The first half of this year was the fifth driest on record, and this summer hasn’t been any better. How exactly do our native plants cope with stress caused by a prolonged period without water? It’s complicated and pretty amazing.

Do areas on your property look like this—sparse vegetation and very little topsoil? Hill County soils are notoriously thin. At one time, this spot likely had lots more soil and vegetation. What happened?

One question landowners ask when the HELM team pays them a visit is “What should I do about all this cedar?” We start by dispelling myths surrounding cedar.

Have you noticed all the beautiful wildflowers popping up around your property? Most depend on animals to move their pollen around so that we can enjoy flowers again next year. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds aren’t their only pollinators. Beetles, flies, and other insects also move pollen from flower to flower.