Serving Fort Bend and Waller Counties

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Preview of Coming Chapter Events (Open to the Public)

• Free Chapter Programs with Guest Speakers - See flyer below

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Would you like to know more about nature and Texas' natural resources?

Are you interested in helping to ensure that people will be able to enjoy the natural Texas for years to come?

The Texas Master Naturalist training covers a wide variety of topics including botany, ecology, geology, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, soil science, weather and climate. Instructors include Texas A & M professors and other experts in their fields.

Monthly and quarterly programs and field trips are offered by acknowledged experts (see CALENDAR for details!)

Examples of volunteer service projects include youth education programs, park trail interpretation, native grass seed collection, prairie restoration and invasive species identification and eradication

The Coastal Prairie Chapter serves Fort Bend and Waller Counties, with the primary chapter office located in Rosenberg. For more information on how to join and the chapter's training program, follow this link: Coastal Prairie Training Classes. Texas Master Naturalist is sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

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Latest Update 31 Jan 10:
- Numerous Updates to the Volunteer Service Projects (VSP) pages, including three new chapter projects!
- Added notice banner and flyer for "Green Home and Garden Workshop" at top of Home Page

See link to "Coastal Prairie Partnership" website (At "Links to Affiliated Websites" under Resource Library) - Please visit and consider joining!

(My apologies to Chapter Members and visitors for getting so far behind with Website updates! RF)

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And, check out back issues of the Coastal Prairie Reporter, the chapter's newsletter.

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Texas Master Naturalists inspecting wetlands area at Seabourne Creek nature park.
Pictured are Peg dHemecourt, Than Colvin, Linda Rippert, Jeff McMullan, Karl Baumgartner and Susie Doe

July 17, 2009 marked the day the Coastal Prairie Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists, initiated the Prairie Restoration Project at Seabourne Creek Park. Chapter members met at the Park and selected the site to be designated as the twenty-acre Prairie Restoration area, and returned to the office to commence planning.

Members participating in the inaugural event were Karl Baumgartner, Jim Brannon, Bill Brookshire, Jim Butcher, Than Colvin, Peg dHemecourt, Diane Eismont, Margo McDowell and Gloria Scheel.

Chapter members were joined by our advisors, including David Lobpries of Texas Parks and Wildlife; Vince Mannino, Joe Mask, Cody Dennison, Shari Koch of Texas AgriLIFE Services; and Jon Wiedenfeld, USDA.

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Last month I received a copy of "Remarkable Plants of Texas" by Matt Warnock Turner from my daughter Elizabeth for fathers day. I can whole heartedly recommend this volume as an excellent read and great gift idea.

In this intriguing book Mr. Turner explorers the little known facts—be they archaeological, historical, material, medicinal, culinary, or cultural—behind our familiar botanical landscape. In 65 entries that cover 80 of our most common plants from trees, shrubs, and wildflowers to grasses, cacti, vines and aquatics, he traces our vast array of connections with our native plants. He includes how people have used plants for food, shelter, medicine, and economic substance; how plants have figured in the historical record and Texas folklore; how plants nourish wildlife; and how some plants have unusual ecological or biological characteristics. This book is illustrated with over one hundred color photos and organized for easy reference.

In one example of his prose, Mr. Turner starts out with the following description of the pecan tree ”Like a seasoned, professional athlete in a room full of earnest but average sportsman, so stands the pecan in historic fame and economic importance among the species of the genus Carya”

This book was published earlier this year and retails for $29.95. For more information see this link: http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/excerpts/exturrem.html

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Chapter President Karl Baumgartner orchestrates a park proposal in Rosenberg with great potential as a CPC Chapter Project. In addition to the attached Editorial Page item, the Fort Bend Herald also ran a front page article about the proposed park improvements by Don Munsch on 25 June.

I volunteered for the Eco Explorer program at the Brazos Bend State Park on Thursday June 25th. The program focused on fishing. This was facilitated by the Galveston Chapter and as I arrived a bit before they were to start, they quickly absorbed me into the flow of anticipated activities.

I was asked to run the “Fish Identification Station” and they instantly provided me with everything I needed to do so. They gave me nicely laminated; large ‘cards’ each containing a great picture of a fish from our area and on the back…a series of ‘high points’ about that fish. I could simply read off the back of the card. Everyone thought I was real smart! Several of my cards included the life cycle of a lake or stream and another had the anatomy of fish. I was able select cards appropriate for the age group and interest levels of the children who came by. I also had rubber fish samples to share with the children and passed those around. Well organized groups of children came by as they rotated through each of five or six stations. Before each group left my station, all of us could name the fish...even me!

