Ecosystem Regeneration Artisans

08/13/2026

SNEAK PEAK! The realism of her work is incredible! We're thrilled to host Erin Brown, during our September Artist Showcase feat. Erin Brown Native Plant Sale !
About the Artist:
"I am a Houston-based scientific illustrator with a passion for celebrating the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Inspired by native plants, wildlife, and the ecosystems they support, I create artwork that blends scientific accuracy with artistic expression. My background in microbiology has shaped my curiosity and attention to detail, allowing me to transform scientific research into artwork that invites people to slow down, look more closely, and develop a deeper appreciation for the world around them.
My artwork will be available for purchase during the September Native Plant Sale and features native plants, pollinators, birds, and other wildlife that celebrate the beauty of our local ecosystems.
Preview my work before the event on Instagram or visit my Etsy shop, Brownies Art Studio."
Want to commission an illustration, especially one that is scientifically accurate? Reach out to Erin Brown!

08/13/2026

SNEAK PEAK! The realism of her work is incredible! We're thrilled to host Erin Brown, during our September Artist Showcase feat. Erin Brown Native Plant Sale !

About the Artist:
"I am a Houston-based scientific illustrator with a passion for celebrating the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Inspired by native plants, wildlife, and the ecosystems they support, I create artwork that blends scientific accuracy with artistic expression. My background in microbiology has shaped my curiosity and attention to detail, allowing me to transform scientific research into artwork that invites people to slow down, look more closely, and develop a deeper appreciation for the world around them.

My artwork will be available for purchase during the September Native Plant Sale and features native plants, pollinators, birds, and other wildlife that celebrate the beauty of our local ecosystems.

Preview my work before the event on Instagram or visit my Etsy shop, Brownies Art Studio."

Want to commission an illustration, especially one that is scientifically accurate? Reach out to Erin Brown!

08/07/2026

08/01/2026

Please support Greensleeves nursery and get some native plants!

The real talk here is true and very honest. Summer is so hard in the nursery and landscape business.

If you believe in the good work that businesses like Greensleeves are doing for the community, show them some love by buying plants!

07/28/2026

Nailed it!

Scraping the land bare increases runoff and flooding! This bare land north of the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge (as seen from the Warbler Trail) has no ability to absorb rainfall. It's easy to see the oak/juniper forest (green strip center right) is a sponge for rainfall. We need our Hill Country to be a sponge! The vegetation and soil sponge infiltrates rainfall downward, into cracks and fissures in our limestone geology. The bare hillside funnels rainfall off - to drainages, creeks, and streams. Where are the worst offenders you've seen for runoff? Where's your favorite Hill Country sponge? Have you seen developers who do a good job working with the land and our water cycles?

07/19/2026

We had lots of fun playing in our rain gardens last Saturday after our Jump for July Native Plant Sale got rained out.

Our moon rain garden and zen rain garden both filled completely and overflowed for the first time that we've ever seen! After checking where the water was overflowing down hill we felt inspired to make our next rain garden there. Catching rainwater is a bit addictive!

All of the water we captured was down in the aquifer by sunset so that mosquitoes can't breed in it and the water is protected from evaporation.

07/18/2026

PREVENT FLASH FLOODING (no, it's not impossible)...

Flood alarms are great, just like fire alarms. But alarms don't actually prevent fires or floods, they just let us know to get out.

The repeated flood disasters and loss of life in the Hill Country break our hearts, and the reason we do the work we do is to mitigate these disasters. Our broader community needs to work together to address the root cause of flash flooding. Too much water running off the hilltops and rushing too quickly to rivers. When rain doesn't have time to soak into the soil, it has too follow the path of least resistance down to the rivers.

This results in soil that's dry just a few days after rain.

While many people know basic fire prevention, we almost never talk about flood prevention. In fact, many people are shocked that anything can be done to mitigate flooding. The answer to flood mitigation is shockingly simple, and paradoxically it starts far from the rivers up at the top of the hills in the watershed.

Simple Flood Mitigation: Make the soil into a sponge! Slow water down, Spread water out, Sink water in.

To understand the magnitude of the problem we're facing and the mind blowing amounts of water rushing off our hills, these infographics show: how much water runs off from one acre in various storm sizes; what land surfaces produce the most runoff (and the least); how we can transform our land into a sponge; and how our land management behavior either helps or hurts our rivers and downstream neighbors.

Making our land spongy benefits every living being from the hilltops to the rivers to the Gulf. From our driest days to our wettest, healthy soil serves to manage water. Damaged soil health makes both flash flooding and droughts worse.

We need more water wise land managers to make a difference throughout the Hill Country. The secret is in the soil beneath our feet!

Link to article in the comments.