Michelle Connally, Communications Director
A vibrant native habitat is truly taking shape at Monarch View Park! This dream is becoming a reality thanks to the incredible collaboration of Blackland Prairie Chapter Project Lead, Laura Kuwayama, the City of Frisco Parks department, dedicated local volunteers, the North American Telugu Society (NATS), and the Blackland Prairie Master Naturalists. With vital support from an H-E-B Pollinator Grant, Monarch Park now has a beautiful array of native species like Little Bluestem, Baptisia australis, and Wild Bergamot. These efforts are creating a crucial space for pollinators to thrive right here in Frisco!
We reached out to the Blackland Prairie Chapter Project Leader, Laura Kuwayama, this month to ask her for an update on this successful collaboration between H-E-B (Our Texas, Our Future), Texas Master Naturalist Program, and our local community.
What local groups are working to bring this dream into reality?
Local volunteers from the neighborhood, North American Telugu Society (NATS) and our chapter, the Blackland Prairie Master Naturalists.
2025 Community Event Images
Monarch View Park – Plant Layout with Blackland Prairie Chapter Members (May 16, 2025)
Monarch View May 17, 2025 Planting
Monarch View Park (Picture of Plants Purchased with H-E-B Our Texas, Our Future Grant) (May 16-17)
Monarch View Park – NATS, Citizen Volunteers, and BPTMN (May 17-18, 2025)
What plants were purchased with the H-E-B Pollinator Grant?
The following plants were obtained with the H-E-B Pollinator Grant and planted on April 12th and 13th at Monarch View Park. We plan to hold an additional planting in the fall using the remaining grant funds.
1 flat of Echinacea angustifolia (50 plugs)
1 flat of Marshallia caespitosa (50 plugs)
3 flats of Little Bluestem (150 plugs)
4-inch Baptisia australis (6 total)
4-inch Webberville Sedge (100 total)
4-inch Wild Bergamot (20 total)
4-inch assorted native perennials (18 total)
1-gallon Linum lewisii (7 total)
1-gallon Calyptocarpus vialis (7 total)
1-gallon Carex perdentata (7 total)
1-gallon Scutellaria wrightii (3 total)
2-gallon Silphium terebinthinaceum (1 total)
Laura’s the point person on this Frisco project, and I’m very, very proud of the dedication she’s shown working within our chapter, Frisco Parks, several volunteer organizations, and several plant vendors/sources, to ensure this major restoration endeavor gets planned and executed correctly. She’s done a heckuva job with this project.
– Rick Travis
President, Blackland Prairie Chapter
How can local community members, neighbors, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, churches, businesses, foundations, and other interested parties support the Monarch Park Project?
Contact me at [email protected]. I’m planning to hold weekly Sunday morning workdays, 7 AM-11 AM. If a workday needs to be canceled, I’ll be sure to update the calendar accordingly. – https://txmn.org/bptmn/calendar/
Details:
- Time: 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Location: 1900 Koehn Drive
- Meeting Spot: At the top of the big berm near the Monarch artwork
- What to Bring: Gloves, water, litter bags, scissors, hand clippers, weed removal tools, buckets/containers
- What to Wear: Protective clothing: long sleeves, pants, closed-toed shoes, and bug spray
Planned Activities:
- Collecting Monarda citriodora and Gaillardia pulchella seeds to scatter in other areas of the park
- We have plenty of extra seeds of these species. Feel free to take some home if you’d like!
- Removing Johnson grass seedheads and cutting down established plants
- Addressing any other maintenance needs in the planted areas
Questions? Contact me at [email protected]
How to Log your Volunteer Service Hours for Blackland Prairie Chapter Members:
Log your time under Pollinators for Texas – NRM. Be sure to include the location (Monarch View Park, Frisco) and a description of the work completed.
Thank you,
Laura Kuwayama