Native Garden for Pollinators Open to the Public

Conroe, TX – A new garden called the Heartwood Monarch Waystation has been created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the local Heartwood Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist™ program. Designed with native plants to attract monarch butterflies and pollinators, the aim is to “Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas”. The garden is located at the W. G. Jones State Forest on FM 1488 where the chapter began and still holds a variety of events. The garden is supported by grants from the Native Plant Society of Texas, The Woodlands GREEN and Nature’s Way Resources.

The garden was initiated, planned, created and will be maintained by volunteers of the Heartwood chapter and the Woodlands GREEN. It is adjacent to a covered gazebo which is used for outdoor classes, demonstrations and events. The garden design included drainage improvements, adding new soil and stones, planting native plants and installing signage.

Native plants benefit native pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, bats and birds. These native pollinators play a critical role in sustaining ecosystems and provide essential services to American agriculture (estimated at as much as $9 billion annually). Interest in conservation of native pollinators has grown rapidly over the last few years as several species have experienced dramatic population declines. The Heartwood Monarch Waystation will bring awareness to and create positive change for pollinator conservation.

“The Heartwood Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist is celebrating our founding 20 years ago. We have 155 members volunteering across Montgomery and Walker counties,” said Lisa Houston, president of the Heartwood chapter. “This group of local Texas Master Naturalist and Woodlands GREEN volunteers have created the Heartwood Monarch Waystation as a community service to serve as a resource for education and conservation.” She credits volunteer Terry Fitch for initiating and leading the effort to create the garden as a community project to celebrate the chapter’s 20th anniversary.

About Texas Master Naturalist Program and the local Heartwood Chapter
The Texas Master Naturalist Program’s mission is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas. The local Heartwood Chapter is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The chapter provides citizen volunteers for implementing youth education programs; for operating parks, nature centers, and natural areas; and for providing leadership in local natural resource conservation efforts throughout Montgomery and Walker counties.
Donations to the Heartwood chapter are tax-deductible. Donations for the Heartwood Monarch Waystation may be made to the Heartwood chapter by specifying “Jones Forest Pollinator Gardens.”

About W. G. Jones State Forest
W. G. Jones State Forest is one of the nation’s largest working urban forests. The primary purpose of this forest is resource education. Sound scientific forest management that protects and perpetuates native flora and fauna is practiced. Demonstration and research areas have been installed to test various forest management techniques, forest genetics, and forest product utilization studies. Jones State Forest is surrounded by Conroe, The Woodlands and unincorporated Montgomery county on all sides. Each year, approximately 80,000 people visit the forest.

About Woodlands GREEN
The Woodlands Grass Roots Environmental Education Network (GREEN) is an education organization that promotes natural resource conservation, recycling, solid waste reduction, safe and sensible care of our air and water resources, and other responsible actions that protect the environment and its inhabitants. The Woodlands GREEN has been fulfilling its mission of building a sustainable community through education and action for over 30 years. The tax-deductible 501 (c)(3) organization engages the community through numerous sustainability initiatives, education programs and events to balance urban development and the natural environment.