Name: Managing Soil as an Ecosystem
Start: 2026-04-09T18:30:00-05:00
Location: Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Soil is not dirt—it is one of the most complex living ecosystems on Earth. A teaspoon of healthy soil contains billions of organisms working together in an intricate underground ecosystem. These tiny communities drive nutrient cycling, water retention, and plant health. When its biological community thrives, landscapes become more fertile, resilient, and self-sustaining. This talk reveals the hidden living world beneath our feet and shows how you can rebuild the soil food web to restore ecological function with an investment of time and not money.
Jane Duke is a restoration ecologist, educator, and passionate advocate for biology-driven land renewal. She has served on the local boards of the Texas Master Naturalists and the Native Plant Society of Texas, completed the Soil Food Web Foundation Courses, and was certified in 2023 as a Soil Food Web Lab Technician. At the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center, Jane leads hands-on restoration efforts which brings a grounded, practitioner’s perspective on how Soil Food Web principles look when applied under real Texas conditions.
April 9 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
6:30 Doors Open – Socializing and snacks
7:00 Chapter Meeting and Announcements
The presentation will follow our brief business meeting.
LOCATION
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Rose Room
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107
VIRTUAL
This meeting is hybrid and will be held in person and on Zoom. To receive the zoom link, please register in advance. The registration button can be found at the top of our calendar page on our website at: https://www.npsot.org/chapters/north-central/calendar-north-central/
FREE
This is a free event hosted by the North Central Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. Our meetings are open to members and non-members. For more information about the North Central Chapter, and the benefits of membership, please visit our website.
https://www.npsot.org/chapters/north-central/