Native plant advocacy informs my nature-inspired art.
Some of the benefits of native plants:
Provide seeds, nuts, nectar and fruits for birds,
bats, pollinating insects, and butterflies.
Attract insects for birds to consume.
Provide habitats for birds, wildlife and
larval host plants for butterflies.
Protect the soil with long root systems.
Require less maintenance compared
to introduced species.
Minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
Add beauty to the landscape and preserve our natural heritage for generations to come.
Source: The benefits of going native by the NPSOT
#texasnativeplantweek October 15 - 21
Please join fellow native plant lovers, advocates, and Native Plant Society of Texas members in a weeklong celebration of Texas native plants.
​
Texas Native Plant Week began with the vision of Faye Tessnow and Barbara Anderson, two members of the Highland Lakes Chapter of NPSOT, who led the effort to push the proclamation to the Texas legislature until it became law on September 1, 2009.
​
From native plant sales, art/photo exhibits, educational online posts, and city/county proclamations, to activities that help promote the original root goals of Texas Native Plant Week to create “incentives for schools to teach children about the importance of native plants,” ALL have a role to play in preserving the rich biodiversity of our ecoregions.
For bilingual information about our plantas nativas
visit the Plants & People, Plantas y Gente account on Instagram
Preserve our dark sky!
​
I am so very thankful to be able to create my art in Dripping Springs, the first city in Texas—and only the sixth in the world—to be certified a “Dark Sky Community” by the Tucson-based International DarkSky Association in 2014. However with ongoing rapid growth, our region's planners and developers will need to work cooperatively with groups like Hays County Friends of the Night Sky
to protect our dark sky.
For more info:
​
Find your local DarkSky chapter.
The first Earth Day Proclamation
for Dripping Springs, Texas!
The Dripping Springs community celebrated its first Earth Day proclamation on April 5, 2022, and these are among the groups recognized for their community education and advocacy:
LIGHTS OUT TEXAS for migrating birds!
Every spring and fall, between a third and a quarter of all birds migrating at night through the United States travel through Texas. Lights Out Texas is a campaign of education, awareness, and action that focuses on turning out lights at night during the spring and fall migrations to help protect the billions of migratory birds that fly over Texas annually. Learn more about the Lights Out Texas campaign and how to help, especially during peak migration periods by turning off lights between 11 pm and 6 am.
​
Spring Migration Dates*
Full Spring Migration Period: March 1 - June 15
Peak Migration Period: April 19 - May 7
​
Spring Migration Dates*
Full Fall Migration Period: August 15 - November 30
Peak Migration Period: September 5 - October 29
*Migration dates vary from year to year. Please visit the Audubon Texas website for the latest dates.