Help migrating birds by turning off lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during spring migration.

From April 1-30, Ennis showcases over 40 miles of mapped driving Bluebonnet Trails sponsored by the Ennis Garden Club. These trails are the oldest such trails known in the state, and tens of thousands of visitors make the short trek to Ennis to view this wonderful wildflower show. In Ennis, the bluebonnets typically peak around the 3rd week of April, according to the Ennis Garden Club. This can vary year to year due to weather conditions and terrain, so check website or call 972-878-4748 before your visit.

You can pick up a Bluebonnet Trail Map at the Ennis Welcome Center located at 201 NW Main St, Ennis, Texas 75119. The Ennis Welcome Center is open Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

You can also download the free ENNIS Y'ALL mobile app, for the Ennis Bluebonnet Trail Map, place to shop, dine, upcoming events and more.

Maps not available until April 1.

Join Suzanne Tuttle to explore this tract of prairie land on the southeast shore of Benbrook Lake. 

This fieldtrip will be held on the 3rd Friday of the months February thru June. The meet-up times for April 19, May 17 and June 21 will be 8 a.m.. The meet-up times for February and March will be 9 a.m. Suzanne plans to arrive about 15 minutes before the start times so folks will see the pull-out.

The fieldtrip will last approximately 1.5 hours, but Suzanne will stay longer if the day is very birdy. The trail is natural surface, some will wander off trail, so please wear appropriate footwear and clothing for the weather conditions. There are no facilities on the property.

This exciting event will attract the world’s foremost environmentalists, conservationists, scientists, academics, entrepreneurs, advocates and political leaders engaged in the environmental space today. Our expo will not take place in 2024 but will be returning in 2025. We hope to see you there!

Includes the day-long free forum North Texas Day.

See full schedule.

Join Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Master Naturalists, the Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society, and many others in a fun challenge to see which city can document the most species during April 26 - April 29. It is easy to participate by joining an event or making observations on your own using the iNaturalist app.

With the iNaturalist app, you just take a picture of a plant or animal, and the community will help identify which species it is. Any observation in the greater metropolitan area of Dallas/Fort Worth will count during the four day challenge. You can participate by exploring the life in your backyard, in your local park, or on a field trip with your local naturalist group. You can also help with IDs for other people's observations to increase our species count, come to a bioblitz, or even hold your own event.

The topic will be Creating a Bee Friendly Yard.  Our featured speakers will be John & Sarah Wright of Two Doves Bees & Gardens. 

Refreshments at 2:30 p.m. Meeting start 3 p.m. 

Here's what will be covered:

    •    What is a "bee-friendly yard?  

    •    Flowers, trees, and shrubs oh my!

    •    Bee Friendly "lawn"

    •    Herbicides/Pesticides

    •    Can you get a bigger bee friendly yard without paying more property tax?

Learn what's happening at the Charles F. Ladd Nature Center. Enjoy speakers, presentations and fun. Proceeds benefit the nature preserve.

If you make a one-time donation to Laddfest 2024, your contribution will doubled through a matching grant.

Ann Knudsen will discuss the resource savings, health benefits and ecological gains of using natives instead of exotics. Hear how natives benefit the environment, the community and the homeowner or apartment dweller.

Native Texan Ann Knudsen’s interest in native plants grew from playing in the wildflower fields of her youth and her mother's love of gardening. Ann is a Master Naturalist, Master Gardener, and active in the North Central chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas.

She has been involved with NPSOT's landscaping certification program and, with her mentor, Molly Hollar, took several UT-sponsored classes through the LBJ Wildflower Center and NPSOT. When Molly retired after nearly twenty-five years coordinating the Molly Hollar Wildscape in Veterans Park, she asked Ann to fill that position.

Since 2007, Ann's business, Native Gardener, has specialized in native landscape maintenance and design.

Joshua Byrne of the Fort Worth Zoo has been passionate about insects since before he could talk, and once he was able to, it was all he talked about. He has kept and studied invertebrates privately for over 20 years, as well as professionally through the Iowa State Insect Zoo, Little Rock Zoo, and currently the Fort Worth Zoo. He has a bachelor’s degree in animal ecology from Iowa State University, but was extremely happy to move to Texas where the weather is warmer and the insects are bigger!