May 2026, Vol 26, Episode 5

Texas Master Naturalist Elm Fork Chapter

• Announcements
• Upcoming Chapter Meetings
• Inside Outside News – Approved AT + Volunteer Opportunities
• Projects in the Community 
• Wild About LLELA
• Features
• Tweet of the Month
• Almost the Last Word 

https://txmn.org/elmfork/

Transcript

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The Texas Master Naturalist Elm Fork Chapter presents Naturalist News May 2026, Volume 26, Issue 5. Upcoming Chapter Meetings. May Chapter Meeting and Presentation. Thursday, May 21st, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Denton County Administrative Courthouse, third floor conference room, one courthouse drive, Denton. Constellation of Living Memorials presented by Julie Finneman and Jane Duke, PhD. The program introduces the CLM, a growing network of historic cemeteries reimagined as living civic infrastructure where cultural memory and native ecology are restored in tandem. To date, the initiative has mobilized over 13,500 volunteer hours across multiple pilot cemeteries, documented over 3,000 species observations, cleared acres of invasive plant growth, and returned these sites to healthy, functioning ecosystems. Partnerships with Texas AM AgriLi Extension, the Native Plant Society of Texas, and other institutions have helped ground this work in science and community stewardship. Participants will learn how new historic cemeteries are onboarded into the constellation, from initial site assessment to restoration planning, native planting strategies, and ongoing care. Each cemetery becomes a star, contributing to a connected system that supports biodiversity, climate resilience, and cultural and natural preservation. Elm Fork Chapter member Jane Duke will follow up the presentation with an update on the pending chapter project and selection of a cemetery in Denton County. Presenters, Julie Finneman, President, Friends of the Warren Ferris Cemetery, Co-Creator, Constellation of Living Memorials, TMN North Texas Chapter. With over 33 years of professional experience, Julie Finneman has woven together her background in entertainment advertising photography, healthy living, and wildlife conservation into her current mission. After spending decades as a successful photographer, with works housed in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences archive, she shifted gears, drawn to ecological rehabilitation. In 2018, Julie embarked on restoring the historic Warren Ferris Cemetery near her home in East Dallas, transforming overgrown ground into a native prairie and wildlife habitat. Building on that success, she helped launch the Constellation of Living Memorials CLM pilot program to replicate that model across other neglected historic cemeteries, integrating restoration with community engagement, native landscape design, and ecological corridors. Julie has procured grants and facilitated partnerships to support this work, emphasizing the dual goals of honoring the cultural heritage of these cemeteries and rewilding the land to support biodiversity and climate resilience. Jane Duke PhD, Soil Restoration Educator and Systems Scientist, certified Soil Food Web Lab Microscopist, TMN Elmfork Chapter. Jane Duke bridges the gap between microscopic biological data and macro level ecological restoration. A soil restoration educator and environmental systems scientist, Jane helps land stewards and organizations move beyond guesswork by understanding the biological engine of the soil. She holds a PhD in environmental design and a master's degree in environmental philosophy. Jane graduated with the 2009 TMN North Texas Chapter class, where she was an outreach volunteer and led hikes at the Trinity River Audubon Center. Some of her contributions include leading the Denton ISD School Days Project at Clear Creek, presenting at the TMN Annual Meeting, and serving on the TMN Elm Fork Chapter Board of Directors. Jane and her husband live on a five-acre farm in Oak Point along with their horses, bees, and chickens. Inside Outside News, Advanced Training, Ripple Effect, Water Quality and Wildlife in DFW. Saturday, June 6th, 10 to 11 AM. Biodiversity Education Center at Capel Nature Park, 367 Freeport Parkway, Capel. Wildlife Photography in DFW, Saturday, June 13th, 10 to 11 a.m. Biodiversity Education Center at Capel Nature Park, 367 Freeport Parkway, Capel. For information about either of these events, click on the link in the digital version of the newsletter or contact joshua.carlos at CapellTX.gov. More advanced training. Habitat at home. Manage the land you have with the wildlife you want. Presented by Texas AM AgriLife Extension, August 21st, 2026, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Denton County Extension Office, 611 Kimberly Drive, Denton. What is Habitat at Home? This workshop guides landowners through managing wildlife habitat on your land, regardless of acreage. From home pollinator gardens to white-tailed deer management, this series focuses on identifying the right wildlife species for your property, building a wildlife management plan, and integrating your land use goals with your wildlife management. Cost is $35 for early registration, which ends July 21st, or $45 for regular registration, lunch, and all course materials included with registration. Program agenda 8 to 8 30 a.m. Registration, 8 30 to 9 a.m. Welcome and introduction to wildlife management, 9 to 10 a.m. Land Resource Inventory and Habitat Suitability Assessment, 10 to 10:15 a.m. Break. 