Rewilding Sticker Hill: Trying to Succeed at Succession Article and Photos By Karen Glenn, Blackland Prairie Master Naturalist Article IV of Our Rewilding Series
One thing I really love about the concept of rewilding is the opportunity to take things slow. It is a process of working with nature and looking at a habitat from the perspective of native flora and fauna. Farming and gardening are mostly based on a human perspective of land use. Permaculture practices were movements towards rewilding, and while building a permaculture is much better for the native habitat, the practices still focus on a human-needs perspective. While I add my own food plants here and there, true rewilding looks at things from the perspective of what is best for all the members of the habitat: soil microorganisms, plants and animals. With modern practices we have increasingly gone to war with the natural processes that have taken place on this land for tens of thousands of years. A rewilding perspective realizes nature is much better at taking care of itself than we are, because we are not aware of all the pieces present on our land and how they all interact. There are many species we are not even aware of co-habiting with us. The hardest thing about rewilding is letting go of our human perspective enough to release control. Thinking as an observer and member of the local ecosystem, instead of the sole master of it. |
The leaves of Peppervine (Nekemias arborea) were popular with foraging insects this year. Earlier in the Spring the leaves were eaten by a number of caterpillars and other insects. Even so, the vines produced loads of berries this Fall. Looking at things from a wilding perspective, those chewed up leaves mean success! The organisms that ate the leaves are, at the very least, meals for something else higher up the food chain. Once mowing and clearing stops in a habitat the native plants will attempt to reestablish themselves. Letting that happen - the new buzz word is nonmanagement - allows the habitat to go into its recovery mode. A well-kept lawn tries to stop this repair system in the natural habitat. This is why it is so difficult to keep weeds out of your lawn. They are relentless in their duties! My goal is to help keep my small piece of land in a mid-secondary succession stage. The first 3-4 years were spent observing the land and getting to know plants as they appeared. Annuals tend to show up first, followed by perennials. Once the perennials become established the habitat begins to settle into a more stable mixture of plants and animals. Now it is time to manage the woody growth to give the forbs the room and light they need to remain in place. The battle is much slower paced than trying to keep a weed-free lawn! |
When we establish a lawn, build new homes, or grow acres of crops in a previously wild area the original habitat on the property responds in the same way as destruction from fire, floods, or any other major disturbance. If the damage is great enough primary succession begins. If the habitat is partially damaged the repair may begin in an early secondary succession stage. Photo credit: Copyright Shutterstock.com Weedy annual native plants will be the first to arrive within a disturbed space as pioneer plants. They usually produce a ton of seeds, and this is the constant struggle we find ourselves in: fighting weeds to keep the perfect lawn or garden. From the habitat perspective this space has been severely disturbed, and pioneer plants come in to cover the soil, repair the damage, and make way for the habitat to become established with native grasses, forbs, and trees. Once they do their job they are replaced within 3-5 years with perennial species, trees, and shrubs, which provide important food and shelter in the habitat. Within a few years the pioneer “weeds” will give way to longer-lived native forbs and grasses. This is why the first couple of years are the hardest. It requires patience, leaving the system alone to do its work. As humans we tend to want everything to be in neat rows and perfect rectangular beds. |
Societal pressure dictates everything must be a controlled and uniform length. Square corners and straight lines look pleasant for human eyes. It shows human effort and control. Meanwhile, native plant communities, when left on their own, tend to be diverse and messy. Try to find a monoculture of grass or fruit trees growing in a perfectly straight line out in nature, without some kind of disturbance influencing where the seeds settle. Build a fence and soon a line of trees will form in a neat line. Large patches of Plantago lanceolata, or Narrowleaf plantain, popped up the first year. Plantain is a common pioneer plant genus and often among the first to appear in disturbed sites. It has slowly begun to disappear as other plants have moved in. |
