Kyle - Hays County Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale
2021-10-09 11:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Kyle Public Library, 550 Scott St, Kyle, TX, 78640, United States
Special Event
Hays County Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale

All of the plants on sale are selected because they thrive in our hot Texas weather, unlike many of the plants you will find at the big-box stores.
The proceeds of this sale will benefit continuing education programs and training classes in the community.
The sale will feature Texas native and adapted plants and perennials for xeriscape, butterfly and hummingbird gardens, ground covers, and other landscape plants.

Hays County Master Gardeners are pleased to announce the annual Fall Plant Sale is online and in-person this year. The HCMGA members are putting their expertise to work to bring you their finest seedlings and transplants from their own home gardens. Texas Superstar, Texas native and adapted perennials, grasses, shrubs and succulents will be for sale.

The sale website http://hcmga.square.site will be activated October 4 through October 12. Online purchases can be picked up at the in-person site locations which are the Kyle Public Library on Saturday, OCT 9, and Dripping Springs Farmers Market on Wednesday, OCT 13. Until then, find more information on our website at http://hayscountymastergardeners.org

Texas Master Gardeners is a volunteer service program designed to bring best in horticultural practices throughout the state. To become a Texas Master Gardener, a trainee attends 50 hours of instruction conducted through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, then shares this knowledge by donating 50 hours of volunteer service back to the community.

Texas Master Gardeners’ assistance is found across the state — in school garden projects, horticultural therapy projects, community gardens and demonstration gardens by volunteers who also conduct gardening programs and answer your gardening questions.

Our members are following current CDC guidelines for this sale.

For more information about the Hays County Master Gardeners, visit https://www.facebook.com/HaysCountyGardeners/.

Star Party at Sunset Park
2021-10-09 18:30 - 21:30 | Sunset Park, 21817 FM 1431, Lago Vista, Texas, 78645
We’ll bring the telescopes, you bring a blanket, a picnic, a flashlight, and the kids

Llano County Friends of the Night Sky Star Party
2021-10-09 19:30 - 22:00 | Sting Softball Field, Llano, Texas, 78643
On October 9, we will have a star party (weather permitting) at the Softball Field off Highway 71. Gather with some astronomers and learn about the night sky and view through their telescopes the wonders in the skies above.

Star Party at Hill Country State Natural Area
2021-10-09 19:30 - 22:30 | Hill Country State Natural Area, 10600 Bandera Creek Road, Bandera, Texas, 78003
No stargazing experience is required!

Join members of the San Antonio Astronomical Association to see constellations, planets, and more through their telescopes.

Cost: This program is free with a valid park entrance permit. The entrance fee is $6 per person ages 13 and up; kids 12 and under are free; or free with an annual Texas State Parks Pass (pass holder and everyone in the vehicle). If you arrive after hours and do not have an existing day-use permit, please use the self-pay station in front of the headquarters building to pay your entrance fee(s) in cash.

When: We will get started right after sunset.

Where: Meet us at the group lodge located at the end of the approximately 2-mile road, north of the headquarters building.

All ages are welcome. No pre-registration is required. This event is subject to cancellation due to weather.

Hill Country Night Sky Month Star Party
2021-10-09 20:00 - 22:00 | Singing Water Vineyards, 316 Mill Dam Road, Comfort, TX, 78013, United States
Join the Kendall County Friends of the Night Group for a Star Party, hosted by Singing Water Vineyards. Several telescopes will be on hand, focusing on various stellar objects and narrators staging constellation tours of the night sky. Materials will be available to spread the word about how your household can help preserve our Hill Country night sky. Details include using shielded lighting fixtures and night sky compliant light bulbs for outdoor lighting and securing. Check out the www.singingwater.com website for venue features, food and beverage services available, and winery mini-tours. Food and wine will be available for purchase until 8 p.m. Kendall County Friends of the Night Sky will be providing educational materials for families and friends of the night sky to assist them in joining the dark sky movement.
This event is free, however, RSVPs are required for planning purposes. RSVP here or via the link below.

McKinney Falls State Park Night Hike
2021-10-09 20:00 - 22:00, 2021-10-23 20:00 - 22:00, 2021-10-30 20:00 - 22:00 | McKinney Falls State Park, 5808 McKinney Falls Parkway, Austin, Texas, 78744
Experience the trails at night.
Discover a whole new way to experience the night! Join us as we walk an easy trail (about 3/4 mile round-trip). We will keep our eyes and ears open for wolf spiders, scorpions, and nocturnal wildlife! Fun for all ages!
– Meet: Location provided following event registration. – Bring: Water, bug spray. No dogs are allowed, please. – Wear: Good walking shoes and a flashlight or headlamp (preferably red). Dress for the weather.
The event is free with paid entrance fees; Adults: $6, Children 12 and under: Free. *Parents must accompany all minors. Spots are limited, and registration is required. To sign up, please email lauren.sweat@tpwd.texas.gov.

Spicewood - Little Cypress Creek/Krause Springs Study Stakeholder Meeting
2021-10-12 15:00 - 16:30 | Spicewood Community Center, 7901 CR 404, Spicewood, TX, 78669, United States
Residents in the Little Cypress Creek watershed are invited to join the Meadows Center and the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District (CTGCD) to provide input on the Little Cypress/Krause Springs Study, which seeks to better understand how Krause Springs and the Little Cypress Creek watershed interact with the underlying aquifers.

This meeting is free and open to the public. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a Krause Springs Stakeholder Committee to help guide the research and ensure continued engagement from the community.

Click here to learn more from The Meadows Center.

Dripping Springs - Hays County Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale
2021-10-13 15:00 - 18:00 | Dripping Springs Farmers Market, 160 E Mercer St., Dripping Springs, TX, 78620, United States

Online - Wild Devils 2021 Raffle and Online Auction
2021-10-15 - 2021-11-13 | Online
It’s not easy to save a river, so we’re asking you to join the cause.
Friday, October 15 – Saturday, November 13
Through this virtual event, you will have the opportunity to bid on over 120 exclusive silent auction items and buy raffle tickets to support our mission.

All proceeds will go towards supporting the Devils River Conservancy 501c3 and the protection and preservation of the Devils River.

You can register and bid here!

Bandera - Monarch Butterfly Migration
2021-10-16 10:00 - 17:00 | Bandera Natural History Museum, 267 Old San Antonio Rd, Bandera, TX, 78003, United States
Enjoy our wild flower gardens as the Monarchs make their migration through this area. The Master Naturalists will be available to help identify monarchs and their preferred flowers. We will demonstrate the three ways the Bandera Natural History Museum is conserving water and local honey will be available for sale.

Visit the museum on their site and their facebook page.

"On Gathering" Exhibition and Night Sky Friendly Business Recognition
2021-10-16 16:00 - 19:00 | 4th Street Gallery, 714 4th Street, Blanco, Texas, 78606
On October 16th, our newest Business Member, 4th Street Gallery in Blanco, is having an event to open its latest exhibition, “On Gathering.” Owner Lisa Tipps has invited the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky to set up a Night Sky Information Tent at the event and will donate a portion of her profits from sales to the BCFNS. Yea, Lisa! It all starts at 4 pm and runs until 7 pm, Saturday, October 16, right in the middle of Hill Country Night Sky Month. Come on out and see some exceptional art, meet some of the artists, pick up some night sky information, and have a really good time!

International Observe the Moon Night
2021-10-16 18:30 - 22:00 | Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, 199 Park Road 52, Stonewall, TX, 78671, United States
Join the Hill Country Astronomers at LBJ State Park for a night of learning about astronomy! The evening begins with an educational program in the Visitor Center Auditorium at 6:30 PM, followed by telescope viewing in the parking lot. The park store will be open until 7:15 PM for drinks, snacks, and souvenirs! This program is free of charge! If you bring a flashlight, please cover it with red cellophane to preserve night vision!

In the event that the weather is not suitable for viewing the night sky, the educational program will still take place!

Star and Moon Party
2021-10-16 19:00 - 21:30 | Boulder Trail Park, 6681 Whitemarsh Valley Walk, Austin, Texas, 78746
Join the Travis County Friends of the Night Sky for an evening of stargazing. No equipment of experience is necessary. Astronomers will be on hand, providing a guided tour of the night sky and views of our moon, planets, and deep-sky objects. This is a great event for scouts, students, and lovers of the night, young and young at heart. This program is free. All ages are welcome. This event is subject to cancellation due to weather.

This event takes place within the Lost Creek Neighborhood. Please utilize street parking and be respectful of surrounding residences.

Storytelling Under the Stars
2021-10-16 19:30 - 21:00 | Jones Brother’s Park, 10301 Lakeside Drive, Jonestown, Texas, 78645
Storytelling and Songs Under the Stars

The Jonestown Night Sky Advocacy is having a Storytelling Under the Stars event, hosted by The City of Jonestown at the Jones Brothers Park. We will have stories and songs under the stars for all ages that connect us to our starry skies. Materials will be available to help spread the word and education on protecting our Night Skies. Bring your own blanket, pillows, chairs, telescopes, and binoculars. Free Event, Free Parking

McKinney Falls State Park Star Party
2021-10-16 20:00 - 22:00 | McKinney Falls State Park, 5808 McKinney Falls Parkway, Austin, Texas, 78744
Join us as we learn how to navigate the stars above us and about the importance of dark skies.

