Delores Fenwick Nature Center

10/27/2026

Join us for a 🎃SP👁👁KY Party👻 at the DFNC! On Oct. 30th from 10am to 2pm we'll have themed activities, games, candy, crafts and more to get you in the spooky spirit. Costumes are highly encouraged. We hope to see you there!

10/22/2026

🌱Native Plant of The Week!🌱

TW: vomiting mentioned

What’s in a name? That which we call vomit-inducing by any other name would smell as gross... Unless we’re talking about this native plant of the week, the yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) 🤢

Its scientific name came from early European colonists’ misunderstanding of an indigenous purification ritual in which the participant drank tea made from the plant and threw up. Today we know that yaupon is not as harmful as once thought, in fact, it is quite useful! It is the only North American plant to contain caffeine, making it a popular choice for tea 🍵 and other herbal medicine.
The leaves can be roasted and steeped for an antioxidant-filled pick-me-up. The tempting red berries, however, are not edible to humans and should not be consumed 🚫 It's better to leave the berries be as they are a vital source of food for many wild animals.

You can see this beneficial plant near the Nature Center’s demonstration garden. The berries will turn from green to red very soon and will be hard to miss.

10/21/2026

📣Facility Closure Reminder📣

The DFNC will be closed on Wednesday October 21st so that all of our staff are able to attend the annual Parks and Recreation Department Strategic Retreat. We will return to normal business hours on Thursday, Oct. 22nd at 9am.

📣Facility Closure Announcement📣

The DFNC will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday October 20th & 21st so that all of our staff are able to attend the annual Parks and Recreation Department Strategic Retreat. We will return to normal business hours on Thursday, Oct. 22nd at 9am.

10/15/2026

🌱Native Plant of The Week!🌱

This plant we're showcasing this week is the resurrection fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides). It earned its name by having a tendency to act like the living dead!🧟

Most native plants survive droughts by having deep root systems or waxy coating on their leaves. Not the resurrection fern though, it doesn’t even live in soil! When it goes through a dry spell, the resurrection fern shrivels up, curling tight against the bark of the tree its growing on. It can lie in wait without water for an estimated 100 years! Once rain returns, it seemingly rises from the dead, unfurls its tendrils and resumes photosynthesis 🌿

So, is it a true zombie? No, not really. But is it really cool when nature seemingly defies death and does what we thought would be impossible? Yes!

You can find this fern on large oak trees on the Clear Creek Trail behind the West Pearland Library.

10/13/2026

📣Facility Closure Announcement📣

The DFNC will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday October 20th & 21st so that all of our staff are able to attend the annual Parks and Recreation Department Strategic Retreat. We will return to normal business hours on Thursday, Oct. 22nd at 9am.

10/08/2026

🌱Native Plant of The Week!🌱

In honor of 🎃spooky season👻, our native plant of the week is the carnivorous Hu**ed Bladderwort (Utricularia gibba).

It may look like a harmless aquatic plant, but trust us, it’s a trap! Like an underwater Venus flytrap, bladderworts have sensitive hairs on the outside of their bladders that send unsuspecting microorganisms that brush against them to their doom. Unlike their terrestrial brethren, the motion of potential prey triggers their bladders to open and suck in water, taking the prey in with it. A trapdoor closes, and the prey is sealed in to be digested.

Bladderworts can be identified by their dainty yellow flowers poking out of the water and their submerged stems covered in bladders about the size of poppy seeds. They lack roots and can be found floating or near edges of calm water.
Carnivorous plants like bladderworts still make energy from photosynthesis but use animal capture to support their nutrient needs. How spooky is that?! 😱

10/01/2026

🌱Native Plant of The Week!🌱

This week’s featured plant sure is a beaut! This time of year, you may see clusters of these bright purple fruits weighing down the arching branches of American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) shrubs. American beautyberries are more than just a pretty face, they are an excellent source of food for animals such as birds and white-tailed deer. Compounds in the leaves are also known to repel mosquitoes and ticks 🤯 This useful native plant adds a pop of color to any landscaping and requires very little maintenance once established.

You can see American beautyberry and other stunning native plants in the nature center's demonstration garden.

09/29/2026

We have a big announcement... Drumroll, please... 🥁🥁🥁

We are excited to welcome Stahr to our staff as a Nature Program Specialist!!!

“Hi, my name is Stahr and I'm stoked to be joining the team at the Delores Fenwick Nature Center! A bit about me:
-My favorite animals are opossums and lamprey fish.
-Outside of work you can find me hiking🥾 with my dog or fishing🎣.
-My favorite season is winter❄️.
-I have worked in national and state parks for the last 7 years.
I’m excited to meet new people and have fun while learning more about nature. If you see me around, say hi 👋and share your favorite animal fact!! 🌟"

09/24/2026

Spend a cozy afternoon, on October 3rd from 1:30pm to 3pm, at the DFNC making your very own 🍄Mossy Mushroom Wreath🍄. Participants will be led in a step-by-step process to release their inner crafter to create a wreath that brings Fall🍂 cottage core vibes right to your front door. All necessary materials and light snacks will be provided for the program. Register today at https://shorturl.at/0TClZ.

This program is for persons aged 18+ and is $25/Resident, $30/Non-Resident.

09/03/2026

🌱Native Plant of The Week!🌱

This week's native plant is Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia). This drought tolerant tree survives in a variety of soil types and turns yellow in the autumn. Their bark can develop "cork wings' which are raised lines of bark tissue that shed as the tree matures. Cedar elms are the host plant for larval Mourning Cloak and Question Mark Butterflies. 🦋

Fun Fact: The leaves of a cedar elm feel like sandpaper.

You can see this native tree and others along the trails at the John Hargrove Environmental Complex.