Educational and Service Activities for 2019 – 2020

So glad warm weather is here! Come out and enjoy the Preserve!
Service and Volunteer Opportunities Monthly Work Sessions – As we mentioned in last month’s announcements, our Executive Committee is enthusiastic and energetic.

July Work Session-We Need You

Monthly Work Sessions – As we mentioned in last month’s announcements, our Executive Committee is enthusiastic and energetic. We scheduled some summer work sessions. Think how fit and trim you will be after working on trails and invasive plants in the summer heat. Not to mention fun – we are a really fun group of folks. Saturday, July 13, 2019 – Location: the parking lot at Academy Sports, near Arby’s, on North Garland Avenue and Naaman Forest Blvd. Time: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Work Crew will go in at North Garland Avenue by the bridge. Crew will meet in the Academy Sports parking lot by Arby’s. Privet growth near the trail head is blocking the trail and needs serious attention. Most of the rest of the trail is passable but we need to trim back the encroaching grass and ragweed. Some logs may need attention. W Hazards– dehydration, poison ivy, snakes possible, thick vegetation. Sounds pretty exciting, doesn’t it! Safety Materials: Each work session will begin with a safety briefing. BRING WATER. Even in the heat, wear work gloves, long pants, protective eye wear, and sturdy shoes (no sandals) for your protection from poison ivy and thorns.  If you have them, bring loppers and/or small tree saws. All participants and the parents of minors must sign our Liability Waiver.  All minors 16 yrs. and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Upcoming Dates: 2019 – August 3. Both from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (No summer break after all.) Location to be announced. September 7, October 5, November 9, information to be announced. Service Projects- Need a project for your organization, Gold Award, or Eagle Scout rank? Contact David Parrish, dparrish1953@yahoo.com.

For last-minute information, check Facebook or our website for updates, including dates and locations which may change because of conditions. If the weather is questionable, check our website or Facebook to see whether we will meet. We don’t want anyone working in the forest or on the prairie if there is a chance of lightning strikes

Upcoming Dates: 2019 – July 13 and August 3. Both from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (No summer break after all.) Location to be announced.

September 7, October 5, November 9, information to be announced.

Safety Materials: Each work session will begin with a safety briefing.
BRING WATER. Even in the heat, wear work gloves, long pants,
protective eyewear, and sturdy shoes (no sandals) for your protection
from poison ivy and thorns.  If you have them, bring loppers and/or
small tree saws. All participants and the parents of minors must sign our
Liability Waiver. 

All minors 16 yrs. and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Service Projects- Need a project for your organization, Gold Award, or Eagle Scout rank? Contact David Parrish, dparrish1953@yahoo.com.

  Speaker Series –

We have a great line-up for you… Monthly Public Speaker Series: usually on the 1st Tuesday of the month from September to April.  
Meeting Time:  7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Location: Check dates below for location.

Summer break

September 3, 2019: Rick Jaynes, Prairie Ecology.

As we hope you know, we have a superb remnant prairie in our Preserve, located at 1787 Holford Road. Halff Associates, where Mr. Jaynes works, was instrumental in creating the original Spring Creek Forest Preserve Master Development Plan in 1992. Location: North Garland Branch Library, 3845 North Garland Avenue, Garland, TX 75040 Rich Jaynes’ academic training includes a B.S. in Range Science (Botany minor) from BYU and a M.S. in Watershed Science from Utah State University.  He has worked as a range technician for the U.S. Forest Service, consulting hydrologist, manager of a cartographic lab, and has taught college courses in range land
field surveys and plant biology.  After taking a 20-year detour to serve in the U.S. Army, he has worked the past 12 years as an environmental scientist for the engineering and architectural firm Halff Associates.  His professional work has included preparing natural resources analyses in master plans for nature preserves such as Southwest Nature Preserve in Arlington and JF. Burke Nature Preserve in Farmers Branch.  He also worked for the Native Prairies Association of Texas in surveying Ellis County for native prairie remnants. He has been volunteering as a Texas Master Naturalist since 2008, and enjoys leading groups in exploring the wonders of plant life in local landscapes, and in engaging in prairie restoration
efforts in the DFW area. 

October 1, 2019: Michael Parkey, Native Trees in the Urban Forest.
This is why our forest is designated as preserve – we have an amazing
variety of native trees in our forest. Location: North Garland Branch
Library, 3845 North Garland Avenue, Garland, TX 75040 Michael Parkey
is a registered landscape architect who has designed gardens in north
Texas since 1983. His special interests are sustainable landscapes and the use of native plants in gardens and restored habitats. Spanning a wide
range, his projects include residential gardens, commercial
developments, and specialized landscapes for botanic gardens, parks, schools, zoos and nature study areas. Mr. Parkey is based in Dallas, where he has had his own firm since 1993. In addition to his practice, he teaches courses on landscape design and native plants for Southern Methodist University, and frequently lectures on the same topics. His articles, designs, and illustrations have appeared in several books and periodicals. His designs have received awards from the City of Dallas and the American Society of Landscape Architects.

November 5, 2019: Karen Rice, Monarch Butterflies. Our prairies and meadows have both host and nectar plants that Monarch butterflies need to survive. Our world needs these amazing creatures. Come and hear about them.

December 3, 2019: Holiday Party. Information to come.

January 07, 2020:Tom Frey, Forest Composition in Spring Creek Forest. The variety of trees in our forest is what made us famous. And who
can resist hearing Tom Frey, the ultimate Preserve authority, speak.

February 04, 2020:Marian Hirsch, Trout Lily Drawings Trout lilies are one of our signature native plants. We hope you have been on one of our annual Trout Lily Walks that we hold in late February. Marian Hirsch creates drawings and water colors of these beautiful, petite plants. Her water colors of plants are on display at BRIT in Ft. Worth.

March 03, 2020: Brett Johnson, Feral Hogs Talk about invasives! Feral
hogs invade an area in a pack and can devastate where ever they decide to be. Brett Johnson, Senior Environmental Coordinator for the City of Dallas, works with park department properties on habitat and wildlife management. He coordinates

April 07, 2020: Bonnie Bradshaw, Coyotes and Critters We love them and need them (except feral hogs). Bonnie Bradshaw is founder and president of the company called 911 Wildlife which specializes in the humane removal and relocation of problem critters. The company mission is to prevent native wildlife from being orphaned, injured, relocated or euthanized. Summer break.

Do you have suggestions? If you have ideas for speakers or topics for future programs, please email your suggestions to Becky Sans, beckysans7@gmail.com.

Field trips and Workshops No guided nature walks are scheduled at this time. However, watch our website for walks to be announced throughout the year. https://springcreekforest.org

Or, try our Self-Guided Interpretive Trail at 1787 Holford Road that was created by the North Texas Master Naturalist chapter in Dallas. Follow the trail markers and read about the significance of the area on your iPhone or on the downloadable flyer.  https://springcreekforest.org/interpretive-1787-holford-rd/
Executive Committee The Executive Committee usually meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. The meetings are open to the public. For location, please contact David Parrish, President, Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest.
Cell phone: 469-733-6089 Email: okcanoe@tx.rr.com.

Society MembershipMembership: Join Us Today! Download our membership form: https://springcreekforest.org/join/

Monthly Email: To subscribe please contact:
Barbara_Baynham2005@yahoo.com

Make a donation! Your donation helps the all-volunteer Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest offer public lectures, conduct habitat management workdays, and offer public nature walks. Please mail your tax-deductible donation to: Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest, Attn:  Treasurer, P.O. Box 450176, Garland, TX 75045-0176