No update since the July 23 meeting that we reported in the August Announcements.

Garland Parks Department was notified, and Kari Pacheco, the Garland Parks and Recreation Department Director, immediately passed the information along to Garland Environmental Compliance and Water Utilities. According to Kari, several departments went out to investigate and test, and they went through all of their prescribed protocols to try to determine what happened.

By August 24, The Garland Environmental Compliance Department had tested the water and had not identified any potential harmful industrial waste chemicals in the water. At this time, they think the kill might have been related to the many days of 100-degree heat. According to Society volunteer Bill Holston, who is a skilled naturalist, that makes sense because at the kill sites he checked, there was no weird odor other than the odor of the dead fish, and the water was clear.

Our Society friend and mentor Sam Kieschnick, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Urban Wildlife Biologist for DFW, said, “I do think that the main culprit would be the temperature – some fish just can’t get deep enough during the hottest times of year, and alas, they die.”

By August 30, Bill Holston checked the creek again, and said, “I was thrilled by two things: One, all the dead fish are gone, a pretty amazing display of the herons, egrets, and other [birds] cleaning up! I saw NO dead fish. Second, there were small minnows swimming out from underneath rocks.”

Thanks to all who responded so quickly to investigate!

Seed cleaning wraps up and habitat restoration continues.

Over the past 2 months, volunteers have collected at least a dozen different types of wildflower seeds and cleaned them in preparation for habitat restoration activities on our prairies this fall.

We thank all these outstanding Preservation Society supporters and the staff at 1418 Coffee (in the lobby of Springcreek Church at Shiloh and Beltline in Garland) for making such an inviting space available for us all to gather.

Join us when we kick things off for monthly second-Saturday workdays which resume on September 12, 9a.m. at Halff Park, 4695 Ranger Drive.

Wildflower seeds collected throughout the Preserve are a fantastic resource for our habitat restoration activities…and so are our volunteers!

You think you’ve been hot…

…imagine carrying an armored shell around! Sometimes, all a critter can do to catch a breeze is to hop up on a picnic table. Thanks to Judy Cato for sharing these photos from 1787 Holford (the west end of the Preserve), and for sharing her time and talents to document our natural treasures.

Mammal – Armadillo

Bird – Greater Roadrunner, J. Cato

Check this out at the West Garland Library

The West Garland Seed Library officially opened on Saturday, August 15. We are honored to be invited to provide outreach and education on the day. Dana Wilson gave a well-received talk on seed propagation and handed out American Basketflower seeds harvested at the Preserve.

Stop by the West Garland Library at 3921 W Walnut St. and explore the Seed Library, where Garland residents can pick out seeds and start growing their own garden. Seeds are free, but if you have any seeds, especially native plant seeds, you can donate them to help the Seed Library. They have plenty of vegetable seeds but need more native plant seed donations.

Our own Dana Wilson speaking on seed sharing.

Speaker Series – Jean Suplick – Encountering Mushrooms: A Beginner’s Guide for Naturalists

Date: Tuesday, September 1, 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

Join us for a presentation by Jean Suplick as she shares her journey into the fascinating world of our local fungi. Learn about some of the mushrooms you can expect in our area along with practical tips for identification, essential field tools, and trusted resources for further exploration.

Jean has lived in Plano for 35 years and has been a certified Texas Master Naturalist with the Blackland Prairie Chapter in Collin County since 2017. She shares her love of North Central Texas wildlife by leading programs and guided hikes for all ages, and more recently by growing native perennials to support pollinator garden projects led by her fellow Texas Master Naturalists.

ALSO: Jean will lead our 4^th Sunday Nature Walk on September 27 to show you mushrooms in their forest habitat. See below for information.

Mushroom photo by T. Strobeck, taken in our Preserve 2025

Jean Suplick

2^nd Saturday Work Session

Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Halff Park at Ranger Drive

We break into teams, and each team has a knowledgeable volunteer, so you know exactly what to do. You could be clearing trails of ragweed or other overgrowth, taking out invasive plants, opening up the prairie, 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.

• Close-toed shoes are mandatory. Heavy work gloves, long pants, and protective eyewear are recommended for your protection from poison ivy and thorns.
• BRING WATER and insect repellent.
• 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 2 Volunteer Hours on the “Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest – natural resource management” project.
• You can address questions to Dana Wilson, 469.531.6856 or danawilson59@yahoo.com.

North Texas Giving Day

The site is now open continuously through September 17

Final Day: Thursday, September 17

Thanks to Reba Collins, the Society is one of the nonprofit organizations you can choose to give to.

