Dr. Maier receiving her award at 2019 State ConferenceCamelia Maier, PhD, was the 2019 recipient of the NSDAR Conservation Award presented during the Conference Awards Evening of the 120th Texas Society DAR State Conference. This award recognizes an adult with a distinguished volunteer conservation record.

In her introduction of this year’s recipient, Sharon Katz, Conservation Committee, State Chair, shared the following:

“Dr. Maier received her undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Bucharest, Romania, and her Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of North Texas.

Described as a “plant and nature enthusiast,” Dr. Maier is passionate about developing sustainable gardens using native plants, for habitat, water conservation, and education. She has educated thousands of students on topics related to ecology, environmental science, and plant biology, and she has published numerous journal articles. Dr. Maier is a past President of the Native Plant Society of Texas, where she remains actively involved in community education outreach, plant sales, plant identification efforts, and more. In 2018, she received the Serve Denton volunteer award for her work on the Children’s Butterfly Garden at The Wheeler House, a shelter for women and children.

Black Swallowtail on Pink ConeflowersDr. Maier was instrumental in the design, funding, and implementation of the Dr. Bettye Myers Butterfly Garden at Texas Woman’s University, and she successfully secured grants from the EPA totaling more than $74,000.

Under her leadership, this garden, recently designated an official Monarch Waystation, will restore and sustain a natural habitat for pollinators, conserve water, support the migration of Monarch butterflies, and demonstrate how self-sustaining habitats could have significant impact on improving the pollinator populations.”

Dr. Maier was recommended by the Captain Nathaniel Mills Chapter, Judy Ramos, Regent. Her guests were Dr. Diana Elrod, biology professor and Director of the Center for Student Research at Texas Woman’s University, and Ms. Paramita Basu, molecular biology doctoral candidate.