Announcements from the May 2023 Chapter Meeting

The Announcements

Upcoming Chapter Bylaws vote: note that at the June general meeting we will vote on adopting new bylaws from the state office.

Please view the full set of May announcements by clicking here. Further activities are listed on the chapter calendar. Opportunities and contacts, websites, and other details are available there.

Highlights of the Meeting

Environmental Conservation and Justice: A Community & Conservationist Partnership Story

Many thanks to Sherri Mixon, Executive Director at T.R. Hoover Community Development Center, and our own Kristi Kerr Leonard and Rebecca Posten for an engaging presentation on work in the Ideal+Bonton neighborhoods.

Rebecca and Kristi began with an overview of the area’s ecology and history, emphasizing the role of Ned Fritz in preserving the Trinity River and forest. They discussed the impact of redlining and flooding in Ideal+Bonton’s shift from a thriving neighborhood in the 1950s to one well into decline by the 90s.

In reviewing assistance efforts, they learned that there was often room for improvement in how volunteers approach the community. They also described their 2022 NTMN new class project, how it involved both work on the Buckeye Trail and community outreach. Kristi and Rebecca stressed this significant insight: that change in the neighborhood had been driven by the people in that community.

Sherri also discussed neighborhood decline, showing how continuing flooding drove residents away, leaving much of Ideal+Bonton vacant. Crime, lack of infrastructure and school closures became increasing problems.

Sherri described her mother, Ms. Jackie Mixon, as an organizer who readily engaged others to work together and fight for progress. Their neighborhood group evolved into a crime watch and then a non-profit, working with partners like Habitat for Humanity and Highland Park United Methodist Church. Together they saw over 55 homes and the T.R. Hoover Community Development Center built.

Sherri told about the impact of recent master naturalist community work in Ideal+Bonton. She discussed the importance of the new T.R. Hoover pollinator garden, bringing a bit of nature back to Bexar Street. The panel also covered the value of outreach events, seniors’ lunch and learn sessions and, especially, the contribution of the summer camp nature program led by Shelby Smith. Reaching youth with science education, hands-on in the classroom and on field trips, has had a very positive impact.

Ongoing challenges include continuing the work and involving more of the neighborhood, educating to remove barriers between the community and nature.

Sherri invites us to become more involved with the Ideal+Bonton community. She stressed that, above anything else we can bring, it is most important to give from the heart.

Going Deeper

T.R. Hoover Community Development Center
Bonton+Ideal: A Dallas Neighborhood Stories Film
NedFritz.com
Living with the Trinity Film

Thanks to our guests and members for participating in this month’s chapter meeting. I hope all feel welcome at NTMN.

Take care,
Scott Hudson
President
North Texas Master Naturalist

Newsletter

Posts by Catogory

Calendar

Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
30
1
2
4
5
7
8
9
11
14
15
16
19
22
23
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
December 3, 2025    
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Western Heights Cemetery Volunteer Day 1617 Fort Worth Ave. Callas, TX 75208 Contact lead: Van Johnson, vanindallas2@aol.com Every Weds, 9am  - 12pm, earlier during summer...
December 3, 2025    
7:00 pm - 8:45 pm
Chapter Meeting Placeholder. A further description monthly meeting will appear here as the scheduled meeting draws near. Join us in north Dallas at Dallas College...
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center || 1st Saturday Walk & Talk Bird Tour (AT) Saturday, December 6, 2025  ||  7:30am – 9:30am   CT Description:  Join...
Heard Museum || Guided Trails (AT) Saturday, December 6, 2025  |  9:30am – 10:30am CT Description: Experience the ecology, geology, flora and fauna of the...
December 10, 2025    
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Western Heights Cemetery Volunteer Day 1617 Fort Worth Ave. Callas, TX 75208 Contact lead: Van Johnson, vanindallas2@aol.com Every Weds, 9am  - 12pm, earlier during summer...
Event Name: Paschall Park Butterfly Trail Workday (VH) Date/Time: Friday December 12, 2025, 9-11am Address: Paschall Park Butterfly Trail, 1001 New Market Road, Mesquite, 75149...
Heard Museum || 2nd Saturday Bird Walk (AT) Saturday, December 13, 2025 ||  8am – 9:30am CT Hosted by the Heard & offered by volunteers...
December 13, 2025    
8:00 am - 11:00 am
Event Name: Trail Maintenance Date/Time: Every Second Saturday of the month from 8am to 11am. Except for July and November. Address: 367 Freeport Parkway, Coppell, TX 75019...
December 13, 2025    
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest “2 nd Saturday” workdays Sept. 2025/ May 2026 Sept. 13, 2025, 9-11am: -- 1770 Holford Road (the center section...
December 13, 2025    
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
W.W. Glover Cemetery Volunteer Day 6650 Military Parkway, Dallas, TX 75227 Contact lead: Kathy Ann Reid, krtexas@protonmail.com April 12, 10 am - 12 pm May 10,...
December 17, 2025    
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Western Heights Cemetery Volunteer Day 1617 Fort Worth Ave. Callas, TX 75208 Contact lead: Van Johnson, vanindallas2@aol.com Every Weds, 9am  - 12pm, earlier during summer...
Heard Museum || 3rd Thursday Bird Walk (AT) Thursday, December 18, 2025 ||  8am – 9:30am CT Description: 3rd Thursday Bird Walks in the Heard...
Project site name changed to Prairie Creek Marsh and Wildscape (formerly Canyon Creek) Monthly workday 1001 G. Bush Freeway ( Hilton Garden Inn) Every third...
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center || 3rd Saturday Guided Boardwalk Tour (AT) Saturday, December 20, 2025 ||  9:00 AM – 10:30 AM    CT Description:  As...
December 21, 2025    
9:00 am - 11:00 am
LLELA || Thrive Nature Walk –(AT) Sunday, December 21, 2025 | 9am – 11am   CT Description:  Sights of plants and wildlife, smells of fresh air...
December 24, 2025    
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Western Heights Cemetery Volunteer Day 1617 Fort Worth Ave. Callas, TX 75208 Contact lead: Van Johnson, vanindallas2@aol.com Every Weds, 9am  - 12pm, earlier during summer...
December 31, 2025    
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Western Heights Cemetery Volunteer Day 1617 Fort Worth Ave. Callas, TX 75208 Contact lead: Van Johnson, vanindallas2@aol.com Every Weds, 9am  - 12pm, earlier during summer...
Events on December 3, 2025
03 Dec
3 Dec 25
Farmers Branch
Events on December 6, 2025
Events on December 10, 2025
Events on December 12, 2025
12 Dec
Events on December 13, 2025
Events on December 17, 2025
Events on December 18, 2025
Events on December 20, 2025
Events on December 21, 2025
21 Dec
Events on December 24, 2025
Events on December 31, 2025