1015 to 11 a.m. Species at Scales. What wildlife can you manage on your size property? 11 to 1145 a.m. Managing Wildlife Habitat within land use restrictions. 11:45 to 12 p.m. Lunch, provided with registration, 1215 to 1 p.m. Choosing Scale Appropriate Wildlife Management Practices. 1 to 2.30 p.m. Building Wildlife Management Plans. 2.30 to 3 p.m. Building Communities of Conservation. Agenda and Presentation Titles subject to change. Register online by clicking the link in the digital version of the newsletter or on the calendar page on our website. And for questions about the program or sponsorship opportunities, email chase dot brook with an E at ag.tamu.edu. The Texas AM AgriLife Extension Service provides equal opportunities in its programs and employment to all persons, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Texas AM University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioner Courts of Texas. More advanced training. Join the fun at the TMN EFC Naturalist Monthly Book Club. Our next book for review on May 20th, The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People and the Planet by Leah Thomas. When? Every third Wednesday, 2 30 to 3 30 or 4 p.m. Where? Emily Fowler Library, 502 Oakland Street, AT, other TXMN Chapter Approved AT, TMNAT. Questions? Contact Jane Duke through the membership directory. Texas Waters webinar, sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Texas Waters Specialist. Enjoy learning about improving water quality, water quantity, conservation practices, water law, and aquatic habitats. Join us throughout the year for free. Tuesday, June 16th, 6.30 to 7.30 p.m. How the Texas Litter Database Supports Conservation Action. Kristen Sorensen, Senior Program Manager, Research and Cleanups at Keep Texas Beautiful. Click on the link in the digital version of the newsletter or on the calendar page of our website. Visit the Texas Waters webpage for information on becoming a certified Texas Waters specialist and view recorded webinars from 2017 to 2023. Note Texas Waters Webinars AT, Texas Waters Certification Training. To view upcoming and ongoing AT opportunities, click the link in the digital version of the newsletter at the bottom of page 10. More advanced training. Join us at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, fourth annual HNWR Bio Blitz, hosted by Blue Stem Chapter TMN. Friday, May 22nd and Saturday, May 23rd. Friday evening at sunset, mothing with Texas favorite enthusiast Sam Kieshnick. Saturday, May 23rd, full day of exploration and advanced training, nature hikes, birding, bug hunts, and more. For more info, email trainingclassdir at bluestemtmn.org. For questions, contact Scott Keester through the membership directory. More advanced training. The Extraordinary Caterpillar. Wild Ones DFW presents the Extraordinary Caterpillar Film and Panel Discussion with North Texas conservationists on Tuesday, June 23rd, 630 to 845 PM, Grapevine Palace Arts Center at 300 South Main Street, Grapevine. 630 p.m. Meet and Greet. 7 p.m. The Extraordinary Caterpillar. 8 p.m. Panel Discussion. The Extraordinary Caterpillar invites viewers into the hidden world of nature's tiniest superheroes and the vital role they play in sustaining healthy ecosystems. Through stunning macro videography and the insights of naturalists, scientists, and community advocates, the film reveals how caterpillars connect native plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife into an intricate food web. This captivating documentary encourages audience to look more closely at the overlooked creatures in their own backyards and highlights why restoring native landscapes matters. Afterwards, learn more during a 30-minute lively, knowledge-packed QA session with four outstanding local experts who are shaping conservation work right here in North Texas. Sam Kieshnick, urban biologist, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Jake Poinsette, Education Manager, Trinity River Audubon Center, Carol Clark, Conservation Specialist, Monarch Watch, Teddy Zonker, VP Wild Ones DFW, Native Plants, Natural Landscapes. Enjoy a rare chance to learn directly from these local leaders. Ask your questions and walk away inspired to make a difference. Don't miss this opportunity to hear their insights, elevate your experience, and spark new ideas. Register