Texas Land Conservancy

Texas land provides. The Agarita bush comes with a few lessons in patience and grit. Early summer brings heat, but a remedy can be found in the shade of historically disturbed areas where the Agarita bush tends to grow. The Agarita berry can be foraged and turned into a sweet but tangy syrup or can be left in juice form to add to your favorite fruity beverage for a tart treat. Give it a try and kick back with an Agarita lemonade this summer but be ready to put the work in for this tiny red berry.

🌾Maggie O'Neil, Stewardship Program Manager

The Texas ironclad beetle certainly lives up to its name and refuses to be “squished like a bug.” With one of the hardest exoskeletons of any insect, this beetle can withstand being stepped on or run over by a car. Native to central and east Texas and found as far south as Mexico, this lichen-eater will also play dead when threatened giving it a nickname of “blue death-feigning beetle.”

🦎 Nick Fisher, Hill Country Program Manager

Did you know old tires were once thought to help prevent erosion along rivers and creeks? Many landowners even used them to build fence crossings across waterways. Today, we know tires can negatively impact river ecosystems and water quality.

For the past 9 years, Little L Ranch, a TLC protected property, has hosted the Annual Brazos River Cleanup, bringing together Texas Master Naturalists and community volunteers to help protect the Brazos River. 💧🛶

On May 16, our North Texas Program Director, Jack, joined volunteers in removing 175 tires from the river system! Thank you to everyone helping keep the Brazos clean and healthy.

This Memorial Day, we remember the brave souls who answered the call of duty and made the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country.

The uniqueness of the elegant Texas Madrone tree contradicts the landscape where it is found. 🌳 The white limestone, rocky soil and often rugged canyons contrast with the evergreen leaves that complement the orange-reddish, multi-trunked structure. A mature Madrone can grow to a stunning 30 feet, with a broad canopy creating shade and respite from the Texas heat beneath its smooth limbs.

🌾Maggie O'Neil, Stewardship Program Manager

Ever wondered what it’s like to be attacked by a thousand mosquitoes at once? Let me take you out to this property so you can experience it for yourself! 🦟

This “oxbow swamp” was once part of the much larger adjacent stream system, but it became separated into its own ecosystem when the bend of the creek it existed in was cut off from the main flow. Now, it exists as its own mini swamp, only filling with water when nearby creeks overflow. These conditions create the perfect breeding ground for frogs, salamanders, turtles, and snakes. Smaller fish may also be swept in and out of the oxbow swamp during periods of heavy rain.

Insects — specifically mosquitoes — are also drawn to these wetlands, creating an important food source for the many amphibians, birds, and mammals that dwell here.
Taken on a TLC protected property in Newton County.

🐊 Jamie Ho**er, East Texas Program Director

Spending some time wandering through fields and stumbled upon this striking plant? Say hello to the white prickly poppy (Argemone albiflora). 🔆

All varieties of prickly poppy exude a yellow sap that has been used medicinally for generations, with records tracing back to the Aztecs. Native Americans used the sap for things like removing warts, treating cold sores, and easing other skin ailments. Even more fascinating, teas and concoctions made from different parts of the plant were traditionally used for lung congestion, bladder infections, and even migraines.

Despite its prickly defenses keeping most livestock away, pollinators absolutely love it, and birds benefit from it too. 🐝

This photo was taken on a TLC protected property.

🐞 Daniela Parker, Community Engagement Coordinator

Spring brings the showstoppers — bright, bold wildflowers everywhere you look 🌸✨ But tucked among all that greenery is a camouflaged jewel: the pearl milkweed vine (Matelea reticulata). With its delicate green and white veined star-shaped flowers, heart-shaped leaves, and a tiny pearl-like center of the flower, it's easy to miss… but definitely worth the search. 💚 This native plant also provides an important host for Queen and Monarch butterflies. 🦋

🌻 Valeria Bridgewater, Development and Communications Associate

That’s a wrap on the TLC Birdathon! 🐦

Thank you to all of our supporters across Texas who followed along as our East Texas, North Texas, and Hill Country teams hit the field to count bird species on TLC-protected properties across three regions of the state.

Together, we raised $1,942 to support the protection of vital habitats across Texas. Thank you for cheering on our teams and supporting conservation along the way. See you next year!