April 2026 Announcements

Preserve, Educate, Collaborate
(https://springcreekforest.org)

Contact the Society: springcreekforestpreservation@gmail.com

Work is Progressing on Pipeline Project

1. Wastewater Interceptor Inspection

• ACE is continuing to CCTV laterals and is expected to continue for another ~2-4 weeks.

• MSI inspection has begun and is expected to be completed close to the end of April.
  • Data processing to take ~6 weeks following field inspection completion.

• City staff, Kimley-Horn and ACE are meeting weekly to identify work completed, access needs, and field observations needing the City’s attention.

• Parks staff and Preserve coordinated on requested path to be cleared, and Parks will be working on that next week (this was part of the original access plan)

• Coordination with parks regarding access through Winters Park is on-going.

2. Forested Area Impact Analysis – 

• Stakeholder meeting occurred on 3/3 to present preliminary findings
• Kimley-Horn and City have taken feedback from meetings and begun reviewing/ incorporating into updated report.

• Kimley-Horn has begun evaluating remediation options and confirming field data to include debris piles.
  • Additional Field Survey performed week of 3/9.
  • Follow-up Environmental field work performed week of 3/16.

• Follow up Stakeholder meeting scheduled for April 6.

• Anticipate TAPP Board presentations moving to August to go along with Wastewater Evaluation Presentation – County to confirm.

3. Wastewater Interceptor Alternative and Access Evaluation – 

• Kimley-Horn has continued evaluating options for permanent access to existing infrastructure, looking at preliminary alternate pipe alignment, and coordinating with trenchless pipe rehabilitation manufacturers on feasibility of various technologies.
• While research and pre-work is continuing on this effort, it will require the results of the sewer inspection to be complete in order to fully proceed with this task.

As a stakeholder, the Preservation Society is included in these planning sessions, and we will continue to report as this important project moves into the next phase.

Note:
The above information is from an update report by Christina Hickey, PE, Engineering Services Administrator, City of Garland Water Department

Additional Thoughts:

A couple of days ago, I visited the Halff Park devastated area for the first time this spring. It was so changed, I had to ask my friend Dana, “Are we there?” It is lush. It is green. It is growing. Because of the controversy, no additional work has been allowed, and our forest is doing its best thing.

If you visit the lush, green area now, you might wonder what all the anger and out-cry was about last year. But please remember that the project is still in the discovery stage where they are “only” assessing what, where, and how. I put the word “only” in quotes because this phase sets the tone for all the months of actual work are still to come.

Already, the various Garland departments and contractor experts are working together to try to do as little damage as possible during the assessment. And they are asking the Society experts for our input. But that lush, green, growing area may be crushed again by the equipment that does any repair work needed on the sewer. They hope to have the several miles of sewer line that goes through our Preserve assessed by the end of April. Keeping our fingers crossed!
Thoughts by Barbara Baynham

Spring Creek nearly out of its banks from a heavy rain this spring. Photo by R. Collins.

Wanted: Spring Creek Forest Preserve Trail Monitors

Although several wonderful folks stepped up to help with this volunteer job, we can still use more people.

As a Trail Monitor, you walk the concrete and natural surface trails in one of the 3 distinct sections of the Preserve to help with litter control, watch for downed limbs and other hazards, and be a friendly face to visitors in the Preserve. Members of the Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest will offer training and support and help you find the part of the park that most appeals to you. Email springcreekforestpreservation@gmail.com for more information.

Example: Fallen tree – The Trail Monitor would photograph this trail hazard and report it to both the Society Trail Committee and to Garland Parks and Recreation Department liaison. GPARD has the heavy equipment to slice out and remove just the portion that covers the trail. Most of the tree would be left in place to decay and provide nourishment to the forest for many years.

Congratulations Garland Parks and Recreation Department for Earning Three State Awards

 Garland received three awards at the Texas Recreation and Park Society (TRAPS) state conference in Corpus Christi in February.

The Parks & Recreation Department received the Promotions and Marketing Excellence Award for its outstanding and unified marketing strategy.

Volunteer Garland was honored with the TRAPS Voluntary Service Award for an Organization for its exceptional volunteer leadership and sustained service to the community.

Holford Recreation and Aquatic Center received the TRAPS Recreation Design Excellence Award, which honors outstanding achievement in the planning and design of innovative, community-focused recreation facilities across Texas.

An Amazing Day of Volunteering:

On March 14, 23 volunteers helped install plants from the Halff Park plant rescue that we have been overwintering in the city’s greenhouse. We decided to get these plants into the ground where they can thrive. Since the Halff Park construction area is still being worked on, we decided to put the plants in a similar environment in the forest at 1787 Holford.