and add your seat today, RSVP Required. Click the link in the digital version of the newsletter or on the calendar page of our website. Hosted by Wild Ones DFW, Native Plants Natural Landscapes, we connect people and native plants for a healthy planet. Join us to celebrate biodiversity, ecological stewardship, and the power of native plants to support life. Our sponsors Wild Ones DFW, DFW.wildOnes.org, Homegrown National Park, Homegrown Nationalpark.org. Volunteer Opportunities. Greenbelt General Maintenance and Natural Resource Volunteers needed. The staff at the Greenbelt Unit of Ray Roberts Lake State Park serve as the management team for the Greenbelt and the Natural Resource Team for the Ray Roberts Complex. We are looking for general maintenance and natural resource volunteers to assist us in maintaining the Greenbelt and conserve the natural resources of Ray Roberts. General Maintenance Volunteers have multiple opportunities to volunteer at the park based on their areas of interest and the park's operational needs. Opportunities include, but are not limited to, a variety of maintenance tasks, special projects, and customer-related opportunities. Natural resource volunteer projects could include bluebird box monitoring, firebreak preparation, invasive management, and habitat restoration. This opportunity is available year-round and provides a flexible schedule. No minimum hours per week are required. This volunteer opportunity does not include a campsite. Please contact the Greenbelt Manager at Matthew.more with an E at tpwd.texas.gov for more information. Minimum age of volunteers, 16. If under 18, volunteer will need to print a parental release form and bring a completed copy to the park. Criminal background check is required for non-TMN members. PO 60212 RM Ray Roberts Lake. Bluebird Nest Box Monitoring would be PO 60212 FR. Volunteer and AT Opportunities. Outreach needs you. Sign up to be a face of our chapter at an upcoming tabling opportunity. Help fulfill our mission statement to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas. See the Elm Fork Chapter calendar for opportunities. Be sure to check Plan Your Week and the Elm Fork Chapter website and calendar for more AT and volunteer opportunities. Projects in the Community. Texas Native Plant Art Exhibition from Marilyn Blanton. The Texas Native Plant Art Exhibition Appreciation Reception was held at the DISD Professional Development Center on April 29th. All of the artwork that was submitted was displayed. The best of show pictures were framed for special recognition. Other display tables were set up to recognize the art teachers, the display hosts, and the project sponsors. It was a fun event with 673 guests attending. There were lots of smiles. Guests include the fourth grade students and their families, the art teachers, school principals, school board members, other DISD employees, representatives of the display sites, and project volunteers. The project is an annual project sponsored by the Native Plant Society of Texas, the Texas Master Naturalists Program, and Texas Women's University. Wild About Leela. Sue Yoast, Class of 2017. The Beatles verse, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. There will never be an answer, let it be. The Leela verse Leaves of Three, let it be, let it be, just let it be. There will be an itch, let it be. Poison ivy. Toxicodendron radicans. Every naturalist should know this plant, especially if you volunteer at Lela. The subspecies Hispidum may be native to China, but the species Toxicodendron Radicans is native to Texas and sure found its happy place at Lila. It's prolific. The following information comes from Amy Martin, master naturalist and author of Itchy Business, a book that should be in every naturalist's library. Poison ivy, PI, is one of the most common skin allergies in America, affecting over 50 million people every year, according to the American Academy of Dermatol. Although it sure feels like it is, the rash is not technically a contact one. Instead, it's an extreme allergic reaction happening within the skin. This itchy rash produces swelling and blisters that can last over two weeks in some cases. And lucky humans, we are the only animals that are allergic to PI. However, a lucky 15 to 50% of people are not allergic to it. But anyone can become allergic or immune to it at any time. You can get PI by petting a dog that has walked through it. You can get it if you breathe in smoke from burning firewood covered in it. Bird banders at Lila risk the chance of getting it by handling the netted birds. They use hand sanitizer after every bird. When the Lila turtle tracking volunteers were locating box turtles, many times they had to crawl through patches of the stuff. It's there, it's everywhere. It can be a vine, at ground level, or as big as a tree. The plant does not cause the allergic reaction. When the plant is disturbed, it releases uruchio. The