The Loop
November 10, 2020
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San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance wins $50,000 Cox Conserves prize
Last Friday, Sherwood Bishop and the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance received the 2020 Cox Conserves Heroes national grand prize of $50,000 as well as an additional $10,000 in the regional prize.
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Off the Road: Try the Purgatory Creek Natural Area in San Marcos on Bike or Foot
I’ve been hammering out miles on my road bike for the past few months, riding loops around Northwest Hills, along Shoal Creek, and over that cool bike and pedestrian bridge at Barton Creek. Lately, though, I’ve grown weary of pedaling the same routes.
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#PickItUpSanMarcos
Encouraging owners to clean up after their pets in the natural areas is the focus of a new campaign created by students in Texas State Professor Karen Smith’s social marketing class this fall. Working with SMGA Outreach Committee members Diane Phalen and Monique Tschurr, the students have produced several engaging graphics, which they have posted on both Facebook and Instagram.
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For the Love of Trees: Pecan
Take a walk along any of our Hill Country rivers or creeks and you will certainly encounter more than a few native pecan, Carya illinoinensis. This month you will also find the ground scattered with a bounty of nuts. A member of the Juglandaceae family, the pecan is related to both the hickory and walnut trees.
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Trail Notes: Yucca
Unless you live in a part of the state where a cold snap can produce a dramatic, albeit short, burst of yellows and reds, this time of year can seem colorless indeed. Granted, there are some obvious exceptions. Though past its prime, purple fruit still clings to the American beautyberry, one of our best understory shrubs.
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SMGA Partners with TXST Geography class to produce Invasives/Natives Plant Pair Interpretive Videos
The students in the Fall 2020 rendition of Dr. Colleen Myles’ GEO 4322/5322 Interpretive Environmental Geography course are working hard to create a series of short interpretive videos focused on native/invasive “plant pairs” in a community-based project with the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance.
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Moments of Nature
During this stressful time, we suggest getting outside to enjoy nature. The following images were taken by SMGA Board Member, Susan Hanson, while enjoying Upper Purgatory and Blanco Shoals in San Marcos this past month. Take a few minutes to enjoy and de-stress!
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In this time of COVID, the trail crew is in hiatus and only working individually at the direction of the stewardship committee.
Trail Building
Trail maintenance is a tough job and volunteers are always needed! Join the SMGA Trail Crew every Thursday from 7-8:30 am. Email us or follow @SMGreenbelt on Twitter to receive location, directions, and last-minute weather cancellations.
Gloves, hard shoes, eye wear required. Water bottle, long pants, hat recommended. We supply tools and bug repellent.
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Giving Back
The mission of SMGA is to create and conserve an interconnected system of parks and natural areas for our community and future generations.
We can't do it alone. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to SMGA.
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