Shaking the Trees

Current News Members Shaking the Trees VH

Rooted in Paulette: The First Books & Blooms Library Blooms at Green Gardens

Mary Abercrombie, Class of 2020 – Books & Blooms, a new passive engagement program that reimagines Little Free Libraries as vibrant community touchpoints for ecological literacy and neighborhood beauty.

Our very first Books & Blooms installation is now blooming at the Green Gardens of McKinney at Gabe Nesbitt Park, and we couldn’t have asked for a better partner to bring this pilot to life than Paulette Platko, local artist, garden steward, and Texas Master Naturalist with the Blackland Prairie Chapter.

General Members Shaking the Trees

Barbara Hibberd’s Pocket Prairie

What began as a hopeful rescue of a discarded Evening Primrose plant twenty years ago blossomed into a cherished, enduring “pocket prairie” that returns to Barb’s front yard year after year.

Current News New Class Training Shaking the Trees Training Class

Congratulations Blackland Prairie Chapter Class of 2025!

A hearty congratulations to the Texas Master Naturalist Class of 2025 on your graduation! Your dedication and hard work are an inspiration, and we’re so excited to welcome you to the community of stewards making a real difference for Texas’ natural wonders.

Current News General Members Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

From Isolation to Inspiration: Celebrating 60 Editions of Shaking the Trees

It is amazing that we are celebrating the 60th edition of Shaking the Trees. As we found ourselves thrown into the glum alienation of COVID, I thought it was imperative that we celebrate accomplishments and become familiar with the uniqueness of every member.

Advanced Training Shaking the Trees

Train the Trainer workshops-teaching about Monarchs any time anywhere with two posters and a stick

Carol Clark, Class of 2010 – Train the Trainer workshops-teaching about Monarchs any time anywhere with two posters and a stick. It worked! With a small starter grant from the Blackland Prairie chapter, a successful workshop series was born.

Current News News Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees Wildlife

Making Your Yard A Safe Haven For Opossums And Other Wildlife

Renee Dowhaniuk, Class of 2023 – Plant bushes, trees, and vines next to your fence to allow the opossum to climb down into your yard for a visit. Once your trees mature, allow some branches with leaves to hang down upon the fence, which will become the opossum’s highway along its nightly route, visiting different yards.

LLELA Partners Shaking the Trees VH

Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) Volunteer Opportunities for 2025

Angela Lewallen, Friends of LLELA – I wanted to share some updated information about the volunteer opportunities at LLELA for our BPTMN volunteers. I’ve attached a one-pager for download that lists all the events and contact information at LLELA.

Books Current News Library Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Kingbird Highway by Kenn Kaufman: A Book Review by the Chapter Librarian

Linder Orourke, Class of 2023 – This story is one long tale of Kaufman’s obsession with birds and the magic he experienced when finding rare ones. Every one of his forays into the wilds of America and Mexico and Canada in search of ornithological wonders was funded by his odd jobs like apple picking.

Current News General Program HOME Shaking the Trees

Introducing…the HOME Program

Are you interested in introducing native plants to your yard or attracting butterflies? Would you like to save time and money watering your plants? If so, we encourage you to explore Program HOME.

Current News Shaking the Trees

Rare Coyote on trail cam

Paul Napper, Class of 2015 – Black Coyotes (melanistic) comprise about 5.7% of the coyote population.

The first one I’ve ever seen appeared on my trail cams this year. Over the years, I’ve had many coyotes on trail cams but never a melanistic one. I set up three or four trail cams on deer trails and deer scrapes yearly. The goal is to find where and when the bigger bucks are moving.