We want to thank all the park department staff who contributed, especially Caitlyn Godfrey who got this event posted on the Volunteer Garland site, the staff of the Roach greenhouse for being so accommodating, and Brady Lamar, who single-handedly loaded, transported, and unloaded over 100 1-gallon pots with great native plants.

The day, as described by Dana Wilson:

Friends [Team Leaders], what a productive, fun day we had this past Saturday! And you, who were leading activities, made it happen.

At 1770, Matthew conducted a nature photography workshop for new Master Naturalists; at the same time, Mary Kay and Danny did a great cleanup of the wildscape; Steve directed volunteers in privet removal; Jim S. oversaw woody encroachment at 1787; and at Mapleridge, Piotr and Maria worked on privet and woody encroachment while Gustavo, Rob, and Bethany directed volunteers who planted over 100 native plants rescued at Halff Park last fall.

David ran up and down the trail hauling wagonloads of plants; he reported that for that day, he logged 17,000 steps on his fitness tracker, and believe me: 16,500 of them were on the Mapleridge trail!

Nancy was in 3 places at once, helping with sign-ins and coordination, and Vince captured these great activities on film. This day captured all the best of Spring Creek Forest Preserve: A beautiful property, beautifully managed by volunteers and made possible by all of YOU who share your knowledge, time and talents so generously.
THANK YOU!!!

And Thank You Dana! Dana wears many hats – she is known across the north Texas region for her plant and environmental expertise; she is the Society Director of Projects, Volunteers and Habitat Management Strategy; and she is our liaison with Volunteer Garland.

North Texas Community Cleanup Challenge
Volunteer Garland / Partners in Preservation
Date: March 1 – May 31, 2026
Time: You decide
Location: Wherever there is trash to pick up

Garland is competing against cities across North Texas to collect the most litter per resident, and we need your help to bring the trophy home to Garland! From March 1 through May 31, residents, families, and volunteers can clean up litter in their neighborhoods, parks, trails, or creeks and log the pounds collected.

Picked up trash recently? Log your impact HERE!

Need supplies & help getting started? Email: Volunteer@garlandtx.gov.

Speaker Series –
Cayden O-Brien, Our Native Grasses –

Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89187002517?pwd=Ujc1UTEyVjNNbDhUUFJYMjFCV2lNdz09

Meeting ID: 891 8700 2517
Passcode: 212786

          Cayden will tell us about the critical role our native grasses play in keeping the prairies in our Preserve healthy. The vast prairies rife with native plants and grasses that filled the middle of our country up until the 1900s have disappeared because of our need for housing and food. However, we still have hundreds of small prairie pockets of that heritage that can be seen. And one of those pocket prairies is right here in our Preserve. You might learn some new words to drop casually into conversation – such as glume, lemmas, and ligules.

Cayden is a lifetime blackland prairie resident, an Eagle Scout and Master Naturalist, and a lover of graminids and weird plants. He believes that everyone should participate in the scientific process to learn more about our world. He uses our natural resources responsibly to connect with nature and reduce his carbon footprint.
Recently, he has been experimenting with grass germination, testing at least 63 different species, in various types of stratification. Using this information, he spreads seeds of many grasses (and other graminids) facing local extinction due to habitat loss.

Work Session –
Remove Ragweed from the Trail

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Halff Park at Ranger Drive

Ragweed can grow 6 feet tall and wide. It grows and spreads quickly and can smother the native plant diversity that we want in our Preserve. Come and help us keep it under control.
We break into teams, and each team has a knowledgeable leader.

• Safety Information: Each work session begins with a safety briefing.
• BRING WATER and bug repellent.
• Close-toed shoes are mandatory. Heavy work gloves, long pants, and protective eyewear are recommended for your protection from poison ivy and thorns.
• If you have them, bring loppers and/or small tree saws. (No power tools.)
• All participants and the parents of minors must sign our Liability Waiver.
• Youth under 18 must be accompanied by an adult; no drop off/pick up of those under 18.
• For Master Naturalists, this may count as Volunteer Hours on the Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest – natural resource management project.