Once that wound down, I went down to the pier where I found Karl up to his neck in fishing lines, worms and kids. He wasn’t in trouble; he was just helping everybody get a fishing line in water. He did that, we all joined in and by golly, we even caught a few fish. An alligator came by to see what was going on and got the usual excited response we always get when one of these beautiful animals comes by.

It was great fun for all and for me another one of those cases where all I only had to give a little to get a lot. I encourage you all to go out to be a part of that program or find one of the many options that may suit you for your volunteer time. Our chapter is not only doing fun things, these are worthy things and people are learning about the beauty and benefit of the Coastal Prairie and all that resides here with us.

Chapter members Jim Butcher, Val Fogal and Nancy Sparrow braved the heat to staff CPC's outreach booth at La Centerra Farmers' Market recently. About three dozen people visited the booth, which was outfitted with models of a tumbling composter and a rain barrel, and small potted Texas Poinsettia and frog-fruit. Quite a few new recruits signed up for membership; intrepid Val even carried a training packet and the sign-up sheet to a vendor! Jim was quick to tell adults with youngsters about BBSP's Eco-explorer sessions. All promoted November's Prairie Heritage Day. A couple of visitors had specific concerns that were addressed, with answers gleaned from Val's, Jim's and Nancy's personal experiences, and with handouts on constructing the tumbler and barrel, on vermi-culture and on gardening with native plants. AT Committee Chairman Susie Doe came up to see what the outreach booth was all about, and immediately contributed; unfortunately, she had to leave early. After the market shut down, the remaining three members went to Fish City Grill in the shopping center for lunch with Rob Fogal and Cheryl Sedivec.

(Many thanks to Nancy for the report! -ed.)

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Saturday afternoon while staring mindlessly into our little pond in Sheridan, Texas something began to rise in the water just in front of me as I was sitting on the pier.  It took me a second to figure out what it was but in fact it was a about a 4-5 foot snake bringing to surface about an 18 inch catfish.  With the catfish in his mouth he proceeded to take it to shore where he pushed and pulled and hissed and blew bubbles all in a futile attempt to get the fish entirely out of the water.

He did manage to get the fish turned around in such a position as to try to ingest him head first.  I didn't think in spite of quite an effort he was going to be able to do this.  He did manage to get the catfish in his mouth up to the catfish's eyes, but no more.  He certainly worked at it and the fish fought this off as best he could for as long as he could.  After about 50 minutes, the snake seemed to start pushing the fish back into the deeper water and let him go.  The snake swam back to shore, rested about 5 minutes and swam off into the pond.  We saw no evidence that the fish didn't make it, but it was a tough time for both, to be sure. 

Kurt related that he unfortunately had only a phone camera, so the best available photo is attached. With a little research, it is reasonably certain the species is a Diamond-backed water snake Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer. The editor has witnessed similar encounters between smaller individuals of this species attacking oversized fish, which lends credence to the identification from a behavioral perspective. The "chainlike markings" are diagnostic for this species, which typically approaches 48" long, with the maximum recorded length of over 68" (Dixon & Werler).

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Some of the CPTMN members met at multiple sites to capture and learn to handle, band and properly release white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica) as part of a statewide program. Training our members for this activity was chapter adviser David Lobpries from Texas Park and Wildlife Dept. Participants included Susie Doe, Karl Baumgartner, Wendy Talkington, Peggy d'Hemecourt and her husband Don. Jeff McMullan and others participated at other sites. David also demonstrated how to determine the age of the captured birds. At the site seen in these photos (the d'Hemecourt's property off FM 359), over 50 birds were seen on the ground and 13 were eventually caught, banded and successfully released.

An insect pest of western soapberry (Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii) has recently been detected in Texas. Agrilus prionurus, a native of Mexico, was first reported in Bastrop County in 2003. Since then, it has been detected in several additional areas, including Fort Worth, Dallas, Waco, College Station, Austin, Houston and Corpus Christi. As its populations expand rapidly in Texas, this pest is killing all sizes of soapberry trees. It may eventually threaten western soapberry populations throughout the tree’s range, which extends from northern Mexico to Missouri, and west to Arizona.

