Talks & Walks Calendar

Ned Fritz: From Bachman Greenbelt to Texas Wilderness

May 12 Tuesday – 6:30 to 7:45 pm

Bachman Lake Dallas Public Library
9480 Webb Chapel Rd, Dallas, TX 75220

Hosted by @Friends of Bachman Lake
https://www.friendsofbachmanlake.org/

Ned Fritz, Texas’s greatest environmentalist, found his first inspiration off Bachman Creek, which bisected his property on Cochran Chapel Rd. A legend in Texas nature preservation — he prevented the Trinity from being turned into a barge canal, helped save the Big Thicket, established Texas wilderness areas, and much more — when he got wind of city plans to channelize the creek, this he would not abide. He formed a group, Save Open Space, to rally the neighborhood and nature lovers across the city. In the process, he introduced the concept of greenbelts to the city. Learn about the man who loved Texas, but no place more so than Bachman Creek, on whose banks he lived with his family for over five decades.

A journalist and writer for over 40 years Amy Martin is the author of Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature Around Dallas-Fort Worth (Wild-DFW.com) on Timber Press. She is senior features writer for Green Source Texas (GreenSourceTexas.org). A current project is Ned Fritz Legacy (NedFritz.com) a biographical website of Ned Fritz Texas’ most famous environmentalist. Find her writings at Moonlady.com.

Barnes & Noble Prosper grand opening with special guests Clay Thurmond (shown) and others from Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center

May 20 Wednesday at noon to 1 pm

Barnes & Noble Prosper store grand opening
1191 Gates Parkway Ste #300 – The Gates of Prosper
NW Corner of US 360 and TX 289 (Preston Rd)
(469) 218-5105 – @bnprospertx
https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/3503

Come hang out at Barnes & Noble Prosper’s cool intimate space in this new store on its first day of opening. I’ll read passages from the book and share neat facts from the book’s field guide. We’ll discuss great places in DFW for spring wildflowers. Purchase a Wild DFW and get it signed.

Special guests from Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center https://www.cityofdenton.com/222/Clear-Creek/, just a couple miles from the store, will speak on their nature preserve.

The Flora, Fauna, and Fantastic Nature of Wild DFW

June 6 Sat. 2026
12 to 1 pm

Wild Birds Unlimited
5708 Abrams Road, Dallas

RSVP by calling 214-821-7400. Seating limited to 35

North Texas nature is anything but average! The area has astounding diversity, frequently landing in the top 10 of iNaturalist competitions worldwide. Drawing from the popular book, Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature Around Dallas-Fort Worth (http://wild-dfw.com/), learn how that diversity arises from our unique tilted layers of bedrock and discover the plants and animals that live here.

Astounding color photos bring alive peak experiences from the 25 featured hiking adventures through hardwood bottomland forests and Eastern Cross Timbers, soaring limestone escarpments, lush wetlands, and rare remnants of Blackland and Fort Worth Prairies

Get to know the ecoregions that shape the area and why we serve as an integral ecotone linking east and west. Journey through the wonderfully wild areas of North Texas via incredible photos from the book. Meet the courageous volunteers who preserve these precious places and derive deep healing from them, a gift of nature available to us all. And learn how a broken neck brought the authorcloser to it all.

Never See North Texas Nature the Same Way Again

Monday June 22 at 3 to 4:15 pm
free

CC Young: Senior Living
The Point building — take left after park with the pagoda
4849 W Lawther Dr #100, Dallas, TX 75214

I nearly died four years ago from a severely broken neck. The operation to save me took away 25% of my balance. Ilearned to walk again by hiking natural trails. Those hikes are an integral part of Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature Around Dallas-Fort Worth.

Hear the inspiring story woven with rhapsodic passages from the book. Learn how a little knowledge about natural history and ecology can transform your perception of North Texas nature.

Astounding color photos bring alive peak experiences from the 25 featured hiking adventures through hardwood bottomland forests and Eastern Cross Timbers, soaring limestone escarpments, lush wetlands, and rare remnants of Blackland and Fort Worth Prairies.

Wild DFW is my way of facilitating others to find the healing power of nature and the natural wonder she felt as a child. Get to know a diverse community of volunteers working for nature.

A journalist and writer for over 40 years, Amy Martin is the author of Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature Around Dallas-Fort Worth (Wild-DFW.com) on Timber Press, as well as Itchy Business: How to Treat the Poison Ivy and Poison Oak Rash, Prevent Exposure and Eradicate the Plant (Itchy.biz). She is senior features writer for Green Source Texas (GreenSourceTexas.org). A current project is Ned Fritz Legacy (NedFritz.com), a biographical website of Ned Fritz, Texas’ most famous environmentalist. Find her writings at Moonlady.com.

Photo of sunrise at Big Spring in the Great Trinity forest by Karin Saucedo.

Wild DFW at Community Nature Expo
Saturday, July 18th, from 11 am to 2 pm

J Erik Jonnson downtown Dallas Public Library – 5tth floor
1515 Young St. Dallas, TX 75201
free parking underneath – access off of Wood

Community Nature Expo welcomes families with kids and other folks. Come see nature exhibitors and activities tucked away everywhere, even on the balcony. I’ll be there with a photo display and copies of Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature Around Dallas-Fort Worth: https://Wild-DFW.com
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Presenters from prior years include: Trinity River Audubon Center, Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, Dallas Paleontological Society, Dallas Park and Recreation Department, Dallas Zoo, City of Dallas Environmental Education Initiative, For the Love of the Lake, North Texas Master Naturalists, Perot Museum, Cedar Hill State Park – Texas Parks and Wildlife, Perot Museum, Dallas Zoo,

13 Things You Need to Know About the Poison Oak and Ivy Rash

Sept 24 Thur – 11:30 am to 1 pm

Myers Park & Event Center 
7117 Co Rd 166, McKinney, TX 75071

In this subversively funny talk, Amy Martin, author of Itchy Business: How to Treat the Poison Ivy and Poison Oak Rash, Prevent Exposure and Eradicate the Plant, shares her deep knowledge of poison oak and ivy gleaned from 12 years working in wildlife habitat management. Facts such as that soap is terrible for removing urushiol from the skin and the poison oak and ivy barrier creams that actually work.

You’ll learn how humans are the only animal allergic to poison oak and ivy, and why your immunity to poison oak and ivy can change at any time. Understand that the rash is an allergy to be managed, not a poison to be extracted, and how you respond to its allergen depends on a number of factors. Discover the herbs that are far better treating the rash than jewelweed and effective topical minerals like Milk of Magnesia. Afterwards, share your story of rash woe. It’s an entertaining talk that will leave you itching for more.