List of approved AT opportunities (any questions please contact Lynn):
2021
| Humanistic Uses of Herbaria Friday, March 19; 11 a.m.–12 p.m. EDT Herbaria, or collections of dried plants that usually include information about the place and time of their collection and the identity of the collector, have their roots in the 16th century and are of vital importance to the study and taxonomy of plants. Recently they have acquired additional value as tools for tracking biodiversity loss or even as windows into past ecosystems. While their primary purpose is scientific, herbaria also have rich historical and even aesthetic dimensions. This program will focus on the history and relevance of herbarium collections, addressing the contemporary importance of herbaria to science and conservation. Four speakers will explore humanistic angles by engaging with history, art history, and contemporary art, thus placing the discussion at the intersection of the arts and sciences. A recording of this presentation will be archived and shared online in the NYBG Lecture Library. LEARN MORE & REGISTER FOR FREE |
| TMNTuesdays – June Date: June 08, 2021 Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Location: Online https://txmn.tamu.edu/tmntuesdays/#june Dragonflies: Pond Patrol – Sam Kieschnick Beautiful, intricate, active predators throughout their lives, the best natural mosquito control, and numerous in Texas – dragonflies! Sam will lead us in an exploration of these amazing insects. Learn all about their biology, their importance in the ecosystem, and how they do what they do. We’ll also talk about how to document these predators and learn how to fill in some of the data gaps of their distribution. Hopefully, we’ll guide you in some new and fun ways to appreciate these magnificent critters while also contributing to their conservation and management! |
| The Impact of Rat Bait on Wildlife Date: June 13, 2021 Time: 5:15 pm Location: Online *Event is limited to 100 people. Send an email to info@texasnativecats.org for an invitation. It will not be a Facebook event. Presenter: Tracy Cassidy Mounting scientific and anecdotal evidence shows the widespread negative effects of the toxins that comprise rat bait or rodenticide. Predators eat the sickened or dead rodents and the toxin accumulates in their bodies, leading to a painful death. Learn about the devastating effects on wildlife and how we can do better. Tracy Cassidy has been a Veterinary Technician for 14 years and currently works in emergency medicine and critical care. She is a certified in small animal nursing and has cared for companion animals with a focus on cats, pocket pets and exotics. While at the SPCA of Texas she created a TNR/Feral Cat Wellness Program. She was a volunteer wildlife caretaker at River Legacy Science Center in Arlington. |
| The Texas State Bison Herd at Caprock Canyons State Park Date: June 14, 2021 Time: 7:00 pm Location: Zoom (Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrduCgqDwsHdNy9azsJbI_PNs0RCnm97h9) Presenter: Donald Beard Bison are the keystone species of the Great Plains of North America. With numbers estimated historically somewhere between 30 – 60 million animals ranging the continent, these shaggy creatures were deeply ingrained in the fabric of our history as a nation and state. Our not too distant ancestors were responsible for driving these amazing creatures to the brink of extinction a short 130 years ago. A few forward thinking men (and women) had the foresight to see the path of peril that these animals were facing and stepped up to help save this magnificent animal. One of these men was Charles Goodnight. At the urging of his wife Mary Ann, he was able to save a few animals from the canyon country in the Panhandle of Texas. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has taken the challenge of protecting the Goodnight Bison herd and has undertaken a project of massive proportion to restore these animals to a part of their historical range. Caprock Canyons State Park Superintendent Donald Beard is responsible for the management of this great herd. He has a passion for these animals and has been stricken with the “bison fever”. His enthusiasm is evident in his delivery of the powerful journey of the Texas State Bison Herd. His presentation discusses the past history of bison in North America and the Goodnight herd, the present state of the animals along with the future plans for the Charles Goodnight Bison Herd, the “Official Bison Herd of the State of Texas”. This presentation is a perfect fit for any group interested in the history of the North American Bison, Charles Goodnight, the Texas Panhandle, or anyone interested in discovering the incredible amount of history in our Texas State Parks. |