May 2025 Announcements

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

Contact the Society: springcreekforestpreservation@gmail.com

Work Session Volunteer: Now is the time to get into our “garden”! 
          Our prairies and woods will soon be bursting with new growth, and April is a great time to do habitat management.
Habitat management can be work such as removing invasive plants, rescuing native plants from building sites and replanting them at the Preserve, keeping the trails clear and safe for walkers, maintaining our Wildscape demonstration gardens, and even trash pick-up.
If you’d like to volunteer time for a variety of habitat work, Preservation Society volunteers are ready to meet you – supplies in hand – and work alongside you. If you cannot help at our 2^nd Saturday sessions (see below), we will try to meet you on a more convenient day in the morning or evening.
Most volunteer activities are limited to no more than 1.5 – 2 hours. For Master Naturalists, all volunteer work gets VH hours from the Texas Master Naturalist program.
To set up a time to work, please contact Dana Wilson (text or email) at 469.531.6856 or danawilson59@yahoo.com.

Trail Monitor Volunteer: If you walk the trails, we need your help!
Duties generally include: 

• Walk your selected part of the trail weekly.
• Perform light maintenance such as litter pickup.
• Be familiar with Garland’s eAssist program that is accessed through an iPhone app and use it to report major maintenance issues such as trees fallen on the trail, vandalism, criminal activity, etc.
• You will soon learn some of the unique features of your trail and share those with the Executive Committee.
• Contact springcreekforestpreservation@gmail.com

Thanks to some of our volunteers and GPARD assistance!

Thanks to Ms. Starnes! Preservation Society member and volunteer May Kay Starnes answered the call for extra help on the prairie while the weather is beautiful. So many volunteers, sharing their time and energy, make the Preserve a special place.

Thanks to volunteers! At our April workday, great volunteers braved poison ivy and mud to rescue native plants that will be lost when the paved trail at Halff Park is extended eastward. Here, golden Alexanders and inland sea oats are thriving in their new habitat in the woods at 1770 Holford. Thanks to those who shared their time and energy, and to Steve and Nancy Boeding for going back twice weekly to hand water and get these plants established.
Photo: transplanted plants from the rescue

Thanks to GPARD! The Preservation Society is so lucky to partner with the Garland Parks department on maintenance and upkeep throughout the Preserve. Here, Parks staff remove a pile of invasive privet, part of a prairie management project spearheaded by Preservation Society member Steve Boeding.
Photo – park employees from left to right: Steven Hiser, Luke Fennell, Jacob Benavides

Native Plants and Prairies Day
at White Rock Lake
Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Bath House Cultural Center at White Rock Lake, 521 East Lawther Drive, Dallas, TX
The Society encourages you to come to Native Plants and Prairies Day at White Rock Lake. This is a fun, free event for families to celebrate our blackland prairies here in North Texas. The day highlights the importance and value of our prairies as habitat for bugs, birds, and mammals, and as a vital natural resource.
There will be speakers, prairie tours of the White Rock native prairie, children’s activities, exhibitors (including your own Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest).
Please see https://ntxnppd.org/ for more information including parking advice.

Follow the Spring Wildflowers
          Stroll through the forest and prairie with Dana Wilson for Wildflower Walks in May, and enjoy spring blooms as they emerge. You will see that each species generally has a specific blooming period. What blooms one week, might not be what you see the next week or the next.
In May, meet at the Park Preserve, 1787 Holford, to see the flowers of the limestone prairie. These flowers thrive in the bright sun and warm weather.
Tuesday, May 6, 2-3 p.m.
Thursday, May 15, 10 – 11 a.m.
Sunday, May 18, 2-3 p.m.
Bring water and sunscreen. Close-toe shoes and long pants are highly recommended to protect from thorns and poison ivy.
Note to Master Naturalists – the walks are approved for 1-hour Advanced Training per month.
Address questions to Dana Wilson (text or email), 469-531-6856, danawilson59@yahoo.com.

Photo of forest plant – Krameria

2^nd Saturday Work Session and
Bring-Your-Own Picnic Lunch
Work on the Prairie and the Wildscape, then sit at the picnic tables for the Bring-Your-Own Picnic lunch
Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: 1787 Holford

Work on the prairie and the wildflower garden. 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.

Guided walk and workshop led by Dana Wilson –
Common Vines of the Metroplex

Date: Saturday, May17
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Directions will be provided at RSVP
In this 1.5 hour hands-on workshop, learn the basic skills of plant ID (including use of a dichotomous key) by focusing on identification of common vines. This activity requires a reservation and is limited to 15 participants. Bring a clipboard or notepad and bottled water. 1.5 hours AT for Master Naturalists.
          RSVP to danawilson59@yahoo.com; directions will follow.

Photo of prairie plant – P. Lutea

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