The Spring Creek Forest Preservation Society has announced its schedule of activities for August and September. Make plans now to join in the activities! Check out the website for more information.
Saturday, Aug. 7 – Monthly Work Session – EARLIER TIME 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. – 1787 Holford Road
Work sessions begin with a safety briefing. Bring water. Wear heavy 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 a Liability Waiver.
- All minors 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
- For Master Naturalists, this may count as volunteer hours on the Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest project.
Sunday, Aug. 22 – 4th Sunday Nature Walk – EARLIER TIME 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – 1787 Holford Road
Judy Aschner, Certified Entomologist Specialist will take participants on a walk through the prairie, catching insects so you can view them through a magnifying glass to see the wonder of their structure and learn the basics of identifying insect families. All insects are released back into the Preserve. Wear insect repellent on exposed skin because there are mosquitoes and other fascinating biters. Also, wear sturdy, close-toed shoes for protection from thorns and insect bites.
September events
Tuesday, Sept. 6 – Regular meeting – 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Zoom meeting – Login information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89187002517?pwd=Ujc1UTEyVjNNbDhUUFJYMjFCV2lNdz09 – Meeting ID: 891 8700 2517 – Passcode: 212786
This is the first regular meeting of the fall. We are still using Zoom as the new variant of Covid is still a threat. In addition, the Garland Library has not opened the conference rooms to outside organizations. Also, with Zoom, our audience is larger than when we meet in person. People from all over North Texas and even Oklahoma have attended meetings via Zoom.
Speaker Rick Travis will address how invasive trees are a threat to the native North Texas trees in the preserve. Native trees are valuable to wildlife as a haven, food source and host plant. Additionally, Rick and his wife Lisa volunteered to follow up the presentation by leading the September 4th Sunday Nature Walk. He has a bachelor’s degree in Forest Management and an MBA from Stephen F. Austin State University. He is an active member of the Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalist Chapter, a member of the city of Frisco’s Urban Forestry Board and a volunteer trail guide at several locations.
Saturday, Sept. 11 – Monthly Work Session – EARLIER TIME 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. – 1770 Holford Road
Group will separate into teams. Each team has a knowledgeable volunteer so you know what to do. You could be clearing trails, taking out invasive plants, opening up the prairies even picking up trash.
Work sessions begin with a safety briefing. Bring water. Wear heavy 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 Liability Waiver.
- All minors 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
- For Master Naturalists, this may count as volunteer hours on Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest project.
Sunday, Sept. 26 – 4th Sunday Nature Walk – EARLIER TIME 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – 1770 Holford Road
Rick and Lisa Travis will lead you into the cool, shady forest on a Fall Tree Walk, looking at both the key native trees and any invasive species we run across. Lisa is a retired teacher and member of the Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalist chapter. She is a nature educator at the Heard Sanctuary, a trail guide at LLELA, and a Project WILD trainer/facilitator. Lisa is an iNaturalist fanatic, with over 10,000 observations and over 15,000 identifications made for others. She is interested in all things nature, but her main focus is on plants, especially trees.
FYI
Dog Policy – On-leash dogs are welcome in preserve. However, it is illegal to have off-leash pets in Garland parks. Call 972-205-3570, option 1 to report off-leash animals. Please deposit pet waste bags in the trash bins in each parking lot; do not leave bagged pet waste beside the trail.
Become a member – The society’s only means of financial support is through memberships. Member benefits include Member-Only Nature Hikes and Spring Creek Forest Notecards. To join or give a gift membership, download form here: https://springcreekforest.org/join/.
Make a donation which helps the all-volunteer society. Mail tax-deductible remittance to: Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest, Attn: Treasurer, P.O. Box 450176, Garland, Texas 75045-0176
For a walk on your own, try the Self-Guided Interpretive Trail at 1787 Holford Road. Follow the trail markers and read about the significance of the area on your iPhone or downloadable flyer. https://springcreekforest.org/interpretive-1787-holford-rd/
For last-minute information, check Facebook or the website for updates on dates and locations which may change because of conditions.
Health Benefits from Forests* – Most of us sense that taking a walk in a forest is good for us. Now, research shows that visiting a forest has real, quantifiable health benefits, both mental and physical. Even five minutes around trees or in green spaces may improve health. Think of it as a prescription with no negative side effects that is also free.
Exposure to forest and trees:
- Boosts the immune system
- Lowers blood pressure
- Reduces stress
- Improves mood
- Increases ability to focus, even in children with ADHD
- Accelerates recovery from surgery or illness
- Increases energy level
- Improves sleep
*Source: NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation