The Wetland Restoration Team began in the fall of 2000 with the intent of involving volunteers in local restoration projects. At that time, the primary projects were prairie restoration and monitoring at Armand Bayou Nature Center. Since 2000, the Team has traveled to many parks, like Buffalo Bend Nature Park, Mason Park and Sheldon Lake State Park, restoring wetland habitat. We also potentially manage anywhere from several hundred to several thousand plants for all the given projects. All this work means the Team depends heavily on student participation. The Team members act as mentors to the students providing the knowledge and expertise to complete the restoration project.
From the onset of our Team, Texas Master naturalist volunteers have been involved. The dedication and formidability of these volunteers always exceeds my expectation. Obviously, these restoration projects are not going to managed by one person. It definitely takes a Team! We began as a crew of 2 or 3, and have grown….I hope we continue to grow.
Our 2014 Wetland Team Holiday Luncheon...everyone is their "dress blues" and nice clothes.
Gail and Lana having some fun over Juncus seed.
Team members and agency staff helping to clear the pond at our old NRG partnership nursery.
Joe Bryan and other Team members collecting some Iris plants from a local source to Sheldon Lake SP.
Glenn Braden smiling while working on one of toughest (hottest) workdays we have had in a while.
Even in winter, we can have sunny days and work outside with wet plants. 🙂
WRT member, Diane Humes, with a spider lily she rescued and intended to plant in a new home.
The WRT first two volunteers, Dick Benoit and Carolyn Lovell.
Sometimes, seed cleaning can be monotonous; so horsing around can alleviate the situation.
Paul Roling, our dedicated volunteer botanist, with the quadrat, prepping for a day of monitoring at Sheldon Lake State Park.
Rebecca DaVanon taking a sly picture with John Egan, a Prairie Team and Wetland Team volunteer.
Susan Conaty with Ray Rottman bumping up the newly "popped" canna glauca seedlings.
Dick Benoit with Sue McManamen working on the sprigging of Pontedaria cordata, pickerelweed.
A happy team picture after a long day collecting in the field.
Seed work in the winter makes for a good project if the weather outside is un-cooperative.
The Team enjoying a lite birthday lunch on the observation tower at Sheldon Lake State Park.
Steve Upperman working hard to collect those pickerel weed for transplanting to Sheldon Lake State Park. We miss you, Steve!
John Egan and Dick Benoit, sprigging as we collect and trying to fend off the mosquitos
Jim Branch on the hunt for Rhynchospora or Juncus plants in the meadow.
John Harrell adjusting his gloves for planting in the peninsula ponds at Sheldon Lake State Park
Nathan Veath showing off his Thalia plant he salvaged from his home pond and donated to the WRT cause.
Volunteer planting at Sheldon Lake State Park
John Egan planting the first plants (Cannas) into Phase 2 restoration at Sheldon Lake State Park.
Cullen and Diane trying to rid our cleaned seed of the fluffy chaff.
Dick and Gail working with YES Prep kids to make seedballs for the prairie wetlands.
We are SO grateful to our volunteers for all the great work they do!