In Northwest Frisco, the Blackland Prairie Restoration Project is transforming Monarch View Park from manicured turf into a thriving native landscape. Over the past year, a partnership between Play Frisco, H-E-B, and the Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalists has united volunteers to plant over 5,000 native plants across nearly 100 species. This community-driven effort is not only rebuilding soil health but serving as a new model for future habitat restoration throughout the city.
Prairie Restoration
Colmena Ranch Native Prairie Plants Rescue
Over the past seven months, the group has salvaged approximately 550 plants from 59 different species, along with collecting seeds from several others. This crucial effort will help restore local habitats, preserve regional biodiversity, and support native wildlife. The chapter is grateful for the landowner’s support and hopes this project serves as a model for future conservation opportunities.
Collin College Blackland Prairie Project needs your feet 👣on Saturday, September 20th at 8:30 AM for the Fall Seed Stomp🥾 👟👢👞!!
On September 20th, we will be stomping this latest batch of seed into a different area at the Collin College Blackland Prairie that is located at the corner facing highway 380. Prime viewing for the community. The area has open ground that needs to be filled with natives to help hold the soil, push back the invasives, and be a positive view to the community.
Partial Solar Eclipse walk at Parkhill Prairie with Rich Jaynes and Amy Martin
Michelle Connally, Class of 2018 – While we explore, the Sun will be undergoing an annular solar eclipse. Because we are outside the central eclipse band, it’ll only be a partial eclipse from our perspective and won’t have the shadow darkening effect of more precise eclipses. But it will be interesting for us to see what changes in sunlight we detect and if it seems to affect wildlife. Bring eclipse glasses for the full impact.
Wild Flower tour of Clymer Meadow with Brandon Belcher – April 29, 2023
Vicki Sanders, 2022 – On Saturday, May 29, Brandon Belcher of The Nature Conservancy hosted a group of about 35 guests on a chilly morning tour of Clymer Meadow.
Our Tribe’s Fortune 1,000 Hours – Heather Fell
Heather Fell, 2021 “It is great to see the students get excited about the labs at the Heard and I can share some of the knowledge I have obtained through our BPTMN training classes and working with so many of our wonderful volunteers.”
Preservation of Remnant Smiley-Woodfin Prairie
Rick Travis, 2018 – The article tells the story of how the remnant Smiley-Woodfin Prairie will be preserved versus being eliminated by the construction of a solar power farm. The company, Orsted developing the solar farm and the Nature Conservancy recently reached an agreement that will preserve about 1000 acres of the prairie.
Wild Hyacinths (Camassia scilloides) of Frankford Prairie
Cynthia Alexander-Coday – reprint from Shaking of the Trees Newsletter First Edition dated April 12, 2020. Down in Dallas, east of the tollway but still in Collin County, there is a historic church & cemetery that were part of the Frankford settlement in the mid-late 1800s.
Last of the Blackland, A Nature Conservancy video
Charlise Hill-Larson, 2019 and 2021-22 Vice President
I was spending time with The Nature Conservancy online this am and came across this short film on the Clymer Meadow. If we haven’t shared it already, it’s certainly worth sharing.
Heard Sanctuary Fall/ Winter Volunteer existing projects
Tom Shackelford, 2018; President The Heard Sanctuary is seeking volunteers to assist in the restoration and preservation of multiple sanctuary projects at the Heard. This is an existing project that has been in place for some time and there is now a renewed effort to address opportunities. This is available to any interested individual and is a great way for interested Master Naturalists to earn volunteer hours. Specific projects follow below.