reason the rash seems to spread over time is because the more firmly PI touches your skin, the sooner it will manifest in a rash and the more severe that rash will be. Light touches take longer. If exposed, the first step is to get as much of the Urucio out of your skin as possible by always taking a blue shower with Dawn dishwashing detergent after working in the outdoors, focusing on skin that was not covered by clothes. You usually don't notice when you've made contact with poison ivy. It's the leaves of three you don't see that get you. Once begun, the rash goes through stages, each one requiring a different management. As Amy puts it, you must become a PI ninja. The name Poison Ivy came from the British explorer Captain John Smith, who in 1609 wrote, in so many words, what the expletive is this? Yet the rest of nature loves it. Birds and small critters eat the white berries, while deer and rabbits munch on the protein-rich leaves. The root system is good for soil erosion. The vines offer shelter to many things, and it is a pretty plant. From a distance, the leaves come in sets of three and can be lobed, ragged, look like mittens, or even smooth, but never have serrated edges. The stems often have a red cast. The leaves turn red in the fall and or winter. The poison ivy species, Toxicodendron Raticans, thrives in open land, wooded areas, and woodland edges. It's immune to climate change. It loves hot weather. Studies show it may become even more poisonous in the future. Amy's book Itchy Business advises you what to do if exposed, how to remove poison ivy exposed clothes properly, how to get rid of it on your property, everything you ever wanted to know about poison ivy. Just remember the song Let It Be, Let It Be, Let It Be, Let It Be. There will be an answer. Let it be. Leaves of three, let it be, let it be. Just let it be. Features. How can we ever thank you? By Barbara Brown. Editor Trinity Forks. Forks Native Plant Press, shared by Becky Bertoni. Irene Hansen has been a member of Trinity Forks Nipsot since 1992 and the Texas Master Naturalist Elm Fork Chapter member since 2014. She has been and continues to be a faithful volunteer for Trinity Forks and Texas Master Naturalist projects. Over many years, Irene spent countless hours propagating plants in the Lela Greenhouse for their prairie restoration efforts. She also helped create and maintain the Lela Pollinator Garden while training newbies about the native plants that grow in North Texas. Irene worked at Green Acres, establishing pollinator gardens and collecting seeds. She often gave educational walks at various locations in the Flower Mound area, teaching neighbors about our local native plants. Irene always educates with a smile and many helpful hints. Her positive impact on the Texas Master Naturalist program earned her Volunteer of the Year in 2019. Irene's yard and greenhouse are a testament to her love of Texas native plants. In March, a team of Trinity Forks volunteers worked with Irene to select and save hundreds of plants from her greenhouse, to share with friends and offer to attendees at the Trinity Forks plant sale in April. And here's an article by Irene, originally posted in the November 2022 issue of Naturalist News and reposted per Becky Bertoni's request. A Gardener's Tale by Irene Hansen. About 40 years ago, when I was starting out to landscape around our new home and to start a kitchen garden, it seemed I had a lot of choices, and no one to warn me away from bad choices. Pine trees. The Texas forestry people had sapling trees, evergreen, and those that dropped their leaves in the fall. With four acres to fill up, I was happy to see the trees came in bunches of fifty for not too many dollars. I started by planting a hundred loblolly pines. With each one a little bigger than a potted geranium plant, I did a lot of digging and got my exercise. Most of them survived the planting and grew to be beautiful green bowers filled with birds and other critters. In the heat of summer, the air was filled with pine perfume. In winter they shivered in the Arctic blasts as they broke the wind. Alas, their true nature was revealed as the years piled up. Those loblollies came from East Texas. There are no pines native to the North Texas area, specifically a spot in Denton County. Slowly but surely those big, beautiful giants fell prey to borers and drought. Worse, I had planted them along the property boundaries. Somewhere in the middle area, they could have stood bare of needles until a wind knocked them down. But these pines could fall on the neighbor's house or fence when the wind was up. Sadly, I had to call an arborist to remove those dead giants. Way out in our backyard, a pine seed has volunteered. It looks like a loblolly now as it heads toward the clouds. This young giant will be welcomed to great grandkids. It can flourish and be a home for birds until in old age the branches are bare. No