The Fredericksburg Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) has awarded its $2,000 “Bill Lindemann Scholarship” to Calvin Nering, a student at the University of North Texas. Nering expects to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology for Environmental Science, with a minor in Geography, in spring 2026.
Alongside his ecology and environmental biology studies, he is researching how prairie grasses interact with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF). Using Little Bluestem, one of the Texas “big four” prairie grasses, and remnant prairie soil from The Nature Conservancy’s Clymer Meadow, the project tests whether introduced microbes boost grass growth compared to a control. Findings could advance restoration science, offering a practical way to improve native grass establishment and accelerate recovery of degraded Texas landscapes.
“Our chapter’s board was impressed with Mr. Nering’s work on ecological restoration of our Texas ecosystems and his commitment to continue advocating for native plants where he lives,” noted Jonathan Watt, President of the Fredericksburg chapter of NPSOT.
