Join us on January 13th at 7 PM for A Showcase from the Class of 2025!

Kick off the new year with the Blackland Prairie Chapter! For our first meeting of 2026, we are thrilled to feature four diverse presentations from our talented Class of 2025 graduates.

From the science of water quality to the magic of teaching children about the outdoors, this meeting highlights the wide range of passions within our chapter.

Featured Speakers & Topics

Dennis Burke: Rather Be the Hunter than the Prey

Dennis Burke loves volunteering at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary as a Trail Guide and Steward. He also serves as an educator at the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, leading camps, classes, and field trips. A strong proponent of community science, Dennis is a big fan of the iNaturalist app.

Genna Hiltz: Preserving the Wonder of Childhood Through Nature

A native Texan with a passion for travel and hiking, Genna Hiltz is a homeschool mom who spends her days exploring creeks, woods, and the sky with her two spirited children. Driven by a deep appreciation for the natural world, Genna’s presentation focuses on fostering curiosity and inspiring others—especially children—to develop a lasting connection with nature.

Dixie Westbrook: Greenhouse Gases – More than CO2

Dixie Westbrook brings her expertise as an AP Environmental Science teacher at Flower Mound High School to our chapter. Known for her advocacy for student wellbeing (and perhaps a bit of unsolicited advice!), she loves traveling and attending concerts. Dixie will dive into the science of greenhouse gases, looking beyond just Carbon Dioxide.

Nick Scott: Walkthrough of EPA’s HowsMyWaterway Application

Nicholas Scott holds a Master’s in Biological Sciences from East Texas A&M University. He currently works for the US Environmental Protection Agency (Region 6) as a water quality scientist. Nick helps oversee State Clean Water Act programs and conducts monitoring for the National Aquatic Resource Survey. He will be walking us through the EPA’s How’s My Waterway application—a vital tool for understanding our local water resources.

We look forward to seeing you there to support our newest members!

When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026 – 7:00 PM
Click here to view our Calendar.

• SRC Doors will open at 6:30 PM
• The Zoom meeting waiting room will open at 6:45 PM
• The Business Meeting will begin at 7:00 PM
• Naturalist Talk will start at 7:30 PM (approximately)
  

Physical Meeting Location:  Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 
1Nature Place, McKinney, TX 75069, Science Resource Center (SRC) building.
Directions to SRC: Drive through Heard gates, past the parking lot and museum building, and continue until the road ends at the large white SRC building. 

Register in advance for this Zoom meeting:
Use the email address associated with your personal Zoom account.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Z7BrnoA7R0mMCCmAg05GQQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Logging AT:  The monthly meeting presentation will allow members to earn 1 hour of AT. Log as AT: BPTMN Chapter Monthly Meeting Only (1 hour) with the speaker’s name and topic in the description box.

If you have any additional questions, please email.
Chapter Meeting Host: Vicki Sanders, [email protected]