worries about what a storm or wind could do with all the open space around it. Vines. Now, vines can be good and bad. Consider the trumpet vine, with its brilliant trumpets as food for hummingbirds, capsis radicens, trumpet creeper, trumpet vine, common trumpet creeper, cow vine, foxglove vine, hell vine, devil's shoestring, as it scrambles up trees and along fences, displaying its bright flowers. It can be too vigorous for a small tree, and then it needs to be cut back. It must not be allowed to grow on a wall or in a cultivated garden. Since it is a Texas native, it is not invasive, but it will take over any spot that offers sufficient water and space. The climbing milkweed vine, Funastrum Sinicoides, fringed twine vine, twine vine, bought at a native plant sale, was a surprise. It needed sunshine and water, so I planted it at the edge of my butterfly garden. As time went on, the vine that started at one edge had crawled to the opposite edge and beyond. It obviously was about to take over the entire garden. I later learned at a program about growing milkweed that the climbing milkweed vine should never be turned loose in any cultivated space. It is safe to allow out in the open field, dependent on whatever rain that falls for subsistence. With the milkweed vine, I learned to be a wily gardener and ask questions about how it grows. Butter daisy. When I pointed to a bright yellow daisy blooming in the walkway of a nursery and asked about it, the salesman dug it up and potted it for me. This was how I was introduced to the butter daisy. Its best point is that it really grows and takes over a spot. The butter daisy, Verbicina Enciliotes, cowpen daisy, golden crown beard, is in the Aster family. It can be an entire pollinator garden by itself. It is a good nectar source, especially for late season butterflies. Native bees as well as honeybees gather on them. A hot summer morning will hum with bees busy gathering nectar and pollen. The daisies have a fragrance not everyone thinks is pretty, perhaps reminiscent of the cow pens it calls home. Cow pens are an example of the kind of disturbed soil on which it thrives. Miles of roadside can be seen covered with this yellow daisy, as well as acres of farm or ranch. The bloom season is long, from April to October, and it is found growing from the west coast to the eastern shore, from Canada, south into tropical America. This deer resistant daisy may be annual, but it is a serious seed producer, so no worries about more next year. Given time, the plant can grow three feet tall and just as wide. Come October, the golden flowers will be mobbed with countless pollinators. Scatter a few seeds anytime now, and you can have a meadow dotted with butter daisies all next season. Chinese Privet Finding the butter daisy was a happy accident. Acquiring a Chinese privet is something I wish I could undo, take back. My mother shared the small plant with me to be a small shrub in my garden. It would be covered with fragrant blossoms in the spring, and then those blossoms would become small black fruits containing seeds. Those fruits are toxic to humans, but birds happily eat them and thus distribute the seeds far and wide. Chinese privet, Ligustrum senens, is worse than kudzu, because kudzu needs sun to grow. Kudzu is the invasive vine that ate the South. The villainous Chinese privet grows anywhere and everywhere, in sun or shade, in wet or dry soil. Scientists say it is growing all over more than three million acres of southern forests and is now spreading as far north as Massachusetts. The intruder is popping up everywhere in my garden. I have accepted destroying it as my penance for welcoming it into my garden as a good guy. This lesson proves the rule that native plants are best for our environment. Bermuda Lawns. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, I grew up believing every home needed a lawn surrounding it. When my small family with toddlers transitioned from apartment dwellers to a new house, it was my first task to put in a lawn. Obviously, my knowledge of lawn growing would not help here in totally different weather patterns, so I called the local agriculture agent for advice. Unfortunately, Bermudagrass or St. Augustine were the choices I was given. Not only is Bermudagrass, Cynodactylon, a garden bully, arrowing directly into my garden without any regard for edges or borders. It quickly goes to seed, causing much suffering from airborne pollen. Sadly, the goal of a thick green lawn that feels good beneath bare feet never happened. Being a plain dirt gardener couldn't accomplish this. It takes quantities of chemical fertilizer and water. We are learning now that the longed-for lush green lawn is in fact a desert, hosting no wildlife, from microbial populations on up to bees, butterflies, and birds. In fact, reducing lawn and increasing native trees, shrubs, and forbs is wildlife-friendly, sure to bring in the birds, bees, and