The Spring Creek Forest Preserve Society has announced a variety of activities for January and February. Check out the list. You’re sure to find something that sounds great to you!
January 2024
Special Events
Bird Walks with Reba – Saturday, Jan. 13 & Sunday, Jan. 14 – 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – 1787 Holford Road
Reservations required. Each walk is limited to 10 people. Contact Reba at rcollins20@verizon.net to reserve a spot.
If you’d like to learn what birds spend winter in Spring Creek Forest, come for a morning walk and learn to identify some of them. Reba recently returned from a “bucket list” trip to India to see the birds in that part of the world. Ask her about the leech boots they got to wear! Bring binoculars and dress for the weather. If it has been raining, rain boots may be appropriate.
Cedar Waxwing
A cedar waxwing is a favorite bird that comes to Dallas for the winter.
Monthly Work Session – Saturday, Jan. 13 – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Halff Park at Ranger Drive
Trail maintenance is due on the trails that lead from Halff Park. You could be lopping back overgrowth, toting off downed tree limbs and weed-whacking back grasses from the trail. And, picking up any trash you might see.
We break into teams and each team has a knowledgeable volunteer, so you’ll know what to do. For last-minute information, especially if the weather is questionable, check our website or Facebook page for updates, including dates and locations which could change because of conditions. It isn’t safe for anyone to work in the forest or on the prairie if there is a chance of lightning strikes.
Safety Information:
- BRING WATER and insect 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.
4th Sunday Walk – Amy Martin – A Walk in the Wilds of Garland – Jan. 28 – 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Halff Park at Ranger Drive
Amy Martin will lead us from Halff Park down the Ranger Trail. The Spring Creek Forest Preserve is the first adventure described in Amy Martin’s book Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature Around Dallas-Fort Worth (Timber Press). It is an honor to be included this wonderful collection of nature walk stories and it helps to bring new people to the preserve. Sometimes folks live nearby but have never heard of preserve. Newcomers are always surprised to learn that this special area has been here all along. Amy will have books for sale at the walk on the 28th. If you’ve already purchased one, bring it to be autographed.
February 2024
Speaker Series – Carol Garrison – Aquatic Macro Invertebrates – Tuesday, Feb. 6 – 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Zoom
Riparian areas like Spring Creek Forest Preserve are hosts to a variety of aquatic macro invertebrates. Join Carol as she introduces you to the smaller residents of this habitat and their amazing diversity of adaptations uniquely suited for the aquatic environment. Carol is a third generation native Texan and has been a North Texas Master Naturalist since 2015. She recently moved to Georgia and is an environmental educator and nature center docent at the Fayette Environmental Education Center, a project of the Southern Conservation Trust. She is a certified bat ambassador with Bat Conservation International and a Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association of Interpreters. Carol is the winner of the 2023 Excellence in Environmental Excellence award from the Texas Association for Environmental Education.
Monthly Work Session – Feb. 10 – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. – 1770 Holford
We will work on the Trout Lily Trail so it will look great for the 31st annual Trout Lily Walk on Feb. 25.
See more information and safety guidelines with Jan. 13 work session information above.
Spring Creek Preserve induction in the national network of Old Growth Forests – Feb. 24 – 1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. – 1770 Holford
The society is honored that the preserve has been selected to be a part of the national Old-Growth Forest Network. This is the only national network in the U.S. of protected, old-growth, native forests where people of all generations can experience biodiversity and the beauty of nature.
The network goal is to locate and designate at least one protected forest in every county in the U.S. that can sustain a native forest. They estimate that to be approximately 2,370 out of 3,140 total counties. To achieve this aim they work to identify forests for the network, ensure their protection and inform people of the forest locations. We are building not only a network of forests, but also an alliance of people who care about forests.
Special Event for Members Only – Walk the Trout Lily Trail with Tom Frey – Feb. 24 – 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – 1770 Holford
Tom will lead current society members through the Trout Lily fields, to the creek and up to the meadow. To attend, your membership must be current and you need to reserve a spot. If you are not a member, we will be glad to accept cash or check payment Saturday before the walk. If you intend to do this, you still need to reserve your place. To RSVP, call or email Barbara Baynham – 972-495-3569
or barbara_baynham2005@yahoo.com
4th Sunday Nature Walk – 31st Trout Lily Walk – Sunday, Feb. 25 – 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – 1770 Holford
Tom Frey, regionally acclaimed naturalist and society mentor, will be with us for the 30th year! Stroll on the 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 p.m. and 3 p.m. – When you arrive, volunteers at the pavilion will give you introductory information. Then, we will send you along the clearly marked trail to the Trout Lily field.
Tom 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 p.m. until the last walkers go through.
Future events: Monthly Public Speaker Series
Our meeting is usually on the 1st Tuesday of the month from September to April.
Meeting Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – Location: currently meeting via Zoom call. – For Master Naturalists, this often counts as 1 hour of Advanced Training. Check the MN schedule to be sure.
March 5 – Tina Rust – How to Map Trails using GPS
April 2 – Stephanie Varnum – Native Orchids of Texas
May -August – Summer break
Sept. 3 – Information coming soon
Monthly Work Sessions – Upcoming Dates
Jan. 13 – Halff Park at Ranger Dr.
Feb. 10 – 1770 Holford Rd.
March – 1787 Holford Drive
April 13 – Halff Park at Ranger Drive
May 11 – 1787 Holford Drive and includes a Bring Your Own Picnic
4th Sunday Nature Walks – Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m.
The locations of 4th Sunday Nature Walks at Spring Creek Forest Preserve will vary throughout the preserve depending on the subject of the walk. Be sure to check the latest announcements.
March 24 – Location TBA – Leader Tina Rust
April 28 – Location 1770 Holford – Leader Matt Stepanek
May through August – Summer break. It’s too hot.
For a fun walk on your own, try our Self-Guided Interpretive Trail at 1787 Holford Road that was created by the North Texas Master Naturalist chapter in Dallas. Follow the trail markers and read about the significance of the area on your iPhone or on the downloadable flyer. https://springcreekforest.org/interpretive-1787-holford-rd/
Be sure to check out the new website – springcreekforest.org. It has a new look and you can now make donations and make membership payments online! Thanks to Becky Sans for all the hours she spent organizing and updating information before we were hired the website design and development company, Xeara (owned by Lynn Stanphill – www.Xeara.com).