Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) will celebrate its 80th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 14 with an action-packed day of fun activities.
First, the public is invited to come walk on the wild side with Jack Chiles for an Early Bird Guided Walk at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
Join Dr. Wayne Meyer, ornithologist, and Master Naturalist Jack Chiles for a guided bird walk along the Harris Creek Trail. This easy, flat, well-maintained trail makes for a relaxed and enjoyable walk as you spot birds and other wildlife along the way.
Binoculars are available to borrow—just bring your curiosity and a bottle of water.
Registration is recommended (friendsofhagerman.com) to receive event updates and weather-related notifications. The Early Bird Guided Walk is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted to support this and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.
At 10 a.m., enjoy a presentation with George Diggs entitled “Ferns of Texas – Why the Lone Star State is So Diverse.” Texas has a surprising number of native ferns and lycophytes -- 127 in all, the most of any state in the continental U.S. This is particularly unexpected given that most people associate ferns and related plants with humid, even tropical conditions, just the opposite of much of Texas.
Texas’ diverse species thrive under a variety of conditions including some that are very extreme—in crevices on huge, exposed granite outcrops, underwater on the bottoms of ponds or lakes, inside cave entrances and in the deserts of West Texas. One Texas species has leaves reaching nearly 13 feet in length, while another is a tiny floating aquatic often less than ½-inch in total size. Many Texas species occur nowhere else in the entire United States.
This talk will look broadly at Texas ferns, ranging from the swamp forests of East Texas, to the hidden canyons of the Edwards Plateau, and even to the high mountain “sky islands” of such places as Big Bend National Park. It will examine why Texas is such a special place for these fascinating plants.
George Diggs is an evolutionary biologist and botanist who has taught for more than 40 years at Austin College in Sherman, and a Research Associate at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.
His research interests include the plants of Texas, evolution as it relates to human health, the systematics of the Ericaceae (Blueberry Family) and biogeography.
He has co-authored four books, including “The Ferns & Lycophytes of Texas,” co-authored with Barney Lipscomb, and more than 30 scientific articles. In his research he has traveled to all seven continents. He helped found the Public Health program at Austin College and teaches Environmental and Evolutionary Health, including the impact of diet and toxins on human health.
Registration is not necessary—all are welcome! But if any of these programs spark your curiosity, signing up will get you a friendly reminder three days beforehand. You’ll also receive our once-a-month Featherless Flyer newsletter—no email overload, and it’s easy to unsubscribe anytime.
Following the program, from 11:30 a.m. to noon, enjoy coffee and birthday cake to celebrate the Refuge’s 80 years of education and preservation. Then, at noon, stick around for a special program entitled “The History of Hagerman” with Mary Estre, Hagerman Petroleum Specialist.
It’s sure to be a fun-filled day and all are encouraged to join in for this incredible milestone celebration.