Ragweed – photo by V. Hale

City of Garland Earth Day Event

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Holford Recreation Center, 2314 Homestead Place, Garland

Go Green Garland plans an Earth Day event packed with fun. The doors and booths open at 9:00 a.m. No fee or registration is required. There will be giveaways, classes from GP&L Energy Advisors on how to make your home energy efficient, and from Master Gardeners on how to make your yard landscape healthier with less work and year-round blooms using native perennials.
          The Society will have a table to talk about our awesome Preserve. Come by to see us!
More information at https://www.garlandtx.gov/2098/Earth-Day

Go to GoGreenGarland.com to view the full schedule. Please note there will be no Recycle Row and no shredding at this event.

iNaturalist City Nature Challenge – 4-Day International Event

Date: Friday, April 24 – Monday, April 27, 2026
Time: On your own
Location: Preserve-wide

Started in 2016 as a competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the 4-day City Nature Challenge (CNC) has grown into an international event, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities. Run by the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM), the CNC is an annual four-day global bioblitz at the end of April, where cities collaborate to see what can be accomplished when we all work toward a common goal.

The winning cities with the most observations will be announced in May. Last year, there were more than 73,700 species observed and nearly 103,000 people uploaded their observations to iNaturalist.

For information on this 4-day event: https://www.citynaturechallenge.org/

  However, as a part of the City Nature Challenge, the Society, with Volunteer Garland, invites you to participate in the Spring Creek Park Preserve and the FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee Bioblitz.
Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026
Time: Come and go from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Location: 1787 Holford Road

Registration through Volunteer Garland is Required:  https://www.volunteergarland.org/need/detail/?need_id=1160933

Experienced iNaturalist volunteers from the Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest (springcreekforest.org) and Trinity River Audubon Center will be on hand to get new naturalists started and to point out the best “hot spots” in the preserve to make observations.

Be sure to wear insect repellant.

4th Sunday Nature Walk –
Walk with Jane Duke – How does Soil Change the Forest

Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: 1770 Holford Rd.

Dr. Jane Duke leads us. Is the soil deep or shallow? Acidic? What soils are found in our Preserve and which plants thrive there because of the soil. She will show us the various types of soil in the forest that support the diversity of plant species.

Dr. Duke is a restoration ecologist, educator, and passionate advocate for biology-driven land renewal. She holds an MA in Environmental Philosophy from the University of North Texas and a PhD in Consumer Economics and Environmental Design from Texas Tech University. At the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center in Denton, Texas, Jane leads hands-on restoration efforts.

You can see several types of soil in this photo.

Native Plants and Prairies Day at White Rock Lake

Date: May 2, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: White Rock Lake, Bathhouse Cultural Center, 521 East Lawther Drive, Dallas

Native Plants and Prairies Day is a fun free event for families to celebrate our blackland prairies here in North Texas. Join us for our speakers, exhibits, tours, and kid’s activities. The day highlights the importance and value of our North Texas prairies as habitat for bugs, birds, and mammals and as a vital natural resource.

The Society will have a table to tell folks about our own amazing prairie here in Garland. Drop by and see us.

For more information: https://ntxnppd.org/

Speaker Series –
Monica Morrison – Ocelots and Mountain Lions in Texas: A Turning Point
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom

Monica Morrison, founder of Texas Native Cats, says that recently, history has been made for both mountain lions and ocelots in Texas. Mountain lions, a threatened / imperiled species, and ocelots, classified as endangered, now face a potential future of remarkable and positive change. Learn what has transpired for both of these amazing, beautiful cats and what lies ahead.

Monica got her start with wildlife more than 25 years ago at the Dallas Zoo as a volunteer and tiger docent. She has volunteered in various capacities at two Dallas-area big cat rescue centers. She participated in an ocelot study in Mexico, another in Kenya on African lions, and worked with organizations in South America on jaguar and other big cat projects. In 2017, she founded Texas Native Cats, a nonprofit that provides education, outreach, and advocacy for Texas’ five species of wild cats, past and present. See more at texasnativecats.org.

There are five species of wild cats that currently or historically call Texas home: jaguars, mountain lions, bobcats, ocelots, and jaguarundis.

Ocelot – from Texas Native Cats website

Ocelot or Leopardus pardalis

Work Session – Prairie Maintenance and BYOP

Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: 1787 Holford

          Push back the prairie, work on the garden, BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic lunch).

We work on the prairie and the wildflower garden, and we will make one last pass at the woody plants encroaching on the prairie. Bring loppers, water, and gloves.
Then at 11, gather at the picnic tables for the annual Bring-Your-Own Picnic lunch. Bring your PBJ sandwich, your apple slices, and your sunglasses, and relax. Even if you cannot be at the work session, bring your lunch at 11 to chat.

Our prairie covered with 4-Nerve Daisies, by V. Hale

The Executive Committee usually meets once a month. The meetings are open to the public. For information, please contact us at springcreekforestpreservation@gmail.com.