January 2025 Announcements

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

Contact the Society: springcreekforestpreservation@gmail.com

At the holiday party on December 3, the Society’s Executive Committee was honored to award Dana Wilson for her Outstanding Service to Spring Creek Preserve. Since 2001 when she completed her training for the North Texas Master Naturalist organization, she has always worked tirelessly toward making the Preserve a better place.
She has been a speaker multiple times, a walk leader at least a zillion times (really!), and volunteer coordinator leader. She created strategic work plans so there is a method to our monthly work session goals. She is known throughout north Texas for her expertise in identifying plants. She served 3 years on the Society Executive Committee and many years as Advisor. She is simply marvelous! Thank you, Dana, for everything you do for the Preserve!
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Whoever is doing this, please stop!
I know someone very well-intentioned has put artificial decoration on trees in the Preserve and other greenbelts. However, these ornaments, while great decorations for your indoor display, ARE NOT appropriate for trees in the Preserve or greenbelts.
We had to pull these pretty but dangerous clumps of plastic balls and ribbons off trees by Spring Creek. It is never appropriate to leave non-biodegradable items in the Preserve. Birds and animals often mistake them for something edible. And if they are broken, the shards can cut the paws of any animal that accidentally walks through the broken balls.

Special Event:
Start the New Year Right Nature Walk
Date: Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Half Park at Ranger Drive
Start your new year with a refreshing walk in the Preserve. Your walk leader will be one of several folks who know their way around this wonderful section of our Preserve. The trail leading from Halff Park takes us through some of the biggest trees in the Preserve. This is also the most wild section. After walking a few yards into the forest, it is hard to believe that civilization is just a few steps away.
Note – dress for the weather, and, it might be muddy on the trails.

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Speaker Series –
Karin and Robert Saucedo
Coyote Coexistence: Living in Harmony with America’s Song Dog

Date: Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Currently meeting on Zoom

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

Meeting ID: 891 8700 2517
Passcode: 212786

First Place – Coyote & Fox Coyote (Canis latrans) Vidauri Ranch / JF Welder Heirs Refugio County

Karin and Robert will discuss coyote characteristics and how we can enjoy living with them in our cities and suburbs just like we enjoy watching the birds.
Coyotes are highly resilient creatures able to adapt to threats and acclimate themselves in almost every environment, including cities and suburbs. As a keystone carnivore, coyotes play a critical role helping to maintain healthy ecosystems and species diversity.
The presentation will look at the current challenges coyotes face in a rapidly evolving human-centric landscape. They will examine the coyotes’ seasonal behaviors that often influence increased sightings and dispel some of the most common myths. And, they will discuss proactive methods we can use to help avoid negative encounters with coyotes.
Karin Saucedo is a published wildlife conservation photographer born and raised in Dallas. She’s especially passionate about wild canids and felids and she spends a lot of her time studying wildlife behavior through observation and also remotely through camera traps. Karin’s images have been used to educate the public about coexisting with urban wildlife, to document wild canid field research and to create awareness about exotic animal ownership, breeding and exploitation.
Robert Saucedo is a life-long Texan, born and raised in El Paso and currently living in DFW. He has a background in creative marketing and has used that ability to hone skills in his passion for telling stories through wildlife & conservation photography. For the last 8 years, he has documented coyote behavior throughout north Texas through observation, photography and camera traps.

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2^nd Saturday Work Session
Date: Saturday, January 11, 2025
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Halff Park at Ranger Drive
We will work on invasive plant management, and, as always, trail management.
One of our most pernicious invasive plants is Chinese Privet. Here are some thoughts about why we constantly try to keep it in check from Chris Morris, Dallas Parks & Rec Urban Biologist. (Excerpt from NTMN Announcements, March 2024)

• If the community says, “The animals need that food!” There is little to no nutritional value. The berries are mostly indigestible.
• If the community says, “Those plants are home for animals!” Animals and birds are really just in the outside parts, not the deep inside. These are not good habitat areas.
• Pull it up if you can, but if you must, cut the trunk low and flat across at ground level (not pointy).
• Do not be discouraged if some sprouts pop back. This is a war of attrition.

