Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve
The Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve is a 501c (3) non-profit organization in Warren Texas, about 45 miles north of Beaumont and was created by the late Geraldine Watson, one of the activists who worked to create the Big Thicket National Preserve. This website of the Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve is open to the public for viewing. Contents are posted by a group of volunteers at the preserve.
The Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve has many rare and endangered species of native plants, including seven species of orchids, four of the five types of carnivorous plants native to North America, and ten species of ferns. Geraldine Watson had discovered a site that exhibited almost all of the plant communities for which the Big Thicket is famous. She purchased it and worked to restore it to its original condition.
The preserve is open to the public at no charge and guided tours may sometimes be arranged (281-421-2469). Read more about the Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve by clicking the About tab to link to a Google document about the Preserve.
Maps are on www.watsonpreserve.org and link to google map of approximate GPS location of the preserve. 
Photo of Chapman's Orchid by Pauline Singleton
Latest Activity
Pauline Singleton posted a blog postMushrooms found on the November, 2018 Mushroom Walk
Watson Preserve mushroom walk, November 10, 2018 Watson Preserve mushroom walk, November 10, 2018…See More
Mike Howlett posted a status"Really enjoyed the work day this past Saturday...it was great to clear out some of the Cyrilla, and to do some repair work on the boardwalk."
Photos
2015 Prescribed Burn
by Pauline Singleton Added March 29, 2015 at 4:43pm
Bee Tour
by Pauline Singleton Added October 8, 2014 at 10:03pm
2014 Activities
by Pauline Singleton Added September 30, 2014 at 10:46pm
Dragonflies & Damselflies
by Sergio Henao Added October 13, 2013 at 10:28pm
Ferns
by Sergio Henao Added August 2, 2013 at 11:09pm
Paige at Watson
by Sue Singletary Added July 27, 2013 at 7:21pm
Geraldine Watson lecturing students
by Verne Lehmberg Added July 27, 2013 at 12:35pm
Mushroom Walk 2013
by Pauline Singleton Added June 4, 2013 at 9:05pm
Butterfies
by Sergio Henao Added February 5, 2013 at 7:50pm
Wildflower Walk 9-29-12
by Pauline Singleton Added September 30, 2012 at 9:36pm
Wildflower-Butterfly Walk August 11, 2012
by Pauline Singleton Added August 12, 2012 at 4:36pm
Remembering Geraldine
by Pauline Singleton Added August 5, 2012 at 3:17pm 1 Comment
Blog Posts
Mushrooms found on the November, 2018 Mushroom Walk
Posted by Pauline Singleton on January 8, 2019 at 2:54pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Watson Preserve mushroom walk, November 10, 2018 Watson Preserve mushroom walk, November 10, 2018 Agaricus pocillator Murr. Amanita "amerifulva" Tulloss nom. Prov. Amanita amerirubescens Tulloss, nom. prov. Amanita flavoconia Atkinson Amanita lavendula (Coker) Tulloss, K.W. Hughes, Rodrig. Cayc. & Kudzma Amanita persicina (Dav. T. Jenkins) Tulloss & Geml Amanita vaginata complex 2 speciesArtomyces pyxidatus (Pers.) Jülich Baeospora mysura (Fr.) Singer Calostoma cinnabarina Desv.…
Continue Mushroom Species List for June 25, 2016
Posted by Pauline Singleton on October 12, 2017 at 10:11pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Gulf States Mycological Society mushroom walk
Watson Rare Plant Preserve
June 25, 2016
Abortiporus biennis (Bull.:Fr.) Singer
Amanita bisporigera Atkinson
Boletellus ananus (Curt.) Murr.
Callistosporium luteo-olivaceum (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Singer
Cantharellus species
Cantharellus tabernensis Feibelman & Cibula
Cantharellus tenuithrix Buyck & V.…
Continue Dr. Jyotsna Sharma, who is an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, is leading conservation research projects at Watson Native Plant Preserve since 2012. The focus of her lab’s…
Posted by Pauline Singleton on November 17, 2016 at 10:09pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Dr. Jyotsna Sharma, who is an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, is leading conservation research projects at Watson Native Plant Preserve since 2012. The focus of her lab’s work is on one of the rare and superbly showy orchids of Texas. Platanthera chapmanii (Chapman’s orchid) is known from only a few locations in southeastern Texas, and Watson Native Plant Preserve hosts the largest population in Texas. Her work has included:
1) augmenting the…
Continue We're Losing our Redbay Trees
Posted by Pauline Singleton on August 21, 2016 at 9:30pm 0 Comments 3 Likes
I have some very bad news. It concerns two of our most common but easily-overlooked shrubs/small trees: the redbay (Persea borbonia) and sassafras (Sassafras albidum). They don’t directly affect people’s lives, except that sassafras is the source of the flavoring for root beer and gumbo file, and redbay is occasionally used in cooking. They do play a role in the ecosystems of east Texas, and we may be about to receive an unpleasant lesson in the interconnectedness…
ContinueVideos
About
Donations
Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve is a 501c3 charitable corporation, and donations, while never a requirement for a visit, are always welcome and are tax-deductible.
If you would like to make a donation to support the preserve, and would like for your donation to be tax deductible, pay by check, with the check made out to Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve, and send to Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve, PO Box 533, Warren, TX 77664.
If you wish to confirm our status with the IRS, our EIN is 80-0316
Events & Links
Board of Directors Meetings
May 4, 2019. The Board will meet at approximately 1:00 pm, at the preserve or nearby depending on weather.
Workdays:
Events:
Birding Walk: 1st Saturday of every month, from 9:00 to ??. Leader: Kathleen Appelbaum.
Wildflower Walk: Saturday April 13, 2019 Starts at 9:30 am. Leader: Joe Liggio. All interested people are welcome to attend.
Wildflower Walk: Saturday, May 4, 2019, 9:30 am. Leader: Joe Liggio. Everyone is welcome.
Wildflower Walk: Saturday, June 8, 2019, 9:30 am. Leader: Joe Liggio.
Mushroom Walk. June 22, 2019. Starts at 10:00 am. Leaders: David and Patricia Lewis. Any interested person is welcome. Good opportunity to learn more about mushrooms.
Wildflower Walk: Saturday August 3, 2019. Leader: Joe Liggio. Chapman's orchids should be blooming at that time.
Watch this space in the 48 hours preceding the event. If anything should happen (such as illness, or a hurricane, God forbid) to cause cancellation, we will notify you HERE.
For more information about events, call 281-421-2469 or email pollytx1@gmail.com.
LINKS:
Big Thicket Association
Big Thicket National Preserve
Butterfly Enthusiasts of East Texas
Gulf States Mycological Society, Inc.
© 2019 Created by Linda Knowles.
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