Wildlife biologist Chris Keiser stopped at the first briefing point of his prairie walk. “If you stand on a red ant hill, keep movin’,” he said with a smile.

He was leading one of the four prairie walks which highlighted the 2024 Yantis Prairie Day. His talk was ‘Pastures for Upland Game Birds.’

The other walking tours which led through Julie Mattox’s prairie land off Hwy. 17 in Yantis were ‘Introduction to Restoring a Tall Grass Prairie,’ ‘Birds of the Prairie Habitat’ and ‘Plants of the Prairie.’

The informational walks through the former dairy-farm pasture, now a native grassland, were not elementary-level discussions. Some of the most experienced specialists in habitat management were present to share their expertise.

Among them were Brandon Bing, a grazing specialist with the National Resources Conservation Service, Carol Campbell of the Tyler Audubon Society, landowner Mattox – recently named the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) Land Steward of the Year for 2024 and TPW biologist Kaiser.   

The flow of visitors to the 5th annual Prairie Day was steady.

Some, like Nick Taylor and his family, had recently relocated from Richardson to Winnsboro. He and his wife, Jessica, and their young children came to participate in the kids’ area staged by the Bizzy Bee Homeschooling Academy and to take in the fresh air.  

Others, like Scott Wilson and his grandson, had come to investigate options for some newly-acquired property which had recently been lumbered. Yet others were simply curious. Yantis residents Dale and Joan Bearden had seen a briefing about native grasslands during a Lion’s Club meeting and came to learn more. 

Learning more was easy at Prairie Day. 

While one group was on a prairie walk, another group was under cover of a dairy pavilion receiving a briefing on ‘Wildscaping for Bats’ by Missy Singleton, a private lands biologist for the Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Additional briefing included ‘Blackland Prairie Raptor Center,’ ‘Bee’s Eye View of the Garden,’ ‘Restoring Native Grassland,’ ‘The Horse Boy Method’ – an equine therapy which is rendering remarkable results in connecting with autistic youngsters, ‘Cultivating Thriving Land Stewardship,’ ‘The Importance of Cattle for the Climate’ and ‘Ecological Site Description and Why it Matters.’ 

That is a wealth of information, all offered for free in Yantis. 

There was more. A native plant sale conducted by the Native Plant Society of Texas, Lakes and Pines Chapter, did a brisk business. Paisley Caraway was busy in the kids’ area building seed bombs for visitors, even delivering the seed bombs to visitors who moved on to other attractions.  

For the uninitiated, a seed bomb is a ball of soil containing a multitude of native seeds. The ball is created by rolling layers of soil between one’s hands.  

Back on the prairie walk, Keiser was describing how a field of native grasses will change year-to-year.

He stretched his arm out to the west and explained, “Native grasses were introduced to this area just before a two-year drought. In those initial two years, the field was chocked full of sunflowers. The field responded however to the weather each year, and  today you see only a few sunflowers. It seems to be the year of the partridge pea with a good bit of golden rod.”

It was impossible to attend Prairie Day without learning something about natural Texas. A discussion of Texas Parks and Wildlife’s efforts to reintroduce turkeys to the environment and the super-stocking process was a great example.

Another example was the description of how native grasses provide natural cover for small mammals – allowing for a balanced ecosystem.

Education was surely the goal of the whole event. 

As Pat Merkord, of the Native Prairies Association of Texas, stated, “What we are seeking is to build a little bit of forethought in how development happens in the state.” She explained that one of the most important ways this can be done is through conservation easements.

The need for such education could not be more timely. The development of large tracts of Texas prairie for solar farms is fundamentally transforming the landscape. As the folks in Franklin County can attest, it is never too early to educate oneself on the consequences of such development. 

Likewise, the urban push heading east toward Farmersville is another such case. Miles of rich black farmland are being transformed into tracts of development containing thousands of homes. Merkord’s “a little bit of forethought” could certainly have gone a long way.  

Prairie Day was also a great venue for similarly-minded organizations to gather. One of those groups was the Texas Master Naturalists. Bobbie Williams was manning a table, ready to explain the vast education opportunities available through the Master Naturalists.

“The Texas Master Naturalists study all aspects of the natural environment of Texas, in all its varied regions,” she said.

Among those who are looking to leverage this emerging focus on the natural world for the benefit of all, Wood County Economic Development Commission Executive Director Christine Thomas spent time at Prairie Day.  

Thomas related that the focus on the natural environment assures responsible development and preserves nature for all to enjoy. It is also, Thomas noted, quite a draw for people to continue coming to Wood County. 

It is, in short, management of a blessing.