🌿 🌸 Spring in Full Bloom – Blackland Prairie Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists 🐦 🦋
April has arrived in North Texas, and with it, the Blackland Prairie has transformed into a vibrant tapestry of color and activity. This month is particularly special as we celebrate National Volunteer Month—a time to pause and recognize the incredible heart of our chapter: You. From the record-breaking 42,945 hours you dedicated last year, your impact is visible and deeply appreciated. Our mission is built on training a community of naturalists who carry this knowledge into every corner of North Texas and around the precious earth we call home.
Whether you are a seasoned naturalist or a member of our newest class, there is a place for you to dig in this April. Read on to see how your fellow members are making a difference and how you can join the celebration of service!
Celebrating Our Impact: National Volunteer Week 2026
This National Volunteer Week, we are igniting a celebration of service! The Blackland Prairie Chapter is proud to share our 2025 impact: 260 volunteers and over 42,000 hours dedicated to preserving Texas nature. Check out our chapter’s incredible milestones as we join the statewide celebration of conservation. Celebrating Our Impact: National Volunteer Week 2026
2026 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge April 24-27
Looking for a beautiful bioblitz during this week’s City Nature Challenge? Our iNaturalist Committee chairs, Adolfo Reyes and Rina Provost-Smith, have it all organized for you! It’s also on the chapter’s home page, but you can read all about it here. 2026 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge April 24-27
This month’s highlights:
April 2026
- Ongoing – May 31: Lights Out, Dallas! Spring Survey Lights Out Dallas Spring Migration Survey
- Ongoing – April 30: Spring Grant Application Window Spring Grant Applications
- Ongoing – April 30: Community Engagement 2026 Events – April & May Update
- April 19 – 25: Volunteer Week Celebrating Our Impact: National Volunteer Week 2026
- April 24 – 27: 2026 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge Blackland Prairie Chapter Events
May 2026
- Several Community Engagement events for May! Community Engagement 2026 Events – April & May Update
- May 8: Moth Night Party with Sam Kieschnick Ain’t no Party like a Moth Night Party with Sam Kieschnick, Urban Wildlife Biologist in McKinney!
- May 9: Join Donna Joy Vickers for the 2nd Saturday Workday! JM Caldwell Park Pollinator Garden in Princeton
- May 14: Bat Monitoring Workshop by Dr. Bryon Clark 🦇 Discover the “Music of the Night” at Hagerman NWR
- May 15: Deadline for Annual Meeting Proposals – Last day to submit your presenter proposal for the Annual Conference in Waco
October 2026 (Save the Date)
- October 22 – 25: TMN Annual Meeting in Waco
Historical Milestone
- February 2006: Donna Cole reminds us how the chapter held its first class and officially qualified for “chapterhood” in February 2006, and this Post Review reminds us how this beautiful Blackland Prairie Chapter tree was planted over 20 years ago. – The historical record for the Collin County Texas Master Naturalist Chapter – THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE CHAPTER OF THE TEXAS MASTER NATURALISTS
Also in this issue:
🐾 Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah Densmore, A Success Story in Wildlife Rehab – Michelle Connally
📸 Volunteer Spotlight: John W. Garbutt, A Passion for the Prairie – Michelle Connally
🦅 Birds, Brews & Community! – Donna Joy Vickers
A New Chapter in Youth Engagement – Vicki Sanders
Monarch Butterfly Population Increases by 64% – Leah Justice
Work day at Sally Evan’s home – Susan Abernethy
Grow Texas Proud: TPWF’s New App Makes Native Gardening Easy
You can access our latest newsletter from our Chapter’s Home Page at bptmn.org, click on the “Blackland Prairie Newsletter” image, OR by direct link – https://txmn.org/bptmn/newsletters/
This newsletter will provide:
- Next Month’s Chapter Meeting – Chapter Meetings
- Shaking the Trees Member Submissions – Shaking the Trees Newsletter
- Past Meetings Recordings – Chapter Meetings
- Past Deep Dives Recordings – Deep Dives
- Upcoming Advanced Training & Volunteer Hours Opportunities – Member VHAT Calendar.
- TMN State Program Updates
- Chapter Advisor
- Chapter Partners
If chapter members need to share information in the monthly newsletter that drops after the chapter meeting, or want to provide feedback, or want to help! Please send your emails to [email protected].
Michelle Connally
Communications Director
Blackland Prairie Chapter