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Paper short abstract

Wildflower plants across south Texas have benefited from recent conservation efforts. In many of the same fields the burial grounds of plantations and black churches are lying undocumented and unprotected. Plants used to mark graves 200 years ago can be used to determine where they are located now.

Paper long abstract

The conservation efforts of specific wildflower plants across south Texas have received decent attention, and yet in many of these same fields the forgotten burial grounds of plantations and black churches are lying undocumented and unprotected from developers. While it is easier to determine the location full area coverage of what is above the ground, what is below the ground is extremely valuable not only to history, but the the living decedents who are often still nearby. Efforts to conserve plant life as well as historic cemeteries can and should be combined. Moreover, many graves made by and for slaves on a plantation would not have been marked following the same conventions used today, and the plants used to mark graves 200 years ago can be used to determine where they are located now. A case study from Hempstead, Texas will be examined in particular for this presentation.