Welcome to TERM (Techniques for Ecological Research and Management), a joint education outreach program presented by the Fort Worth Nature Center, the Botanical Research Institue of Texas, and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

TERM, which grew out of an identified gap in hands-on, experience-based education in the fields of plant and wildlife science, conservation, sustainability, and ecology, offers carefully designed field investigations, workshops, and classes which will enhance TERM participants' classroom education and offer an opportunity to assemble a unique set of skills. Additionally, TERM will allow participants to interact and network with professionals and students in their field of interest. 

The Monarch Migration and Local Pollinators: The Importance of Autumn

Saturday, September 2, 2017, 1pm - 3pm
$10 ($5 for members)

Monarch butterflies travel through our area on their way to the overwintering habitat in Mexico.  Learn about this great migration and how you can become involved in citizen science activities to advance our knowledge of this awesome journey. Understand what role fall flowers play in supporting monarch flight. Discover the pollinators who share butterflies’ floral needs when summer is closing, and what they do to prepare for winter. 

Instructor: Gail Manning, Entomologist and Education Team Leader, Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Please note: This class is SOLD OUT.

Know Your Natives: Native American Plant Use

Saturday, October 7, 2017, 1pm - 3pm
$10 ($5 for members)

Take a walk around the BRIT campus with Dr. Grace Bascopé, BRIT Resident Research Associate and Medical and Environmental Anthropologist, to learn about which and how plants were used by the First Peoples of the North Central Texas area. She will also discuss archaeological research carried out right around BRIT. Dr. Bascopé will  show you the First Peoples Demonstration Garden and discuss how Native Americans and others optimize water conservation in their gardens in this dry region. 

Instructor: Grace Bascope, BRIT Resident Research Associate

Grasses: The Rodney Dangerfield of the Vascular Plant World

Saturday, November 4, 2017, 1pm - 3pm 
$10 ($5 for members)

Grasses, often the most common plants in any given landscape, are also some of the most overlooked and misunderstood members of the plant world. Grasses, however, are what makes the prairie a prairie, they are an essential component of savannas, and they even occupy the understory of woodlands and forests.

This workshop will provide an introduction to the world of grasses that are found in the prairies, savannas, and woodlands of North Texas. The focus will be on field identification of grasses by their distinguishing physical characteristics. It will include an overview of basic terminology related to the parts of the grass plant, a brief discussion of taxonomic classification, discussion of the significance of various grass species, their potential values, and the ecosystem services they provide.  

Instructor: Dan Caudle, BRIT Resident Research Associate

• If you need to cancel, your registration fees may be credited to another date or program, but not refunded due to the cost of processing fees.
• If you are unable to attend a program, you may send an alternate participant with your advanced confirmation.
• In case BRIT must cancel a program due to insufficient enrollment, a full refund will be made to you.

Past Workshops

February 4, 2017 - Field Observations in the Modern World

Join us in exploring both new and old techniques and tools to enhance your current field observation skills. Whether your field notebook is made of paper or ones and zeros, we’ll help you hone the observation skills crucial to modern field science careers and improve overall natural science literacy.

Instructors: Brooke Best, PhD, Tracy Friday

March 4, 2017 - Plant Identification and Vouchering

Learn what physical and online resources are available to you (including the BRIT herbarium and library) and get some practice in the identification of plants using the techniques that professional botanists use. We’ll also guide you in the process of vouchering plants, that is collecting plant specimens and associated data that are of scientific quality.

Instructors: Tiana Rehman, Barney Lipscomb

April 1, 2017 - Tracking Environmental Quality: Monitoring Green Tree Frogs, a Citizen Science Project

We’ve all heard of the “canary in the coal mine” that warned miners of potentially hazardous conditions in the mines.  Green tree frogs, and other members of the family Hylidae, can serve as canaries warning us of hazardous conditions in our aquatic ecosystems.  Stable Hylid populations indicate stable ecosystems while declining populations point to problems within the ecosystem.  Monitoring these populations can be easy and makes for a perfect Citizen Science Project.  This workshop will discuss the ecology of Hylid frogs, where they should be found, and how to monitor their populations through the use of PVC pipe refugia.  Each participant will receive a PVC Hylid monitoring refugia as a model to build their own frog monitoring project. 

Instructor: Rob Denkhaus, FWNC

May 6, 2017 - Know your Natives: Spring Wildflowers

Join us in exploring  the world of native spring wildflowers with experts in the subject! Attendees will learn scientific and common names for local, seasonal wildflowers, learn family recognition traits for those wildflowers, and learn the basic techniques for field identification. Come prepared to walk around outside. Bring a photo or a (legally) picked specimen if you want to talk about a specific plant. No more than 2 per person, please. See you there!

Instructors: Brooke Best, PhD, Heather Bass