From @science-dex:
Before DFW was cars and concrete, it was prairie 🌾 This is a cool as heck 200-acre remnant called Tandy Hills that includes rocky limestone and marl soils, has over 1,500 documented plant species including several rare and endemic species.

As of may 2nd, 2025, the famous, Iconic Meadow of Tandy Hills remains mostly untrammeled by visitors. The sky is often full of Barn Swallows and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.

Are you suffering from sneeze attacks and watery eyes? The Ashe Juniper Trees (misnamed Mountain Cedar) are in full bloom now. That "smoke" you see contains tiny little "fish hooks" that give you the dreaded, Cedar Fever. Tandy Hills Natural Area, Fort Worth, Texas, 2/26/2025.

Arkansas Yucca plants are having an unbelievable 2021 at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth. Some are 6' tall and surrounded by an array of prairie wildflowers. Here's a view form Outdoor Classroom #1.

You want to know something amazing? More than 175, NEW species were recorded at Tandy Hills between April 1st and May 13th, 2026. You are looking at one of the most remarkable landscapes, not just in Fort Worth, Texas, but, anywhere! Please stay on the trails. I know it's tempting but it harms the land and its inhabitants, AND it's illegal.

The aptly named, Tandy Hills Iconic Meadow is perhaps THE most biologically diverse prairie meadow in north Texas. Dozens of species of native widlfowers cover the meadow every spring. Not just a pretty sight, the Iconic Meadow is an important source of sustenance to pollinators, birds and other wildlife. Additionally, new species are still being discovered as of 2021.

In April 2020, I came upon an Oak tree at Tandy Hills that had a small hole in the trunk. Dozens of insects were fluttered around the hole apparently getting sustenance of some kind.

March 21, 2020: The meadows on Broadcast Hill (soon to be part of Tandy Hills Natural Area) are awash in Purple Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja purpurea), a prairie wildflower native to Fort Worth.

The light was magical on November 19, 2019, when the Red Oaks at Tandy Hills Natural Area lit up as if on fire next to the faded prairie grasses.

June 29, 2019, after a rain storm at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas.

Environmental activist Don Young tells us about his efforts to protect Tandy Hills Natural Area near downtown Fort Worth, toasts to his lovely wife, Debora, and blows harmonica on a Joni Mitchell song with host Jeff Prince.

A variety of Coneflower species thickly cover this meadow that was burned in summer, 2016. There may be up to 3 species present including, Narrow-leaved, Purple and Topeka Purple. Utterly amazing. Utterly amazing re-growth for the burn.

The Iconic Meadow is thus named for it's amazing floristic diversity and beautiful panoramic wildflower views. Here it is in all its glory on May 12, 2019.

A wildfire being extinguished at Tandy Hills Natural Area on November 26, 2018.

On a very hot summer solstice eve at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas, the Texas Bluebells (Eustoma exaltatum subsp. russellianum) are blowing in the prairie wind.

The Iconic Meadow is knee deep in native wildflowers whirring with pollinators and birds. The wheel of life is churning magnificently tonight.

On April 5, 2018, Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides), are in full bloom in a secret place inside Tandy Hills Natural Area, Fort Worth, TX. The bees and I shared in their glory.

As a photo project, I stood at the approximate same spot nearly every day from February 28, 2015 until June 9, 2016, taking photos of the Iconic Trail at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas. This ridge contains some of the richest diversity of native wildflowers and grasses in north Texas. This particular time period just happened to be one of the wettest in many years, thus, the many cloudy days depicted in this time-lapse.

On July 8, 2017 @ 8pm, the sun conspired with an evening storm to create a double rainbow above Tandy Hills.

The first Saturday of every June is National Prairie Day. What better place to spend the day than Tandy Hills Natural Area. Here's a slideshow of the spectacular landscapes you can expect to see throughout the year at Tandy Hills. All photos by Don Young.

By December, the fall grasses and wildflowers are fading at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas. That's when the leaves of the bottomland Oak trees turn from green to red, yellow and orange. It'll have to do until spring.

Drone footage from Skycraft APV

The Iconic Meadow, Tandy HIlls Natural Area - 5/21/2016

Magic is afoot at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas, when Snow on the Prairie (Euphorbia bicolor), blows in the autumn wind.