The stars at night are big and bright! Come see them even better with expert and amateur astronomers alike. Bring a blanket and chair and come spend the night with us looking at the stars!

Meet: Lower Falls Bring: Red flashlights, chairs/blankets Cancellation due to weather: If we must cancel the program due to cloud cover, we will update here by 12 pm the day of the event.

The event is free with paid entrance fees; Adults: $6, Children 12 and under: Free. *Parents must accompany all minors.

Full Moon Candlelight Dining
2021-10-20 18:00 - 23:00 | Various Venues
Hays County Friends of the Night Sky is inviting restaurants, wineries, distilleries, and breweries to participate in Hill Country Night Sky Month by offering outdoor dining (or imbibing) by candlelight on October 20, the night of the Hunters Moon.
Enjoy outdoor dining and drinking at Hays County establishments on Full Moon night. Follow @HaysNIghtSky on social media for updates on which are participating.

Wimberley Hill Country Howl
2021-10-20 20:30 | Wimberley, Texas, Wimberley, TX, 78676, United States
At 8:30 PM, residents of the Wimberley Valley will celebrate the night skies and full Moon in one of the following ways: 1. Step outside of their house and give their best howl at the full Hunters moon 2. Join neighbors, POA members, or others at restaurants and bars for a group howl 3. Attend the “Dancing in the Moonlight” event at Blue Hole Regional Park. Dance under the moonlight on the soccer fields to night-themed songs with a pause at 8:30 for a group Howl at the Moon.

Stonewall - Riparian Stewardship Workshop
2021-10-21 08:30 - 14:30 | Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, 199 Park Road 52, Stonewall, TX, 78671, United States
On Thursday, October 21st, join us for a free riparian workshop for streamside landowners at the LBJ State Park in Stonewall at 8:30 am. In the morning, we will discuss riparian function, hydrology, stewardship and best practices; in the afternoon, we’ll visit a nearby site along the Pedernales River to demonstrate riparian concepts and identify vegetation. This is the first of a three-part series designed to share practices and hands-on skills with streamside landowners to help you enhance and protect your property and the river. Part 2 will be a hands-on field day held in this winter – details to come.
This workshop is tailored specifically to riparian landowners in the Hill Country. It is free of charge, includes a light lunch, and will feature Steve Nelle, who literally and figuratively wrote the book on stewarding Texas riparian areas.
Click here to register

Blanco - Texas Marigold Festival
2021-10-23 08:00 - 2021-10-30 17:00 | Blanco, Texas, Blanco, TX, 78606, United States
For more information on this event click here!

Albert - Hillside Stewardship: Understanding and Managing Erosion
2021-10-23 11:30 - 16:00 | Hilliard Ranch, 4699 Schumann Road, Albert, TX, 78671, United States
Join us at the Hilliard Ranch in Albert, Texas, to learn new ways to read, study, and steward the land. Dr. Mollie Walton will lead the field day. She is a restoration ecologist with a Texas ranching background and nearly 30 years of hands-on restoration work across the Southwest. This workshop is specifically designed for private landowners contending with erosion issues on their property.
We will spend the day outside, walking to several sites on the ranch to discuss erosional processes, how to interpret them, and how to be most effective in managing erosion to increase the health and productivity of your land. Several scenarios will be explored, related to ranch roads, culverts, and hillsides.
A light lunch and printed educational materials will be provided. Space at this workshop will be limited to 30 private landowners. The event will be outside and social distancing encouraged.
Click here to register.

Online - Globe at Night Observations - October 2021
2021-10-27 08:00 - 2021-11-05 17:00 | Online
Six Easy Star Hunting Steps

During the campaign dates, go outside more than an hour after sunset (8-10 pm local time). The Moon should not be up. Let your eyes become used to the dark for 10 minutes before your first observation.
Use a night sky app on your phone outside to find the constellation from where you are.
Go to the Globe at Night Report page to start to enter Globe at Night measurements. Make sure you are in “Nighttime version”
With a smart phone, the app will put in the date, time, location (latitude/longitude) automatically. Otherwise please type them in. For your location, type the street address closest to your observation along with the city, state or province and country.
Choose the star chart that looks most closely to what you see toward your constellation. That is, what is the faintest star you can see in the sky and find in the chart?
Chose the amount of cloud cover at the time of observation and then click on the “SUBMIT DATA” button.