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 Long after old fences deteriorate and disappear, their positions remain marked on the landscape. These are old fence lines on a pasture west of Gordonville, visible on Google Earth. The developed land’s appearance stands in stark contrast with the native tree-lined areas around the creeks. It is easy to fall in love with diversity on the property. It isn’t so easy to fall in love with the messiness of some seasons, but everything deserves time to rest occasionally, and a native habitat is no different. There are a few bare spots here and there due to the lack of rain. Several species of ants are abundant on the property, and I have noticed antlion pit traps have been popping up in the sandy areas. A few adults have been spotted in the yard, but I never seem to have my camera when they do. It is much easier to take pictures of their larval homes! The larval stages of this insect require relatively undisturbed, bare ground to successfully reach adulthood, and it may take up to two years to fully develop into a winged adult. Most of their life span is spent in the larval stage eating ants and other small insects that fall into their traps. Antlion pit traps used to be everywhere when I was a kid, but I do not see them much anymore. Now that I know they are here I will make sure there is always a bit of bare ground for them to go through their 2-year pupating stage. |
Signs of my ant-eating brigade, antlion pit traps. They are members of the Myrmeleon genus. Sticker Hill has quite a few antlions in residence. These larval homes are found in a sandy area, below a huge sugar maple tree, where ground cover is sparse. Inset photo of antlion larvae by Jim Moore, 2013. | I never noticed adult antlions in the habitat, until I started looking for them. They resemble small, dull-colored damsel flies with club-shaped antennae. Antlions, damselflies, and dragonflies do an immense job of controlling pest species in the habitat. Their numbers automatically adjust to match the forage available, although their appearance sometimes lags behind their prey items by a season or two. It is tempting to reach for the pesticides, but waiting usually pays off with a permanent solution. All we have to do is get out of their way and not interfere with their work. The native plants and animals already have systems in place to restore balance and heal the land. When we learn to work with these systems, instead of against them, beautiful things begin to happen. |
| An antlion, Myrmeleon sp. (Neuroptera: Myrmeleonidae), adult. Photo by Drees. More information about antlions and other beneficial insects may be found in the Texas A&M AgriLife - Field Guide to Common Texas Insects: texasinsects.tamu.edu/neuroptera/antlion/ This guide is a good resource for learning about the insects in our area. |
Photos by Pam Rendall-Bass More Amazing Nature Photos taken at the refuge (Facebook account required.) |
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Upcoming Activities:
The Friends of Hagerman is Hosting 21 Family Friendly Events in October! Donate to help fund programs like these! |
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8:00 AM Early Bird Walk Meet at the Visitor Center Master Naturalist Jack Chiles will lead our Early Birding event, weather permitting. Bring binoculars or borrow ours. Walk about a mile, at a slow pace, on Harris Creek Trail and return in time for the Second Saturday program. 8:00 AM Sale: Native Plants and Auction Surplus In the Parking Lot Carport During the Refuge Roundup, the volunteers from the Hagerman Butterfly Garden will conduct a plant sale from 8 AM to Noon (or until we sell out). The plants were thinned from the Hagerman Butterfly Garden and the volunteers' home gardens. The plants for sale are primarily native plants that are food or host plants for pollinator insects, a few non-native pollinator plants are included. A partial lists of plants for sale are: |
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Proceeds from the sale go to promote Friends of Hagerman activities. Most popular plants typically sell out out quickly so come early! 10:00, 12:00 and 2:00 Tram Tours of the Refuge Meet at the Visitor Center Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography. 10:00 Second Saturday: Raptors of Texoma with Dr. Wayne Meyer Visitor Center Multipurpose Room
Photo of Kestrel by Mike Petrick The first of our formal presentations at “Birds of Prey” will be by our own Dr. Wayne Meyer, who will present Raptors of Texoma at 10:00. Dr. Meyer recently retired and is now a fulltime birder and volunteer. He serves on the Friends of Hagerman NWR Board, as well as doing Early Bird Walks, Tuesday Bird Counts, and driving the WILDLIFE EXPLORER tram on weekends. His most recent undertaking has been to join the ag/mowing crew at Hagerman. Dr. Meyer has birded both coasts of the U.S. extensively and has spent over a quarter century birding in Texas and Oklahoma. His primary research has been on song learning and singing in Painted Buntings. Don’t miss his presentation on raptors! 10:00 - 12:00 Activities for the Kids Environmental Education Pavilion 12:00 Master Storyteller Visitor Center Multipurpose Room Something new for everyone will be Storytime by Master Storyteller Doris Haynie, scheduled for 12:00 in the Multipurpose Room. She will tell a “Birds of Prey” story that will be kid friendly but factual and educational, and entertaining for adults as well. Doris spent most of her teaching career in the Whitesboro ISD. She says that she always enjoyed reading to her Pre-K and Kindergarten children during the school day. But during a teacher training seminar in Fort Worth, she found herself mesmerized when she attended a storytelling session featuring Elizabeth Ellis, a world renowned storyteller. After this seminar, she went back and began telling stories with voice inflections and animation. She soon discovered that she had their attention more intently and for a longer period of time when orally sharing a story. She also realized their retention of the story was enhanced as well. Their curiosity and creativity was sparked through the oral word. Doris says the absolute best part of telling stories is watching the faces of the children. Her journey came full circle when she was invited to tell a story at the Tejas Storytelling Festival in Denton. In attendance was Elizabeth Ellis, who started Doris on her own storytelling adventure! 1:00 Live Raptor Program and Crafts for the Kids Raptors in the Visitor Center Multipurpose Room, Children go to the Environmental Pavilion for Crafts and a Live Raptor Visit at 1:30 The Keynote Event will take place in the afternoon when the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center educators arrive with their bird ambassadors. Get your seat early for the 1:00 presentation in the Visitor Center's Multipurpose Room. According to their website, the BPRC is the only facility in North Texas dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of sick and injured birds of prey. Most of the birds brought to the Center have experienced vehicle or window collisions, electrocution, gunshots, injuries from traps, lead and rodenticide poisoning, pet attacks, methane burns, and many more human-caused issues. More than 75% of the treatable birds are released back into the wild. These educational programs introduce adults and children to the world of raptors. The hawks, owls and falcons are well trained, and with the assistance of BPRC education specialists, show you what makes them an important part of our environment. You will discover their roles in the food chain and their unique adaptations to hunt in woodland, wetlands and prairies. There’s no better way to learn about the birds of prey in North Texas than to meet them in person! After the first showing, the bird ambassadors and their handlers will visit the Environmental Education Pavilion where the children will be making crafts. 1:30 Raptor Program for the Kids Environmental Education Pavilion. Children must arrive to the pavilion and be quietly seated by 1:30 for the Raptor Visit. Latecomers will not be admitted, as the birds require a quiet, subdued environment with everyone remaining seated. 2:00 - 3:00 Crafts for the Kids Environmental Education Pavilion Join Cindy Steele for crafts and owl pellet dissection. 2:15 A Second Raptor Visit Visitor Center Multipurpose Room. Don’t miss it! |
Plant of the Month Verbesina virginica Genus: verbesina Known As: Frostweed, White Crownbeard, Iceplant or Iceweed By Cindy Steele Photos by Laurie Sheppard Or, maybe, it should just be called “Frosty”! Frosty the Snowman, Frosty the Iceman, or just plain Amazing! Frostweed is one of the most intriguing plants to actually get to see when the stem is covered with ethereal ribbons of ice! How Did Frostweed Get Its Name? Frostweed gets its name from the unique way it produces ice formations in the winter. When the first frost of the year hits, the frostweed plant's stems squeeze out water, which then freezes into ice. This process creates interesting ice sculptures in the shape of ribbons, flowers, and other shapes. The moisture in the plant's roots flows up into the stem, where the frigid air freezes it. You can only see the ice formations during the first hard freeze of the season, and before the sun melts the ice. Above are some beautiful pictures of ice ribbons on frostweed in the Hagerman NWR Butterfly Garden taken by Laurie Sheppard. It’s hard to catch frostweed putting on its show! I’ve only seen frostweed ice ribbons once. One frosty morning several years ago, I drove up to the visitor center at Hagerman NWR and I immediately noticed a group gathering in the butterfly garden photographing something that must be amazing! Thinking it was a rare insect, I headed out to see what the buzz was all about and there was a fantastic sight…frostweed with gorgeous ribbons of ice draping down the sides of the stems. As the excited group snapped away with their cameras and cell phones, the sun was already beginning to melt the ribbons. I didn’t have my phone with me, so I didn’t get a picture. This taught me to never go to the refuge without a phone or camera. You never know what beauty you might be able to capture in an instant! Frostweed is one of the most interesting plants in the butterfly garden. This tall plant is native to the southeastern United States. As illustrated in this USDA Range Map, it grows west from Pennsylvania, down to central Texas and east to Florida. |
| Frostweed is a biennial. It takes two years to complete its flowering cycle. It mainly produces vegetation in the first year and the flowers and fruit appear in the second year. This deciduous plant drops its leaves at the end of the growing season. It can grow to be up to eight feet tall but is usually around 5-6 feet tall. This plant sports dark green leaves and the flowers appear between July and December depending on where they are located. |
Frostweed can grow in part shade and light shade and requires low to medium water usage. This easy to grow plant is well suited to woodland areas and native plant gardens. Its tall nature lends itself to lining the outer edges of the garden areas. It grows in clumps and spreads by horizontal-growing rhizomes under the surface of the ground. Pollinators love frostweed…particularly Monarch butterflies and bees. |
Pollinators on Frostweed | Great Purple Hairstreak by Laurie Sheppard | Monarchs on Frostweed By Laurie Sheppard |
The benefits of growing frostweed are that it is deer resistant, attracts butterflies, it’s valuable to native bees, and it’s beautiful if you can catch the elusive ice ribbons on a frosty morning before they melt in the morning sun. Native Americans primarily used frostweed as a tobacco substitute, drying its leaves to smoke. This use gave it one of its names…"Indian tobacco". They also used it for various medicinal purposes like treating fevers, chills, body aches, and indigestion. You can find frostweed seeds for your pollinator friendly garden at your local native plant store, and you can buy the seeds online. In Texas, you can sow frostweed seeds in the spring after the last frost. You can also sow seeds in the fall or mid-winter for a chilling period, which helps them germinate in the spring. If you‘re lucky enough to catch a frostweed plant putting on it’s frosty show, be sure to have that camera ready for a quick photo before it’s gone! |
Websites: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, www.wildflower.org Native Plant Society of Texas, https://www.npsot.org/ Native American Seed Co., https://seedsource.com/frostweed/ Photos: Laurie Sheppard, Cindy Steele/CanvaPro |
Birding with Jack: The Weekly Bird Census
Left to Right: Mike Petrick, Nancy Riggs, Jack Chiles and Terry Goode Each Tuesday a team of experienced birders, including Master Naturalist Jack Chiles, traverse 35 miles of refuge roads and hiking trails, documenting every bird they encounter. This Bird Census is reported to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology for use in research, and each week we will bring you a link to their actual bird count, and a summary of their adventures.
