BPTMN’s Eco Explorers’ Spring Explorations

Vicki Sanders, BPTMN 2022

Our Girl Scouts have been very busy this Spring semester with over 100 girls signing up for events in January, February, March, and April! The program is open to any Girl Scout, from kindergarten to 12^th grade, who lives in North Texas, and is administered by BPTMN members Kathy Boys, Randy Boys, Kim Montange, and Vicki Sanders, who are all also members of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. Each event featured guest BPTMN members who shared their experience and time with the girls.

In January, BPTMN member Jean Suplick joined us for a lesson on birds. We learned about their beaks and what they eat, their feathers and how they fly, and some examples of birds that live in the Blackland Prairie. We also made bird feeders out of pine cones, vegetable shortening, and bird seed, for each girl to take home. To round out the badge the girls were earning, we learned about recycling, air flow, and some other native plants, animals, and insects.

February found us at Holifield Science Learning Center were we were generously hosted by staff members Elisa Caywood – Best, Brett Taylor, and Libby Aragon, who is also a member of BPTMN Class of 2024. We learned about native animals like bobcats, coyotes, and raccoons, and why they don’t make good pets! We learned about their habitats, and took a fun, muddy hike. To finish up our badge we learned about animals that do make good pets and how to best take care of them.

March was very busy, and we had a record turnout at Connemara Meadow where we were joined by BPTMN members Nancy Casillas and Marla Layne for a tour of the Meadow. While learning about the Blackland Prairie and its native inhabitants, we also discovered the many shapes in nature and looked at examples of symmetry, fractals, and the Fibonacci sequence. We enjoyed a snack under the pecan trees where we made spider webs with yarn and radial art with birdseed.

On a beautiful day in April, we ventured to Parkhill Prairie where we learned more about insects and native plants. Brandon Belcher of the Nature Conservancy and BPTMN member Tom Shackelford joined us to share their knowledge of the Prairie ecosystem. Brandon led us on a tour of the Prairie while Tom helped the girls learn about insects.

We will end our semester with a May event at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve with a tour led by BPTMN member Daniel Miranda.

BPTMN Eco Explorers depend on Chapter members sharing their time and expertise with our Girl Scouts. If you are interested in helping at one of our events for approved VH or would like more information, please contact Vicki Sanders at vickis@bptmn.org or gsecoexplorers@gmail.com.