Learn more here: https://www.globeatnight.org/6-steps.php

Online - Hill Country Alliance Night Sky Month Star Party
2021-10-29 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
Join us on October 29th, 7 pm-8:30 pm, to explore the universe with Slooh’s Director of Curriculum, Dr. John Boisvert, for Hill Country Night Sky Month.
This will be a fun and exciting evening of galaxy and nebula gazing in the northern and southern hemispheres! Dawn Davies from the Hill Country Alliance Night Skies program will share some of the highlights of this year’s Hill Country Night Sky Month and ways you can join in on the night sky preservation efforts here in the Hill Country.
For our Virtual Star Party, we will be using Slooh’s full complement of telescopes; this includes six telescopes situated at their flagship observatory, at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, and three telescopes at the Santa Martina Observatory in Chile, offering complimentary views of the southern skies.
This is a free, virtual event; we hope it inspires you to get out and observe the night skies with your own eyes afterward!
Click here to register

Round Mountain - Family Hike
2021-10-30 08:00 - 10:00 | Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center, 24814 Hamilton Pool Rd, Round Mountain, TX, 78663, United States
For more information and to reserve your spot, click here.

Dripping Springs - Hill Country Bird Walk for Beginners
2021-10-30 08:00 - 17:00 | Los Madrones Ranch, 19300 Hamilton Pool Rd, Dripping Springs, TX, 78620, United States
Saturday, October 30, 2021
8:00am Bird Walk
Los Madrones Ranch in Dripping Springs
Directions and more details will be sent out to attendees prior to event

Join TLC for a fall bird walk for beginners at Los Madrones Ranch led by Hill Country Program Director Stephen Ramirez. Come learn and observe resident birds by sight and sound. You’ll also get instructions on how to use apps to document and identify birds. Binoculars will be available for the first ten people who need them. So come on out and explore this 396-acre protected preserve with us, reserve your spot today!

$10 for members (not a member or need to renew, sign up today!)
$20 per non-member
Kids are free

Because this event is taking place on private property, we are limiting the number of people to 20 (not including children) and please no dogs.

Reserve your spot here!

Bandera - Halloween with Happy Tails
2021-10-30 10:00 - 17:00 | Bandera Natural History Museum, 267 Old San Antonio Rd, Bandera, TX, 78003, United States
Show at 11 AM, followed by parades on the ground and scavenger hunts. Hot dog, chips, and apple cider will be available for an additional $5

Visit the museum on their site and their facebook page.

New Braunfels - Riparian & Stream Ecosystems Training
2021-11-02 08:00 - 16:30 | Landa Haus, 360 Aquatic Circle, New Braunfels, TX, 78130, United States
This workshop is being co-hosted by the City of New Braunfels, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Comal County, Texas Riparian Association, and Texas Water Resources Institute. The training will focus on the nature and function of stream and riparian zones and the benefits and direct impacts from healthy riparian zones. The riparian education programs will cover an introduction to riparian principles, watershed processes, basic hydrology, erosion/deposition principles, and riparian vegetation, as well as potential causes of degradation and possible resulting impairment(s), and available local resources including technical assistance and tools that can be employed to prevent and/or resolve degradation.
The City of New Braunfels and its project partners are currently moving forward with the implementation of a Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) to address bacteria concerns in the Dry Comal Creek and Comal River watersheds. The current implementation phase began in September 2018 and is working on implementing a variety of strategies to improve water quality in the watershed. The riparian and stream workshop is an educational event supporting this effort.
These one-day trainings in watersheds across the state include both indoor classroom presentations and outdoor stream walks. Instructors are experts from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M Natural Resource Institute, TRA, and the Texas Water Resources Institute.
The goal is for participants to better understand and relate to riparian and watershed processes, the benefits that healthy riparian areas provide, and the tools that can be employed to prevent and/or resolve degradation and improve water quality. At the conclusion of the training, participants will receive a certificate of completion and appropriate professional development hours/ continuing education hours.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) available:

Texas Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicators License – 3 CEUs
Texas Water Resources Institute – 1 CEU
Texas Nutrient Management Planning Specialists – 6 hours
Texas Floodplain Management Association – 7 CECs
Texas Forestry Association – 6 hours
Society of American Foresters – 4 hours
Certified Crop Advisor – 7 CEUs (Nutrient Mgmt: 1, Soil & Water: 1.5, IPM: 1.5, Crop Mgmt: 2.5, Manure Mgmt: 0.5)
Texas Board of Architectural Examiners “Acceptable for HSW credit”
The program may also be used for CEUs for Professional Engineer
Check with your Chapter for Master Naturalist and Master Gardener to see if it is approved for your area

