Coordinators: Michael Weiss and John Kennedy.
Upcoming AT opportunities for the month of July/August 2026:
| LOCAL / IN-PERSON LOCAL / IN-PERSON Davis Mountains State Park Birding Event Dates: July 1, 8, 15, 22 Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Program: This is a slideshow presentation highlighting the numerous birds of the DMSP park – both year-round residents and seasonal guests. Location: Meet at park Interpretive Center. Cost: Free with park entrance ($6) or park pass BBNPP: “Big Bend BioBlitz” Dates: July 3 – 5 Program: Join the Texas Society for Ecological Restoration to do citizen science collecting observations of the biodiversity being threatened by the construction of the Smart Wall through Big Bend National Park. We will base out of the Chisos Basin Group Campground and spend two days in the field documenting the biological diversity present in the proposed Smart Wall corridor using the iNaturalist app. Location: BBNP Registration Cost: Free with park admission Franklin Mountains State Park Mine Tour Dates: July 5 Time: 8:00 AM Program: Ranger-led exploration of an historical copper prospecting mine. Location: West Cottonwood Springs Trailhead in the Tom Mays unit of Franklin Mountains State Park. Reservation Required. Call (915) 444-9121 to register. Cost: $8 with park entrance or park pass National Moth Week Event Date: July 18, 9:30 PM Location: Contrabando Movie Set, Presidio Co. Program: This program explores the vital role moths and other nocturnal insects play in keeping the desert alive. Participants will gather around a glowing moth sheet to observe these night-flying gardeners up close, explore how light pollution impacts their survival, and share simple ways to help protect the night sky for wildlife. Native Plant Society Big Bend Chapter Date/Time: July 18, Saturday 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Location: Alpine Public Library AEP room Program: Photosynthesis – How Cyanobacteria Change Everything Presenters: Warren Shaul Hueco Tanks State Park Pictographs Tour Dates: August 1 Time: 9:00 AM Program: Join a guided tour to view some of the over 3,000 painted images and learn about the different cultural traditions whose heritage remains amongst the amazing rock formations. Reservation Required. Call (915) 857-1135 to register. Cost: $12 Trans-Pecos Wildlife Conference 2026 Dates: August 5 – 7 Program: Join this conference to explore key challenges, strengthen partnerships, and sustain Texas working lands that support wildlife. Hosted by the Borderlands Research Institute, Texas Wildlife Association, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, this event covers wildlife disease, black bears, big game management, conservation, cost-share opportunities, and more. Location: Sul Ross State University (Alpine, TX), Espino Center Cost: $60 Registration McDonald Observatory: Beginner Astrophotography Workshop Dates: August 12 – 13 Program: The daytime portion of the program will consist of discussions on the basics of astrophotography, types of cameras, lenses, focusing, setup, processing images, basic star trackers, and daytime practice. After sunset, you will use these tools under the dark skies of McDonald Observatory. Cost: $100 Lodging: Overnight accommodations at the Astronomers Lodge may be available for participants. Reservation: book here Davis Mountains Preserve Day Tour Date: August 28, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM Program: Easy to moderate hike. A high clearance vehicle is REQUIRED for these tours (8 inches ground clearance minimum). Please bring a sack lunch to enjoy on the preserve. Also, good hiking shoes, hiking poles, water, snacks and binoculars (if you have them). Note: Nature Conservancy policy regarding public access to properties has recently changed, and these events offer a valuable opportunity that might otherwise not be available to visit the DMP. Location: McIvor Center, DMP Cost: Free Register: Please check the DMP reservations page in July for information. |
| VIRTUAL / ONLINE Texas Master Naturalist TMN Tuesdays Date: July 14, 2026 Time: 12:00 PM Program: “True Bugs: A Look at the Order Hemiptera” Speaker: Wizzie Brown, AgriLife Senior Extension Program Specialist Registration Shumla Institute: “Felines and Chalchihuites in the Lower Pecos” Date: July 15 Time: 1:00 PM Program: Dr. Diana Rolon will explore how chalchihuites and felines appear in both the Lower Pecos rock art and Aztec murals. Though separated by thousands of years, these traditions share powerful symbols linked to fertility, the earth, sacred water, and ritual exchange. Speaker: Diana Radillo Rolón, PhD. | Senior Preservation Archaeologist Registration Shumla Institute: “Rock art: An American Story – A Talk with National Geographic Photographer Stephen Alvarez” Date: August 19 Time: 1:00 PM Program: Stephen’s talk will connect some of the world’s earliest image-making with the monumental mural art of the Lower Pecos and the broader rock art landscapes of the United States. Through stories from the field and collaborations with archaeologists and Indigenous communities, he will examine how ancient artists used art to encode ceremony, cosmology, movement, and cultural memory — and what these works continue to teach us today. Speaker: Steven Alvarez | Ancient Art Archive Registration |