Texas Prairie News Feature

I’m honored to be featured in the Spring 2022 issue of the Texas Prairie News, the newsletter of the Native Prairies Association of Texas! The newsletter is available online as a digital PDF here on the NPAT website.

I was blushing when I saw that “Prairie Wonder Woman” title! :)

The Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT) is a nonprofit land trust dedicated to the conservation, restoration, and appreciation of native prairies, savannas, and other grasslands in Texas. I’ve been a member since 2005 and have been doing their website since 2019. I’ve also organized and led field trips — it’s always so much fun to get out on the prairie.

Of the original 20 million acres of tallgrass prairie, less than 1% now remains. The little that’s left are precious treasures and I’m proud that NPAT protects 5,000 of them. Read more about prairies here.

I thought I’d share a few of my latest prairie sketches — I need to do some more! It can be hard to put on paper that feeling of being out under a big prairie sky, with nothing but a sea of grass as far as the eye can see.

Start of the Prairie Earth Trail, Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Oklahoma. December 22, 2021

I’ve learned that “less is definitely more” when it comes to sketching prairies.

Those little black dots are BISON — we were lucky enough to see so many that day!

Thanks so much to NPAT for the feature — and for all that you do!

Hi Lisa! I downloaded the newsletter that you kindly provide a link for, and I was very interested to see that page 11 has a Tributes section. Do you know the cost of an “in honor of” tribute? Someone I know recently lost his sister, and I believe the family is also interested in protecting the natural resources of Texas. So I think purchasing a tribute to be printed in the Native Prairies Association of Texas newsletter would be appreciated by the family. Oh, I see your husband is on the Board of Directors too.

Lisa Spangler · May 1, 2022 at 3:42 pm

Hi Bob! A tribute is a wonderful way to honor someone. Here’s the link to donate — https://nativeprairiesassociationoftexas-bloom.kindful.com/ — then in the drop-down menu at the top under “select campaign” choose “Donate as a Tribute”. The amount can be as much or as little as you’d like, $5 or more suggested to help cover transaction fees. Thank you.

Bob Cochran · May 1, 2022 at 3:59 pm

Thank you, for the link, Lisa. You write in https://texasprairie.org/member-spotlight-lisa-spangler/ ” School kids are taught about the rain forest and elephants and tigers but there’s not much education about what used to be right in our own backyards.” I agree with you completely. I wish our school children are taught more about the natural resources in our very own counties and the State as a whole. If we could just protect the few pitcher plants we have in my county, for example. Children could be taught that our native plants are worth protecting.

Lisa Spangler · May 1, 2022 at 4:15 pm

Hi Bob! I forgot about that article! It’s so true, I wish there was more education about what is going on in our own backyards. We just have to keep on sharing what we know and getting people excited about it!

Bob Cochran · May 1, 2022 at 3:36 pm

Congratulations on the Newsletter story, too! You certainly work hard to contribute to bettering the prairies.

Mary Hazlett · May 1, 2022 at 5:55 pm

Congrats Lisa! I feel I should break out singing “Home On The Range” in honor of the bison.

Lisa Spangler · May 1, 2022 at 8:35 pm

Thanks so much, Mary! I love that song!

Texas Prairie News Feature

Published by Lisa on May 1, 2022

Further Reading