[{"id":7621,"date":"2026-02-18T13:54:53","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/?page_id=7621"},"modified":"2026-02-23T21:32:46","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T03:32:46","slug":"bp_bioblitz_mar2026","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/bp_bioblitz_mar2026\/","title":{"rendered":"BP_BioBlitz_Mar2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Blucher Park \u2013 BioBlitz March 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iNaturalist Project: https:\/\/www.inaturalist.org\/projects\/blucher-park-bioblitz-march-2026<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BioBlitz is a citizen science project hosted by the South Texas Master Naturalist Chapter. Master Naturalists participating in this project should enter their hours in VMS as Citizen Science – FR:TMN Field Research Hours.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A kick-off\/orientation meeting will be held on March 1st, 2026 (1 pm to 4 pm)<\/strong>. We will spend a short time covering project logistics, assigning survey sectors, and providing data collection guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will be using the iNaturalist app and website to compile observations. We are striving for data quality over quantity. Identification of species by iNaturalist is enhanced by good quality photos, which encompass most of your phone screen or camera viewfinder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will assign you to one or more BioBlitz sectors during the March 1st meeting at the park. <\/strong>We will meet at the Kiosk, at the corner of Carrizo and Blucher. It is OK to conduct your surveys alone or in pairs. There are 28 survey sectors \u2013 many are delineated by either trails or the creek. The map is color-coded to help differentiate between each sector. The upland sectors are rendered in shades of green and the sectors adjacent to Blucher Creek are rendered in shades of blue. See map at bottom of page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project coordinators will be available from 1 pm to 4 pm to assist with iNaturalist, help identify the general boundaries of the survey sectors, and answer any other questions you might have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you cannot attend the March 1st meeting, you can still participate in the BioBlitz. If you choose to do so, please send an email to bp.bioblitz@gmail.com<\/a> so we can let you know which survey sectors need additional observations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After March 1st, go to the park as many times as you can the rest of the month and spend at least 15-30 minutes in your assigned survey sector, collecting data. After you collect data in your sector, please feel free to roam the park and collect additional observations. This will increase your chances of encountering birds and other fauna that might not be present in your survey sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several mobile versions of iNaturalist, depending on your phone\u2019s operating system. Either version will work for this project. Feel free to monitor progress of the BioBlitz on iNaturalist \u2013 click on the Map icon to see where observations have been collected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOTE: use caution when collecting observations under heavy tree cover. The branches and leaves can interfere with GPS satellite signals and lead to inaccurate location coordinates. It is possible to edit the location later in iNaturalist.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a KML file (for Google Earth or Google Maps) available to download to your mobile device or laptop\/desktop, that shows the boundaries of each survey sector. TO RECEIVE THE KML FILE, please email bp.bioblitz@gmail.com<\/a> and request the file (sadly, we cannot post it here).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Blucher Park \u2013 BioBlitz March 2026 iNaturalist Project: https:\/\/www.inaturalist.org\/projects\/blucher-park-bioblitz-march-2026 The BioBlitz is a citizen science project hosted by the South Texas Master Naturalist Chapter. Master Naturalists participating in this project… Read More →<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1353,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"class_list":["post-7621","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"archive":false,"gform-image-choice-sm":false,"gform-image-choice-md":false,"gform-image-choice-lg":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"randybissell","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/author\/randybissell\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Blucher Park \u2013 BioBlitz March 2026 iNaturalist Project: https:\/\/www.inaturalist.org\/projects\/blucher-park-bioblitz-march-2026 The BioBlitz is a citizen science project hosted by the South Texas Master Naturalist Chapter. Master Naturalists participating in this project... Read More →","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1353"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7621"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7621\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":7617,"date":"2026-02-14T19:06:23","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T01:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/?page_id=7617"},"modified":"2026-02-14T19:08:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T01:08:03","slug":"grocery-biology","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/grocery-biology\/","title":{"rendered":"Grocery Biology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Chad Huckabee<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Common Grocery Produce Plant Families and Native Local Plants<\/a>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Chad Huckabee<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1353,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"class_list":["post-7617","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"archive":false,"gform-image-choice-sm":false,"gform-image-choice-md":false,"gform-image-choice-lg":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"randybissell","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/author\/randybissell\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Chad Huckabee","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1353"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7617"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7617\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":7546,"date":"2025-09-07T17:11:25","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T22:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/?page_id=7546"},"modified":"2025-09-07T18:15:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T23:15:10","slug":"karankawa-sign-of-the-times","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/karankawa-sign-of-the-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Karankawa