members of CAMN are dedicated to the conservation, preservation, and restoration of our natural resources. To that end, we encourage and support trained Master Naturalist volunteers in Austin and Travis County in providing community programs and projects that increase appreciation of our natural environment and promote, protect, and preserve native flora and fauna.

Austin Nature and Science Center

Texas Parks and Wildlife

Lower Colorado River Authority

Austin Sierra Club

The Nature Conservancy of Texas

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve

Hornsby Bend Center for Environmental Research

Bat Conservation International

Native Plant Society of Texas

Travis Audubon Society