butterflies. Grasses are supposed to grow in a clump, not make long strings, turning my garden into a weed patch. The worst trait of Bermuda grass is what happens after it claims the garden. The soil is filled with roots that can't be pulled, but must be pried out. Rototilling it will only make a million more grasses to remove. If non-native grass is the devil, our Texas native grasses are heavenly, like the difference between beauty and the beast. Heed these lessons. The aforementioned is to keep my promise to tell other gardeners what I learned not to plant and what I wish someone had told me once upon a time. I have learned that trees are the answer for any problems, even for climate change, but plant the right trees in the right place. Anything can be grown in good organic garden soil. Don't use chemical fertilizers and pesticides unless a desert is the goal. No garden can be lovelier than a butterfly garden, and we can all have one. Butterfly gardens can preside over the smallest corner of soil along the street. Forces of Nature, Mentors in the Field by Jerry Hamby. On a trip to Austin in 2010, my wife Susan and I visited Brightleaf Preserve, a little known 216-acre oasis surrounded by urban development. Then, as now, the preserve was accessible only by guided tour. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a woman wearing a bright green vest, adorned with a dragonfly pin, and a name tag that proclaimed she was a Texas master naturalist. As we waited for other people to arrive, I peppered her with questions. I was ten years away from retirement, but sensed that the TMN program might provide the kinds of activities I would enjoy at the end of my teaching career. For the next three hours, our guide led us on a four-mile hike along a stream, up a hillside covered in ash junipers, juniperus ashii, and Texas live oaks, Quercus fusiformis, and to a limestone ridge that offered a commanding view of the Colorado River to the west. Along the way, our guide made well-timed stops to share a mix of natural history, geology, and Native American lore, as well as the story of Georgia Lucas, the benefactor who made Brightleaf her legacy through four decades of land acquisition. Our knowledgeable guide was providing interpretation, the art of connecting people to a natural space, something I would learn about through my own master naturalist training four years later. Looking back, I realized that the mysterious woman in the green vest was the first of several people who educated, encouraged, and inspired me as I found my place in the TMN program. In 2014, while participating in my first volunteer event, I met another master naturalist, Martha Richeson, who had recently trained with the Galveston Bay Area chapter. Our primary job that day was to repot trees at Exploration Green, a nature park in Houston that was in the early stages of development. After talking to Martha about her training experience and recalling the woman at Brightleaf who introduced me to the program, I contacted the training coordinator for the Gulf Coast chapter, which serves Harris County, and reserved a spot in the next round of training, which began in August. I have always enjoyed spending time outdoors, but until I trained with the TMN program, my knowledge of the natural world was limited. My education and subsequent teaching career were steeped in the fine arts and humanities, and my undergraduate science courses were limited to two semesters of general biology. As a result, I felt a bit out of place when I attended the first night of TMN training. I quickly realized, however, that my concerns were unfounded. If there was one quality that defines the character of the TMN program, it is the sense of belonging its members, from the state leadership to instructors, extend to newcomers. Jaime Gonzalez was one of several outstanding instructors who introduced my classmates and me to the biological diversity of the Upper Texas Gulf Coast. Jaime taught a unit on prairie ecology and led an all-day field trip to the Katy Prairie Preserve, now part of the Coastal Prairie Conservancy. In the classroom, Jaime discussed the unique characteristics of the coastal tallgrass prairie, of which the Katy Prairie Preserve is one of the few pristine remnants. We learned about potholes, shallow wetland depressions whose natural linings retain rainwater, and Mima mounds, slightly elevated hills that create unique microclimates. To help us visualize the root system of native grasses, Jaime asked a few classmates to unroll a banner of a life-sized photo of big blue stem, andropogonarardii, one of the big four perennial prairie grasses. The unfurled banner stretched to 12 feet, only three of which showed above ground growth. The massive roots allow for greater water intake, providing a natural way to absorb flood water. Jaime also shared historical narratives of settlers crossing the Texas coastal prairie by wagon