We break into teams and each team has a knowledgeable volunteer, so you know exactly what to do. You could be clearing trails, taking out invasive plants, opening up the prairies, even picking up trash.
For last-minute information, especially if the weather is questionable, check our website or Facebook page for updates, including dates and locations which may change because of conditions. We don’t want anyone working in the forest or on the prairie if there is a chance of lightning strikes.

• Safety Information: Each work session begins with a safety briefing.
• BRING WATER and bug repellant.
• 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 project.

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Bird Walks with Reba Collins.
Dates:
Saturday, January 18, 2025, and
Sunday, January 19, 2025:
Time: 8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Location: 1787 Holford, Garland, TX.
Do you want to learn what birds spend the winter in Spring Creek Forest? Come for a morning walk and learn to identify some of our wintering birds.

• Reservations required: Limited to 10 people for each walk. Contact Reba at rcollins20@verizon.net to reserve a spot.
• Bring binoculars.
• Dress for the weather. If it has been raining, rain boots may be appropriate.

Cedar Waxwing  – one of our winter visitors.

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4^th Sunday Nature Walk
Dana Wilson – shows us how to
Identify trees in Winter
Date: Sunday, January 26, 2025
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: 1770 Holford Rd.
Dana is known throughout north Texas for her expertise in identifying plants and she works tirelessly to inform folks about the treasures we have in the region. She worked for the National Audubon Society for the openings of Trinity River Audubon (Dallas) and Dogwood Canyon Audubon (Cedar Hill). Her long-time love of plants led her to her current job at North Haven Gardens.
She is a member of the North Texas Master Naturalists (class of 2001), the Native Plant Society of Texas, and she has been on the boards of our Preservation Society and Texas Discovery Gardens.

Tree bark – Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum alligator bark. Photo by Vince Hale

Speaker Series –
Bob Mione speaks about
Prairie Management at Connemara Conservancy

Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Currently meeting on Zoom
Bob Mione is the Meadow Manager at Connemara Conservancy in Allen, TX. Connemara is a 72-acre meadow nature preserve. His presentation will track the history of active native grass and wildflower restoration at the Connemara Meadow from 2012 until the present. Various successes and failures will be discussed to include details on ground preparation, seeding techniques, irrigation techniques and other forms of restoration.
The goal is to restore the natural, biologically diverse ecosystem that is native to the area. Volunteers help with restoration work to re-establish native prairie plants, remove invasive species, maintain trails, guide nature walks and other educational events for the public. The meadow connects people with nature and is open to the public on weekends.
Bob has been serving as the volunteer Connemara Meadow Nature Preserve Manager since 2010. He completed his Texas Master Naturalist training in 2012 and has been a member of the Blackland Prairie Chapter since then. Bob has been actively involved in the native grass and wildflower restoration efforts at the Connemara Meadow since 2009. Bob provides guidance and suggestions to many organizations on the topic of restoration.

2^nd Saturday Work Session
Date: Saturday, February 8, 2025
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: 1787 Holford
We will work on woody species removal, plus possible wildflower seed collection.
We break into teams and each team has a knowledgeable volunteer, so you know exactly what to do. You could be clearing trails, taking out invasive plants, opening up the prairies, even picking up trash.

4^th Sunday Nature Walk
32nd Annual Trout Lily Walk
Date: Sunday, February 23, 2025
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: 1770 Holford Rd.

Yes, Tom Frey, a regionally acclaimed naturalist, will be with us again for the 32nd year.

Stroll on our trails to find Tom at the Trout lily field. Trout lilies are one of the first plants to flower in the spring. The tiny flowers are only in bloom from about mid-February through mid-March. Then, they disappear until next year.
Come any time between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. When you arrive, volunteers at the pavilion will welcome you and give you introductory information. Then, we will send you along the clearly marked trail to the Trout lily field. Tom Frey, our adviser, mentor, and friend will be at the Trout lily field. After you have seen the lilies and talked to Tom, you will walk along to the next marked spot, where we will have another knowledgeable naturalist that will tell you about the significance of that area of the Preserve. The volunteer naturalists will be at several stations along the trail from 2:00 until the last walkers go through.
This format helps solve the problem of so many folks in line on the walk that they can’t hear the information. It also allows folks to go at their own pace rather than having to follow a group. We hope to see you there!

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