Science Activity Fair and Plant Biology Talk at the Wildflower Center
Mar
1
2026
-
Frank Kanawha Lake
Mar
1
2026
-
Frank Kanawha Lake
Event Overview
Join the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and UT Austin’s Department of Integrative Biology for the annual Jean Andrews Plant Biology Seminar and science activity fair. Enjoy demos and activities at an all-ages science-themed fair, celebrating discovery and the natural world for the first part of the event.
Then hear research ecologist and tribal liaison, Dr. Frank Kanawha Lake's science talk, “Indigenous Fire Stewardship, Pollinators and Eco-Cultural Restoration.”
Details and Schedule:
- 11:30 am—2 pm: Science activity fair with biodiversity collections, free native plants and snacks
- 2—3 pm: “IIndigenous Fire Stewardship, Pollinators and Eco-Cultural Restoration,” science talk from Dr. Frank Kanawha Lake of the U.S. Forest Service
- For free admission, upon arrival notify staff at the Wildflower Center welcome kiosk that you are attending the Texas Science Festival/Jean Andrews event
- Free parking is available at the Wildflower Center. If the parking lot is full, there are additional spots along La Crosse Avenue (back-in angle parking only, please).
About the Talk
Dr. Frank Kanawha Lake will explore Indigenous fire stewardship through the lens of his Karuk and Yurok family teachings and his work as a federal research ecologist. Drawing on Indigenous knowledge and western science, the talk will explore questions such as:
- How can fire help forests, plants and animals stay healthy?
- What can we learn from Indigenous peoples about caring for the land?
- How do plants and pollinators work together after a fire?
- How can people help restore ecosystems and protect nature for the future?
The Jean Andrews Smith Centennial Visiting Professorship in Tropical and Economic Botany was established by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System in 1983, with support from Jean Andrews, Ph.D. of Austin, Texas, a 1944 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and its College of Natural Sciences.
About the Speakers
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Frank Kanawha Lake
Research Ecologist & Tribal Liaison
U.S. Forest ServiceFrank Kanawha Lake works for the Pacific Southwest Research Station within the U.S. Forest Service and studies indigenous knowledge, cultural fire stewardship, tribal agroforestry and climate change. His focus is ...
Frank Kanawha Lake works for the Pacific Southwest Research Station within the U.S. Forest Service and studies indigenous knowledge, cultural fire stewardship, tribal agroforestry and climate change. His focus is on forest and fire ecology in the Klamath-Siskiyou and Pacific Northwest regions. He mentors graduate students, serves as a Fire Line–Qualified Resource Advisor (REAF) and is the Forest Service coordinating scientist for the Western Klamath Restoration Partnership and the Yurok Redwood Experimental Forest.
Location
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Ave