A Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society Project

Funded by Audubon Texas and Audubon Foundation of Texas

One of Prairie and Timbers Audubon’s favorite birding spots is Hagermann National Wildlife Refugee and PTAS has actively supported improvements and restorations at Hagermann. When one of our members Roger Sanderson was asked to help design a native butterfly garden next to the visitor center, other members of PTAS also wanted to contribute. Coordinated by the Friends of Hagermann (http://www.friendsofhagerman.com/), this was a major project involving many contributors of both labor and funds. PTAS was happy to play its small part in a great community project.

Initial work on the site layout began in July 2014 and by mid September electricity and water connections had been implemented. Concrete supports for structures including the arbors, the bridge and the teaching circle were also put in place as well as the recirculating pond water feature.
In October, volunteers built and stained all of the wood structures and placed the edging along the walkways.

By November, all of the drip irrigation was installed as well as the seating stones for the teaching circle. The benches were delivered and placed.

At present, approximately one third of the plants have been delivered and planted. The total estimated plant, tree and shrub budget is approximately $10,000 of which $4,013.31 has been spent. Funding provided by Audubon Texas and Audubon Foundation of Texas obtained through PTAS was used to help pay for the native plants planted in the fall.

The remainder of plants and shrubs will be delivered and planted in the spring of 2015 as soon as it’s deemed safe to plant after the winter frosts.

Tours of the garden will be given by volunteer docents and classes will begin as soon as possible in spring 2015. Further updates will be available at http://www.friendsofhagerman.com/butterflygarden

Special thanks to Lee Hatfield who was the PTAS member responsible for coordinating and managing PTAS’s contributions.