Blackland Prairie Newsletter

Don’t be a ‘late bloomer’—join us for a look at native restorations on Wednesday, February 25th at 7 PM CST for a Deep Dive with Heather Fell and Katelyn Miller, presenting From Backyard to Blackland: Raising Natives for Restorations, online via Zoom.

Click here to view our Calendar.

Topic: From Backyard to Blackland: Raising Natives for Restorations

What if your backyard could help restore a prairie?

In this session, From Backyard to Blackland, we’ll explore how everyday gardeners can grow native plants at home and use them to support native gardens, prairie restoration, and larger habitat projects. Whether you have a small patio setup or a backyard greenhouse, you can play a meaningful role in rebuilding native landscapes.

We’ll walk through the essentials of starting native plants from seed, including important preparation techniques like stratification and scarification. You’ll learn how to create simple, small-scale grow light and greenhouse setups, how to grow potted natives for future seed collection, and best practices for transplanting natives into restoration sites.

By the end, you’ll see how homegrown plants can move beyond the backyard—contributing to healthier prairies, pollinator habitat, and resilient ecosystems.

Speakers: 

Katelyn Miller is a member of the Blackland Prairie Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists from the class of 2019. Currently, she is an Environmental Professor at Collin College and has 10 yrs experience teaching a diversity of biology. Her educational background includes a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation, an M.S. in Biological Sciences, and additional M.S. certifications in Agricultural Plant and Soil Science. Her volunteer focus for the past 7 yrs has included years of teaching the Junior Master Naturalist program and, more recently, leading the Collin College Farmersville Prairie project with Heather Fell. Additionally, she focuses on running a sustainable homestead with a focus on permaculture practices, including foraging and cultivating native species with agricultural cultivars.  

Heather Fell is a member of the Blackland Prairie Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists from the class of 2021. She has also completed her Texas Waters Specialist certification. She currently serves as the VH/AT Director for the chapter. Her lifelong love of geology started in middle school when she first learned about plate tectonics in earth science class. She’s been fascinated by Earth processes ever since. She has a master’s degree in environmental geoscience, with a special interest in paleogeology. She spent most of her career as a geophysicist working in seismic imaging of the Gulf of Mexico. She now works at Collin College in McKinney, teaching physical geology and Earth science. She also helps teach geology and environmental science outdoor labs at the Heard Natural Science Museum. Heather and Katelyn work together on a prairie restoration project at the Collin College Farmersville campus.

When: February 25, 2026, at 7 PM CST

Online Zoom Meeting Registration
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bNDW_52ZQUWMH0lyjOQjRw

Please register ahead of time for this meeting using your Zoom Account Email address. 
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.
(This meeting will be recorded, and a link will be posted here within a week of the event.)

Logging AT: Approved for 1 hour of AT to be logged as AT: BPTMN: Other Pre-approved Training with the speaker’s name and topic in the description box.
Advanced Training is only for the LIVE session with Q&A, not the recorded video.

If you have any additional questions, please get in touch.
Chapter Meeting Host: Marla Layne, [email protected]