Sign of the Times"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Standing here before this historical marker at Hans & Pat Suter Park in Corpus Christi, we are reminded not only of the Karankawa people but also of how <\/em>history has been told. This sign, erected in 1979, reflects an earlier era\u2019s understanding of Texas history, one shaped almost entirely by colonial sources. Words like \u201cprimitive,\u201d \u201csavage,\u201d and \u201ccannibal\u201d jump out at us. These terms say more about the fears and biases of European settlers than about the Karankawa themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Karankawa were coastal people, skilled at living along the bays and barrier islands. They fished, gathered plants, and moved seasonally to take advantage of nature\u2019s resources. Early explorers noted their tall stature, their skill with the bow, and their use of body paint and protective oils. These details give us a glimpse of a rich and adaptive culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sign, however, reduces their story to one of disappearance. It tells us they were \u201cannihilated\u201d by the 1850s, but that narrative erases the Karankawa descendants who still live today<\/span>, working to preserve and reclaim their heritage. For them, the story did not end\u2014it continues in memory, tradition, and renewed identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when we read this plaque, we should also read between the lines. It teaches us about the Karankawa, yes, but it also teaches us how public history once framed Native peoples through the eyes of outsiders. Today, our task is to look deeper, to honor the Karankawa not as relics of the past, but as resilient people whose voice still matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Beneath the Roadway: The Ancient Burials of Oso Bay<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Long before modern roads and neighborhoods, this landscape was a sacred ground. Near Oso Parkway lies Cayo del Oso<\/strong>, one of the largest ancient cemeteries on the Texas coast. For nearly 3,000 years, generations of coastal peoples laid their loved ones to rest in a great clay dune beside Oso Bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archaeologists have documented hundreds of burials here, some accompanied by shell pendants and tools. These discoveries reveal a culture deeply tied to the bays, barrier islands, and lagoons of the Coastal Bend. The people who lived here\u2014ancestors of those later called Karankawa<\/strong>\u2014were skilled fishers, hunters, and foragers, shaping their lives around the rhythm of tides and seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storms in the early 1900s exposed many remains, drawing attention to the site. Later excavations revealed just how large and ancient the cemetery was. Though these studies provided valuable knowledge, they also remind us of the fragility of sacred places when exposed to disturbance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Modern Karankawa still lament the insensitive treatment of a young woman found along the Oso.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Today, Oso Parkway crosses a landscape layered with memory. Development and erosion continue to threaten these fragile sites, but Indigenous descendants and cultural advocates call for recognition and respect. To them, the story of Cayo del Oso is not finished\u2014it is a living heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you travel this road, pause to remember what lies beneath: a record of human resilience and a place of deep spiritual meaning. This land has always been a homeland, and it asks us to honor those who came before.<\/p>\n\n\n

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ChatGPT was utilized for these narratives.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Standing here before this historical marker at Hans & Pat Suter Park in Corpus Christi, we are reminded not only of the Karankawa people but also of how history has… Read More →<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1353,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"class_list":["post-7546","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"archive":false,"gform-image-choice-sm":false,"gform-image-choice-md":false,"gform-image-choice-lg":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"randybissell","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/author\/randybissell\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Standing here before this historical marker at Hans & Pat Suter Park in Corpus Christi, we are reminded not only of the Karankawa people but also of how history has... Read More →","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1353"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7546\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":7529,"date":"2025-09-07T15:30:21","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T20:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/?page_id=7529"},"modified":"2025-09-07T17:15:05","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T22:15:05","slug":"spanish-exploration-of-texas-resources","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/st\/spanish-exploration-of-texas-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Spanish Exploration of Texas: Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How does history fit our mission? “Landscape is always a character in Texas History; often the MAIN character…”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interpretive Guide: Early Spanish Exploration of Texas<\/a>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Included are a number of interesting summaries, guides, resources, and figures regarding the history of the Spanish Exploration of South Texas. More information (and more links to sources) can also be found on this page <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spain in Texas: Spanish Exploration in the New World<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1807 Map of New Spain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New Spain Map Inset<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spanish Explorers Page Size Flyers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Texas Monthly article on Cabeza de Vaca<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n