by Brenda Catlett, Class of 2018

One sunny Saturday afternoon a year or so ago, our NTMN volunteers were out at White Rock Lake walking trail near the Bath House working on prairie restoration at Unit 7. We had been removing invasive Queen Anne’s Lace and had accumulated several good-sized stacks ready for disposal.

Photo by J. McIntosh

More than one curious walker stopped and asked us why we were pulling up all those pretty white flowers. Some wanted to know what motivated us to put so much effort into this area that wasn’t mowed or cultivated.

I explained that the Queen Anne’s Lace was invasive and prevented the native prairie grasses and flowers from thriving. By removing invasive plants, we could work toward bringing back a diverse ecosystem and create a better home for the birds, bugs and animals that could live here. I told these curious bystanders about the rich soil of the blackland prairie that they were standing on and helped share our vision of bringing just a bit of the White Rock prairie back.

It was heartening to see how people brightened up and were so glad to know about our efforts. Some offered to join our workdays. People wanted to help the prairie.

With just a little knowledge and awareness, people become a little more connected to the prairie heritage of North Texas. This is why Native Plants and Prairies Day is a great opportunity to tell adults and kids about the values of prairies.

Join us in spreading the word about the value of prairies by volunteering to be a part of Native Plants and Prairies Day, May 7th, 2022 at the Bath House Cultural Center at White Rock Lake. There are many volunteer positions still open. There’s a role for just about every talent and area of interest. Native Plants and Prairies Day will be a fun day to meet with the public and share our love for the prairies.

To volunteer sign up here.

To read more about Brenda’s engagement with the White Rock Prairie, read this article.