Communities Foundation of Texas’ NTX Giving Day is a giving event designed to empower every person to give back to their community by supporting local nonprofits and causes they care about in one easy-to-use platform. It is the nation’s largest giving day.
The Preservation Society is participating for the third year. We appreciate your support and donations very much! Click here to go directly to the Society location on the Giving Day site:

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/Preservation-Society-Of-Spring-Creek-Forest

Dusking –
A new way to Experience your Preserve
A Meditative Dusk Watching Event
Led by Amy “Moonlady” Martin and our own Bird-Wiz Reba Collins

Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: 1787 Holford Road

Join author and naturalist Amy Martin at a Wild DFW activity that the Society has not tried before – Dusking.

Bring a chair and a soothing beverage to sip. Join a bunch of mellow lovers of nature and the cosmos as we watch dusk descend. Moonlady aka Amy Martin will talk us through what to be aware of as quietly watching the transition from day to night. Reba will help identify the birds that catch insects arising at dusk and populate the night. We will ease into the restorative grace of darkness as we witness nature’s shift change.

Note that this is NOT an event for restless children who would rather be running and shouting with excitement at being in the Prairie. We have different events for young children. (See our Christmas is for the Birds event.)

Photo of our Prairie at dusk.

4th Sunday Nature Walk –
Walk with Jean Suplick –
Looking for Fungi in the Forest

Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: 1770 Holford Rd.

Join Jean Suplick for a ramble through our Preserve looking for fungi that may be present. If you’re a user of the iNaturalist app, bring your smartphone to log any finds the group may discover.

Mushroom photo by C. Garrison

Speaker Series – Mia Whitham
Dallas County Open Spaces Role in Local Conservation

Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom

Our Spring Creek Preserve is actually owned by Dallas County Open Spaces (DCOS). Via a long-time agreement with the city of Garland, DCOS relies on Garland Parks and Recreation Department to manage the day-to-day requirements of the sites.

The DCOS Program is a division of Dallas County Planning & Development and, including our Spring Creek Preserve, is made up of 21 preserves on over 4,000 acres of public land. Mia Whitham has served as the Administrator for the Dallas County Parks and Open Space Program since 2021.

Mia collaborates with 13 municipal partners and one special district on the management of 18 of the preserves and she oversees over 1,300 acres across three preserves in the County’s unincorporated area. She took the lead to create the 2024 Dallas County Open Space Plan – the first master plan for the Program in over 30 years. Mia focuses on enhancing preserve amenities, conditions, and access as well as supporting the County’s valued management partners.

Mia holds degrees in Forestry and Biology. She started her career as a park ranger and worked in regional planning prior to her role at Dallas County. She is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) and a Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM).

2^nd Saturday Work Session

Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: 1787 Holford Road

We break into teams, and each team has a knowledgeable volunteer, so you know exactly what to do.

You could be clearing trails of ragweed or other overgrowth, taking out invasive plants, opening up the prairie, even picking up trash.

10th Annual Tri-City Cleanup

Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. – noon
Location: Begin at Hella Shrine Temple at 8:00 to check in, then go to your chosen location to work

At the Preserve, Halff Park area will be listed for cleanup the site. Join volunteers from Garland, Rowlett, and Dallas as we work together to help protect Lake Ray Hubbard and its surrounding parks, trails, and waterways. The Preserve is part of this ecosystem – Spring Creek joins Rowlett Creek, which empties into Lake Ray Hubbard.

Whether you’re a first-time volunteer or a longtime litter getter, there’s a place for everyone to make a difference.

Create your account or log in at VolunteerGarland.org to be ready when registration opens, and watch for more details coming soon!

4th Sunday Nature Walk – Taylor Quedensley
Identify Lichen in the Forest

Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: 1770 Holford Road

Taylor will walk us through the forest to discover these tiny growth forms. Lichens have structures that are very small to see, and he strongly encourages each participant to purchase a 10 x hand lens (loupe) prior to the walk around the property. One can be purchased for $7-$12.

During our walk we will observe all three lichen growth forms (crustose, foliose, fruticose), and several common genera such as Parmotrema, Pertusaria, Puctelia, Caloplaca, and Candelaria.
Taylor grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has studied horticulture in many places: the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, the San Francisco Botanical Garden where he grew New World cloud forest species, University of Nebraska-Omaha, and the University of Texas at Austin where he researched sunflower species in Mexican and Guatemalan cloud forests. Currently, Taylor is the manager at Cox Farms Nursery in Duncanville and holds a research appointment through the University of Texas herbarium in Austin.

Photo 1: Physcia aipolia – a foliose lichen on bark with grey, circular apothecia.

Photo 2: Diploschistes scruposus – a crustose lichen on soil with black apothecia.

Executive Committee

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