RSVP is required by October 26, 2021. The workshop is free because it is funded through a Clean Water Act grant provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. RSVP online through the marketplace or by email to clare.entwistle@ag.tamu.edu. A catered lunch is available for $15 or participants may select to bring their own lunch. Attendees can pay for lunch by credit card using the online link or by cash at the door.
Dress is casual and comfortable for the weather as we will be outside at the stream during the afternoon.
For more information or questions, please contact Clare Entwistle at 210-277-0292 x205 or clare.entwistle@ag.tamu.edu Please join our listserv or like us on Facebook for more information on future programs!
The riparian education program is managed by the Texas Water Resources Institute, part of AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the College at Texas A&M University.

Click here for more information, RSVP, and pay for lunch.

Dallas - 2021 TxN Conservation Summit
2021-11-03 | George W. Bush Presidential Center, 293 SMU Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75205, United States
The Conservation Summit is a unique annual gathering hosted by Texan by Nature that focuses on bringing conservation and business leaders together for rich, impact-focused dialogue and networking.
The Summit’s carefully selected panelists, representing both industry and conservation, lay the foundation for discussion by sharing success stories, best practices, lessons learned, and more. The 2021 Conservation Summit is Wednesday, November 3, 2021. This year’s event features a mix of in-person attendance as well as a free virtual attendance option!

Attendees will hear from the four 2021 Conservation Wranglers, businesses, and organizations that are making BIG, positive impacts for Texas’ communities, the economy, and our diverse and beautiful natural resources. This Summit’s overarching theme is The Future of Conservation. Check out our Summit Recap Blog Post to watch the 2020 presentations.

The event includes a FREE virtual option for attendees (registration coming soon). The support of members enables TxN to deliver innovative programs across the state. If you would like to support our mission, please Join Us in being Texan by Nature today.
Slack Channel
To amplify the experience of a hybrid summit, we created a Slack chat channel to increase engagement amongst summit participants. We hope that this chat will encourage 1:1 networking, partnerships, collaborations, and an ongoing conversation about the amazing conservation efforts in Texas. LINK COMING SOON. New to Slack? Click here for instructions on how to get set up.

For more information on the summit and links for tickets, click here!

San Antonio - Urban Stream Processes & Restoration Program
2021-11-05 08:30 - 16:00 | San Antonio River Authority’s Mission Reach Operations Center, 8510-3 Mission Rd, San Antonio, TX, 78214, United States
This workshop is being co-hosted by the San Antonio River Authority, Texas A&M AgriLife and the Texas Water Resources Institute. The training will focus on natural design processes for stream restoration projects. Materials delivered in the training will help attendees understand:

urban stream functions,
impacts of development on urban streams,
recognize healthy versus degraded stream systems,
assess and classify a stream using the Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI), and
comprehend differences between natural and traditional restoration techniques.

Information including the hydrologic cycle, basics to stream morphology, stream classification, stream instability, stream restoration, stabilization structure, vegetation, and monitoring and evaluation will be explained through classroom-style teaching in the morning session and hands-on activities in the field at a nearby stream in the afternoon sessions.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) available:

Texas Water Resources Institute – 1 CEU
Texas Nutrient Management Planning Specialists – 6 hours
Certified Crop Advisor – 7 CEUs (Nutrient Mgmt: 1, Soil & Water: 2.5, IPM: 1, Sustainability: 2.5)
Texas Floodplain Management Association – 6 CECs
Texas Board of Architectural Examiners “Acceptable for HSW credit”
The program may also be used for CEUs for Professional Engineers
Check with your Chapter for Master Naturalist and Master Gardener to see if it is approved for your area

Registration is limited to the first 40 people. Cost is $50 and includes all training materials, a catered lunch, and a certificate of completion at the end of the course. Registration is required by October 29, 2021. Register online through the link above, or if paying by check or PO by email to clare.entwistle@ag.tamu.edu. A catered lunch will be provided to participants or they may bring their own.
Dress is casual and comfortable, hip boots/waders are required for the hands-on field assessment as we will be out in the creek in the afternoon.
Please join our listserv or like us on Facebook for more information on future programs!
The Urban Riparian and Stream Restoration Program is managed by the Texas Water Resources Institute, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the College at Texas A&M University. It is funded through a Clean Water Act grant provided by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

To learn more and register, click here.