White-breasted Nuthatch, Sora We started today's census on Raasch Trail and found a first of season White-crowned Sparrow. There we also saw 2 White-breasted Nuthatches and a Nashville Warbler. We then continued on to Wildlife Drive and found a lone Sora feeding next to the road in the marsh before Plover Pad. On Plover Pad road we saw our first of season Northern Harrier. On the sandbar west of Plover Pad we found a large flock of Franklin's Gulls and Forsters Terns. There we also saw a large number of Least Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, and some American Avocets. There were also White-faced Ibises, and lots of Great Egrets. Then we had a flyby mature Bald Eagle. American White Pelicans were on a sandbar at the end of Plover Pad. Duck numbers and species are increasing and we saw Blue-winged Teals, Green-winged Teals, Northern Shovelers, Mallards and a couple of Gadwalls. We then went to Dead Woman Pond and saw a late season Green Heron and a couple of American Kestrels. On the far west side of the refuge, down in the draw we had a couple of Brown Thrashers fussing at our presence. We had a Sharp-shinned Hawk flyby near the low water crossing on Bennett. Other shorebirds seen today included, Stilt Sandpipers, a Western Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpipers, a Black-bellied Plover and an American Golden-Plover. We saw a total of 6 Red-headed Woodpeckers. We finished the day with 66 species. Today's photos, a White-breasted Nuthatch and I just couldn't resist one more shot of the Sora we saw in good early morning light. Thanks for looking. See the latest Bird Census Results |
The Friends of Hagerman NWR Photo Club Night Photo Shoot at Hagerman NWR Thursday, October 17th at 6:30 PM Join the Friends of Hagerman NWR Nature Photography Club for a night photo shoot at Hagerman NWR. This shoot will include sunset shots across the water and moonrise of the full moon of October called Hunter's moon. This event is limited to FOHNWR Nature Photography Club members only. Registration is not required. We have permission to stay in the refuge after dark. Click here to become a member of Friends of Hagerman and select a membership with Photo Club. Thursday October 17: Meet at the 1st pad on Plover Drive at 6:30 pm. Plover Drive is gravel and driving too close to the pads will create dust and may interfere with people that have setup their cameras and equipment. Please park accordingly. Click for a Refuge Map. Sunset is approximately 6:50 pm. Moonrise is approximately 6:55 pm. The visitor center will be closed in the evening. There is an outdoor restroom down the path from the visitor center parking lot. For questions about this event, contact: Lisa Wilkins, Event Leader Mobile 972-658-8544 Email FOHphotoclub@gmail.com _____________________________________________ For questions about the photo club, contact: Photo Club Leader, Lisa Wilkins Email FOHphotoclub@gmail.com Don't miss the Photo Club Photo Contest results at the November Second Saturday, 11/9
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Join Cindy Steele for: The Refuge Rocks! Programs for Children Future events (Registration Required)
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We’re Going Batty!
Welcome back to Puddles’ Craft Corner. Are you afraid of bats? Well, did you know that bats are afraid of you? These amazing mammals have long been misunderstood! In fact, bats actually help the environment and people by eating tons of flying insects that destroy crops and spread diseases. Bats also pollinate night flowers, such as cactus, and help spread seeds to create new fruit trees. They’re mysterious, nocturnal hunters who have captured our imaginations for centuries. Imagine you're outside when it's getting dark, and a shadowy creature flies past you. At first, you might think it's a bird, but then you realize it's actually a bat! You don't have to be afraid, though. That bat is likely trying to find insects to eat. It doesn't want to hurt you. In this lesson we'll uncover interesting facts and features about these unique animals.
What is a Bat?
Did you know that a bat is a mammal? A mammal is a type of animal that has fur or hair on its body and feeds its babies milk when born. Bats are special because they are the only mammals that can truly fly. A bat's body is covered head to toe in fur. Many bats look like mice with wings! Bats are able to fly because their front limbs are actually webbed. The webbing is a layer of skin that creates a wing that is very thin but strong. No other mammals have this unusual feature. Bats have sharp teeth, but hardly ever use them for biting people or attacking animals. Out of over a thousand varied species of bats, only three types are truly vampire...
