Blackland Prairie Newsletter

BPTMN Newsletter – November 16, 2025

Hello Blackland Prairie Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists,

Read Rick Travis’s 2025 Year End Review about our record-breaking 2025, surpassing 40,000 volunteer hours and 4,200 advanced training hours. Our chapter also celebrated a big win at the 2025 Texas Master Naturalists Annual Conference, where Kathy Boys’ Journaling Brochure earned first place for its ability to foster connection and stewardship with nature.

Looking ahead, don’t miss the in-person Blackland Prairie Chapter Holiday Party & Potluck on Tuesday, December 9th—a perfect chance to celebrate the year with fellow members and project leaders. Be sure to CHECK OUT the BPTMN Holiday Party 2025 Sign Up Genius.

Volunteers are needed to bring holiday cheer to LLELA’s Christmas at the Cabin on Saturday, December 13th. Join us on Tuesday, December 16th for a Deep Dive with Dr. Jaime Baxter-Slye, sharing exciting updates from the UNT Ecological Action Studio 2025, including a prescribed burn and plant rescue efforts.

Finally, remember to mark your calendar for the Blackland Prairie Chapter Book Club meeting on Wednesday, December 17th, and please update your contact data immediately to be included in the 2026 Membership Directory.

Have a delightful & delicious Thanksgiving holiday!

You can access our latest newsletter from our Chapter’s Home Page at bptmn.org, click on the “Blackland Prairie Newsletter” image, OR by direct link – https://txmn.org/bptmn/newsletters/

Do you have newsletter feedback or want to help? Send us an email – [email protected]

This newsletter will provide:

Next Month’s Chapter Meeting
Shaking the Trees Member Submissions – Shaking the Trees Newsletter
Past Meetings with Business Slides and Recordings
Past Deep Dives with Handouts and Recordings
Upcoming Advanced Training & Volunteer Hours Opportunities – Member VHAT Calendar.
TMN State Program Updates
Chapter Advisor
Chapter Partners

If chapter members need to share information in the monthly newsletters or provide feedback.
Please send your emails to [email protected].

Michelle Connally
Communications Director
Blackland Prairie Chapter

Next month’s Chapter Meeting information

2026 January Chapter Meeting with Class of 2025| Class “Ted Talks”

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]