and horseback for more than 100 miles without setting foot on dry ground, and as he described the landscape of the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto, where Texian soldiers moved undetected through tall switchgrass, Panicum Virgatum, as they approached the Mexican forces camping on the banks of Buffalo Bayou. To this day, whenever I hike through switchgrass, as I often do at the LBJ National Grassland, I can imagine the density of a 19th-century tall grass prairie. On our field trip to the Katy Prairie Preserve, my classmates and I learned about conservation easements, which are legal agreements between landowners and land trusts that restrict the use of property to protect its natural value. When we hiked through the Tucker easement, Jaime handed out sweep nets for capturing insects, one of which was a northern grass mantis, Brunaria borealis, the only mantis species known to reproduce solely through parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction. We also turned over a few logs to look for brown recluse spiders, Loxosiles reclusa. That day there were none to be found. I appreciated Jaime's childlike curiosity and sense of adventure, as well as his ability to make prairie ecology relevant to people's lives. When we met, Jaime was community conservation director for the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, and in the years since, he has worked as community and equitable conservation director for the Nature Conservancy of Texas and elsewhere. Another early mentor is Mary Carol Edwards, whom I met shortly after volunteering at Exploration Green. As a Stormwater wetland program specialist with Texas AM AgriLi Extension Service, she spoke at a forum in Clear Lake where community leaders unveiled the master plan for Exploration Green and recruited volunteers for the project. Among other topics, she explained the ecological benefits of establishing a wetland ecosystem in the park, particularly the ability of wetland plants to absorb chemical contaminants as they filter runoff water. I got to know Mary Carroll when she established and oversaw an on-site native plant wetland nursery at Exploration Green. In addition to teaching me about dozens of plant species, Mary Carroll showed me how to organize community planting events. After volunteering for several wetland plantings, I developed enough confidence to oversee, along with my tree nursery partner, Alan Brown, the first tree planting events in the park. In the four years we worked together, Mary Carroll led nursery tours and organized invasive species walks, the latter of which helped volunteers better understand the challenges of rewilding natural spaces. In 2017, Mary Carroll and I made a joint presentation at the TMN Annual Meeting in Corpus Christi, in which we talked about the evolution of Exploration Green from abandoned golf course to nature park. In 2018, Mary Carroll left her position with Texas AM AgriLife to found Green Star Wetland Plant Farm, which provides locally sourced native wetland plants for use in flood control basins, conservation and mitigation projects, and other projects. As a businesswoman, she continues to improve the natural environment and to inspire others. The person who nurtured my naturalist tendencies the most is Barry Ward, executive director of Trees for Houston. In the seven years we worked together, I learned invaluable skills in tree identification and maintenance. Barry taught me the basics of tree biology, including a tree's ability to compartmentalize structural damage, and he showed me how to prune outside the stem collar, which is a practice I have followed ever since. He also guided me through the challenges of operating a nursery and ensured that our on-site facility was operational by stocking it with supplies and more than 1,500 trees. Barry loved to problem solve and was most energized when the nursery team faced a major challenge. When we prepared to plant trees on a habitat island, the leadership team had to figure out how to transport almost 200 trees across a detention pond. Barry suggested loading the 15 and 30 gallon pots onto flat-bottomed John boats and pulling the vessels by rope between two temporary docks. While some people expected the enterprise to fail, Barry encouraged us to try something bold. Of course, the endeavor was a resounding success, and trees were similarly transported when volunteers planted on three additional islands. Since moving to North Texas, I have worked extensively with trees, participating in inventories and surveys in several communities and providing tree maintenance in natural areas. This spring, I was a member of the training committee for the 2026 class of Danton County Citizen Foresters, assisting with field sessions and helping students plant trees on the final class day. While I continue to learn from other people, the skills and knowledge I received from Barry still guide me. One of