Continue the Lesson With Full Instructions and other Nature Crafts with Puddles
Junior Ranger Program
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| The Junior Ranger Pledge As a Junior Ranger at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, I pledge to protect outdoor creatures small, big and huge. To keep the water, air and land clean. To make enjoying nature a routine. I will share my new skills with family and friends. When people and nature work together, everybody wins! |
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Sponsors Enable the Friends to…
Join Today! Memberships available for $10 |
Come, Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer! Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography. |
Register for a Tram Tour Today! |
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Butterfly Garden Walks
Registration is not necessary |
Pipevine Swallowtail (right) by Laurie Sheppard |
Sunrise at the Little Sit by Laurie Sheppard | Photo by Cathy Van Bebber |
Meet Jack and the Bird Census Team and learn how to identify the birds of North Texas while enjoying the beautiful sunrise over Lake Texoma! Modeled after Cornell's national "Big Sit" event, a group of dedicated birders invite you to join them at sunrise to conduct a bird count as multiple species fly to the water and the surrounding land to feed. Leaders will bring spotting scopes and will provide tips for identification of the many species you will see. This event lasts a couple of hours, but all are welcome to come and go as they please. Participants are advised to bring a chair, binoculars and water. The First Saturday of every month, beginning 30 minutes before sunrise. |
Location: H Pad, Sadler, Texas 76264 (H Pad is in Sadler, but it is part of the refuge) GPS Coordinates: 33.734961, -96.780582
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Early Bird Walk with Jack Chiles Master Naturalist Jack Chiles will lead our Early Birding event, weather permitting. Bring binoculars or borrow ours. Meet at the Visitor Center and return in time for the Second Saturday program.
Please Register (Optional) so we may inform you via email of unforseen changes/cancellations. |
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Do You Like to Work Outside? The Refuge Needs You! |
It takes a lot of people to have a beautiful garden! The Wednesday Garden Team Love to work with native plants and meet other gardeners? Come and help us add plants, weed and mulch our beautiful butterfly garden. Garden Team volunteers get first dibs on thinned native plants as well as access to seeds and cuttings for propagation. Gardeners meet on most Wednesdays, but times vary. Contact Us to subscribe to the volunteer garden team weekly email. Provide own tools and gloves. Minimum age 18, or 16 if accompanied by parent/volunteer. |
Mowing and Refuge Beautification: The Work Crew Do you enjoy working outside, mowing, sprucing up hiking trails, trimming and removing brush and general cleanup? Show your love for nature by joining the Outdoor Crew at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. Outdoor Crew volunteers meet on the First Tuesday and Fourth Saturday of every month. Contact Us for exact times, dates and other details about joining the volunteer Work Crew. Scouts welcome! |
Visitor Center Volunteers Needed! |
Do you enjoy meeting all kinds of people from all over the world, and like-minded people in our area? If yes, consider joining our team of Visitor Center Volunteers. You will greet refuge guests, distribute maps and other refuge information, and make sales in the gift shop. Shifts available every day of the week: Monday through Saturday 9 AM to 12:30 PM and 12:30 to 4:00 PM, Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 PM. Training is provided. Contact Us if interested. |
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| Thank You To Our Contributors: Jack Chiles, Cindy Steele, Karen Glenn, Pam Rendall-Bass, Refuge Manager: Kathy Whaley Deputy Refuge Manager: Paul Balkenbush Visitor Services Manager: Spencer Beard Editors: Patricia Crain, Laurie SheppardFriends of Hagerman NWR Foundation 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, TX 75092 Phone: 903-786-2826 Join us on Facebook: |
Search for any word--do not use quotes for phrases |
6465 Refuge Road Sherman, TX 75092 friendsofhagerman@gmail.com
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Kroger: Stop by the customer service desk at Kroger and link your Kroger Card to the Friends of Hagerman: the Friends will get rewards for every dollar you spend, at no cost to you.
Please add friendsofhagerman@gmail.com to your contacts to ensure delivery of registration confirmations, account information and the Featherless Flyer
See you at the refuge!