🤠 Let’s Go West!

By: Marsha Stephens

You know I seldom write anything without trying to slip in a little opportunity for learning, so bear with me. Growing up in this region, I always heard Ft. Worth referred to as “where the west begins”, a slogan championed by the famous Ft. Worth leader Amon Carter, that was adopted by the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram in 1923. I also heard Abilene referred to as “where the west is at”, although I have been unable to find documentation that the phrase was ever similarly used by Abilene newspapers. The explorer John Wesley Powell pegged the 100^th meridian west (just east of Abilene) as a dividing line between the humid eastern biome and the vast arid grasslands and deserts of the west. Texas historian Walter Prescott Webb held that the Great Plains begins at the 98^th meridian west (just east of Stephenville and Mineral Wells). In studies published in 2018, scientists at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory^1,2 suggest that in this transition zone, more arid conditions are moving eastward as part of broad scale climate change, a dynamic that will affect both natural systems and human land usage patterns. It has long been recognized that this region is a transition zone, and now the zone seems to be transitioning! And where is the Prairie Oaks Chapter?  Right in the middle of the action; and now for the rest of the story.  

Along with several past and current members of Prairie Oaks, I have long been interested in developing alliances with neighboring chapters because I think there are rich opportunities for sharing learning, AND maybe even undertaking joint service projects in the future. So, beginning with the topic of joint education, about six months ago I contacted the Big Country chapter to propose that we might explore the viability of these ideas by creating a “swap” of Advanced Training programs between our two chapters. The Big Country members are our neighbors to the west, serving 13 counties (just in case you thought we are spread thinly, serving four counties). We share similar natural resources via the intergradation of ecological regions, as well as many widespread challenges such as droughts, impacts of invasive species, and conservation of our few natural areas. And the transitional location and climatic shift described above certainly encompasses both of our service areas. After many communications during the intervening months, we have now arrived at the point of having dates for this effort, and drafts of content for the two programs.

On June 15, 2023, the TMN Big Country chapter will host an Advanced Training program presented by members of Prairie Oaks chapter. On July 20, as part of our regular monthly chapter meeting, Prairie Oaks will host a reciprocal program presented by members of the Big Country chapter. In addition to history, structure, logistics and ecoregions, the Big Country program will feature information about some of their notable volunteer service projects, including a City Nature Challenge, Bioblitzes, and outreach activities with Abilene ISD and Abilene Public Library. The Prairie Oaks program will cover many of the same topics, plus highlighting our pioneering chapter – university alliance and course offering. These are just the preliminary agendas of the two programs, so project participants will begin by nailing down the specifics of content and techniques. It is my hope that the Prairie Oaks team might even be able to develop some hands-on interactive activities or other nontraditional involvement to liven up the event. And last, but not least, there is the opportunity for brainstorming during each session to explore innovative approaches to problems faced by both chapters.     

Thus begins the inaugural “Program Swap” project. The official description will soon appear in the Sunday announcement of volunteer service opportunities, but this is an advance notice and a little explanation of the thinking behind the effort. The project is limited to a maximum of four volunteers because that is the number of additional bodies that will fit into my car, and I will be furnishing the transportation to Abilene. And realistically, five speakers are an optimal maximum for an effective presentation. The project will require devotion of a significant amount of volunteer service hours.  

So, start thinking about your volunteer service plans and interests for the coming year, and contemplate if this opportunity might be a good match. If it seems viable, get ready to make application when the announcement appears. Team selection will be on a first-come, first-serve basis (with a waiting list, in case substitutions become necessary) and team organization and work will begin in January. Join me, and let’s round ‘em up and head ‘em out, wagons westward!

References Cited

¹Seager. R., et al., 2018: Whither the 100^th Meridian?  The once and future physical and human geography of America’s arid-humid divide, part I:  The story so far. Earth Interactions 22(5), 1-22.

²Seager. R., et al., 2018:  Whither the 100^th Meridian?  The once and future physical and human geography of America’s arid-humid divide, part II:  The meridian moves east.  Earth Interactions22(5), 1-24.