National Volunteer Appreciation Week, SCC celebrates you!

Potential MoKan corridor highway
and its impact on the Big Loop

Shoal Creek Conservancy weighed in on steps taken by TxDOT to build a highway for autonomous vehicles in a corridor that is shared with the Southern Walnut Creek Trail. Plans for a highway also have the potential to delay construction of the Northern Walnut Creek Trail, which shares portions of its planned alignment with the same corridor. Our focus is on preserving the existing Southern Walnut Creek Trail in its natural setting and on completing the Big Loop as quickly as possible. The Big Loop is a planned 30+ mile loop of trails and bikeways that would traverse Austin north of Lady Bird Lake and include the Shoal Creek Trail. KUT interviewed Shoal Creek Conservancy and other advocates for a story released Thursday morning -- read more here. 

Community Gardens in
the Shoal Creek Watershed

Any piece of land gardened by a group of people is a community garden. Certainly places to grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, and plants, these green spaces also provide opportunities to connect with neighbors, learn, explore, obtain nature therapy, practice teamwork, and so much more. Click below to find out more about the community gardens within the Shoal Creek watershed and elsewhere in Austin.

Howdy neighbors! Spring has sprung, and as the days grow warmer, gardening might be on your mind. Did you know that by selecting native plants for your landscape, you can benefit the Shoal Creek watershed while you beautify your yard? A native plant garden does not need fertilizer to thrive, and once established, it hardly needs additional water. Native plants provide pollinators and other wildlife with food and habitat. They help to prevent soil erosion, while allowing rainwater to infiltrate into the ground. They also won't escape your yard and invade our local riparian corridors, aka greenbelts! Native plants are adapted to live here, so they are generally hardy in both our summer heat and winter freezes and resistant to pests and diseases. Interested in adding natives to your yard but in need of more guidance? The LBJ Wildflower Center has a wonderful Native Plant Database that is searchable by characteristics like locale, soil moisture, amount of sun, height, etc, which is very useful for helping gardeners select the right native plants for their landscapes. The City of Austin also offers the Grow Green Plant Guide with recommended species for the Austin area.

Also, you can visit our blog to further help you garden with conservation in mind! Happy gardening! 

The Shoal Creek Watershed Action Plan is a cooperative project funded in part by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality through a Clean Water Act, Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Management grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Upcoming Creekside Opportunities

This Saturday, April 22nd from 9-11am, we invite you to join us for a stroll along the Shoal Creek Trail with Katie Ortiz as we discuss all things pollinators while Katie shares her experience as a beekeeper in the greater Austin area. Visit our website to register today!

We are hosting two volunteer workdays this Friday, April 21st. One is a riparian restoration workday, from 9:30-11:30am, near Shoal Creek Blvd and Gaston Ave, where we will focus on planting, seeding, and managing ragweed. Spots are limited, so be sure to register here today! Our volunteer cleanup on Friday, from 8-10am, will focus on removing litter and recyclables from the Shoal Creek headwaters and clearing the Trail. We'd love to have you, so please register here to join us. 

In May, come explore the Shoal Creek Trail with us during our Botany Tour on Saturday, May 6th, from 9-11am. Please visit our website for more information and how to register. Lastly, mark your calendars, on Friday, May 19th, SCC will be hosting a Bike To Work Day Fueling Station near the start of Shoal Creek Blvd's protected bike lanes near W 38th St. We will share more details as they become available.  

Please note, masks are optional at our volunteer events and tours. Thank you for your understanding. 

Supporter Spotlight 

The April Supporter Spotlight is on Cirrus Logic! With multiple offices along Shoal Creek, Cirrus Logic has been involved with Shoal Creek Conservancy since our founding in 2013. Cirrus Logic invites employees and interns to volunteer along the creek every year, and their CLEAN (Cirrus Logic Environmental Action Network) employee group champions additional volunteer efforts to keep Shoal Creek healthy and vibrant for our community. Thank you for being an engaged and caring neighbor!