The adult beetle is about ½ inch-long, shining black and distinctively marked with four small white spots on the wing covers. Larvae are flat-headed wood borers that may attain an inch or more in length as they mature. After feeding beneath the bark, the larvae bore into the wood to complete development and to pupate. The adult leaves a D-shaped exit hole as it emerges.

Western soapberry appears to be this insect’s sole host in Texas and the tree exhibits little resistance to this introduced pest. Little else is known about the insect’s biology or methods of control. For more information or to report new infestations, contact the authors: Ron Billings or Joe Pase.

Thanks to TexasInvasives.org for this news item and photograph.

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Editor's note: I've asked chapter member and Katy Prairie Conservancy liaison Grace Liggett a couple of times for reports from the conservancy, because her emails are always so filled with enthusiasm and love for the grassland. The vivid depiction that follows is a spontaneous outpouring of that love - I didn't even have to ask her.  nls

Time marches on. After last week’s much needed rain, the prairie is a sparkling green tapestry with the many-colored jewel tones of wildflowers woven in. Multi-textured and aromatic, it is a treat for all the senses. Yes, it is my happy place. It’s the happy place for so many creatures, it boggles my mind. I love to see the footprints and trails and wonder what the creatures that made them are up to. Just the business of living, of course. But I can imagine them meeting where paths cross and the exchanges that take place there. Some are “live and let live” while some are “eat or be eaten”. KPC's reservoir is a particularly busy place right now. I see signs of beaver, armadillo and raccoon along with the smaller creatures that live in or near the water. Turtles, frogs and lots of birds. I tried to get a good photo of a kingfisher but he was quite shy. He led me on a merry dance to get closer, but to no avail, as he was soooo much faster and warier than I.

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Coastal Prairie Chapter members enjoyed a wonderful day of birding recently, first at Brazos Bend State Park and later traveling to Quintana Beach near Freeport. Led by Bill Godley, class of 2007, the morning at 40-Acre Lake netted sights of water birds and the booming sounds of lusty alligators in the background. In the afternoon we walked the beach along the Gulf shore, checking out sandpipers, plovers, herons, egrets, even a magnificent frigatebird.

CPC members in the photo at left include Carrie Sample, Jim Butcher, Don Johnson and Bill Godley, admiring a vivid gold Prothonetary Warble passing through the neighborhood on its migration to a northern forest.

Thanks to Karl Baumgartner for this report and the photograph.

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While many Texas Master Naturalist classes are held in classrooms, the Coastal Prairie Chapter's goal is to provide for as much field work as possible to new students.

One recent class was held at Bates Allen Park, pictured at right, and the Jack Wendt Cabin, both in Kendleton, on the banks of the San Bernard River.

Study topics that day were "Forest Ecology & Management" and "Entomology". In the photo at left, member Grace Liggett and student Rob Fogal examine a tree for - what? Is it a native? If not, is it invasive, or can it co-habit benignly with the natives? Maybe this tree supports a colony of important pollinators commonly known as... bugs.

Ask Rob and Gracie, the next time you see them.





Photos by Ray Alverson

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CPC member Kurt Bundy took the photo (right) of this year’s “barn” in a rare moment that he wasn’t busy at the chapter’s booth. Grace Liggett and Margo “Mac” McDowell rounded up volunteers Bill Brookshire, Carol Brookshire - both of whom are current trainees - Kurt, Cheryl Sedivec and Karen Showalter, to help with the school day activities there.

The children had many neat things to see throughout the Ag Barn. While CPC colleagues spoke about the area’s snakes, they also displayed pictures and touchable pelts of mammals that can be found in the vicinity. Despite being a little crowded at times, the kids loved it, as, apparently, did the adults. Bill, Carol, Karen and Kurt often heard teachers giving the young students additional information as they were leaving the booth.

All of this year’s volunteers feel that they stimulated many young people to consider the wonders of nature and all of the creatures that live on the earth with us and around us.

Compiled from contributions by Kurt Bundy, Grace Liggett and Cheryl Sedivec

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CPC Secretary Carrie Jo Sample was elected as President of Brazos Bend State Park Volunteer Organization recently. Please join us in wishing her the best of luck and much success in her new position. We're looking forward to working with Carrie in the future to create and grow volunteer programs and projects that benefit both of our groups.

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Chapter members and their families enjoyed the food and fun at the August graduation ceremony for the Class of 2007. Veterans recognized several newly certified members while encouraging others to continue working toward their certification.

Look for more photos of grizzled ol' hands and newly minted TMNs in November's Coastal Prairie Reporter.

Photo by future member Rob Fogal

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