the things I appreciate most about Barry is the fact that he, like me, came to the naturalist world from an unexpected background. He has a bachelor's degree. Degree in history with a geographical focus on Europe. He was director of the Battleship Texas State Historic Site and was a key player in the ship's early restoration. Since changing direction to lead trees for Houston, he has overseen the planting of more than one million trees. I am immensely fortunate to have worked with people like Barry, Mary Carroll, and Jaime. Each played a major role in shaping my ethos as a naturalist. They also inspired me to plant it forward and to encourage other people to do the same. Over the years I have recruited several friends, colleagues, and students to join the TMN program. I never learned the name of the woman who started me on this amazing journey. I know that she was a member of the Capital Area Chapter, and I have a photograph of her from that day we met at Brightleaf, but her name tag is illegible. I hope that one day we will meet up at the Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting. Tweet of the Month from Sue Yost, class of 2017. Belted Kingfisher. Rattle rattle. That loud call unmistakably belongs to the king of the waterways, the belted kingfisher. That call is usually heard long before you can see the bird. Living near water, the kingfisher lives up to its name. Their main diet is fish. They also eat crayfish, tadpoles, frogs, and aquatic insects. Hunting from a snag or branch near or over the water, they keep a watchful eye on the water, and once prey is detected, they dive up to 25 miles per hour into the water, spearing the prey with their long, sharp bill. They will retreat to usually the same hunting perch and either swallow it whole or slap it silly on the branch until it is dead and then swallow it, always head first. I got to witness this behavior many years ago on the Bittern Marsh Trail at Lila. They also hunt by hovering over the water, bill downward, before diving after a fish they've spotted. Kingfishers have a special acid in their stomachs that helps them digest the scales, shells, and bones. They also regurgitate pellets, much like owls do. These ragged crested birds are a powdery blue-gray. Males have one blue band across the white breast, while females have a blue and a chestnut band. Females having more colors than the males is unusual in the bird world. Kingfishers burrow into the sandy banks of rivers and waterways. The tunnel slopes upward from the entrance, perhaps to keep water from entering the nest. Tunnel length ranges from one to eight feet. The male and female take turns digging the burrow, with males spending about twice as much time digging as females. They usually take three to seven days to finish it, but may sometimes take up to three weeks. The female lays five to eight glossy white eggs. Incubation takes twenty two to twenty four days, and fledgling starts at twenty seven to twenty nine days. They can have one to two broods a season. Predators of kingfishers include hawks, mammals, and snakes. The oldest known fossil in the kingfisher genus is two million years old, found in Alachua County, Florida. In our area, we only get the belted kingfisher. In the very southern part of the state, you can also find the smaller green kingfisher and the larger ringed kingfisher. They can be found around the world. The family contains 118 species. The kingfisher family Alcidinidae is in the order Corosaformes, which also includes the motmots, bee eaters, toadies, rollers, and ground rollers. Next time you are at Leela, hike the cottonwood trail to the beaver pond, or hike the redbud trail along the river. Listen carefully. You may just get to see one of the most fascinating residents, the beautiful Belted King. Rattle rattle. Almost the last word. The 2026 Training Committee is asking for your help by actively seeking your gently used TMN textbooks. We request any TMN EFC member that is not using their TMN textbook to help us reduce, reuse, and recycle your textbooks by donating it back to our chapter. It is easy. Just bring your textbooks to the next few monthly chapter meetings. Contact Marissa Shaw or any member of the 2026 Training Committee to coordinate. Remember to visit the Elm Fork Chapters online pop-up store, located on the homepage of our website. New items. We are on Instagram. Please follow us at Elmfork Chapter TMN and check out all the neat photos from our chapter. Show your project workday on Instagram. Send one to three photos to social media team at efctmn.org. Thank you for all your amazing articles and photos for the Naturalist News. We couldn't do it without you. Please send submissions to newsletter at EFCTMN.org. June 2026 submissions are due by Monday, June 8th. This has been Naturalist News, presented by the Texas Master Naturalist Elm Fork Chapter. Read to you by Terry Schnobelt. Thank you for listening.