What a diamond in the rough. This is my third year here at TCU, and I am embarrassed and saddened that I did not find this beautiful preservation of nature sooner. Growing up hiking, swimming, and simply being outside, I have found myself longing for an outdoor escape since I arrived on campus. And what an escape this land provides! You drive along urban stretches with strip malls and gas stations until you turn into an uninterrupted space full of life.
As for what we did this first volunteer session, we were asked to help lay out weed mat in the newly built shade shelter area next to the new greenhouse. The muddy clay made this task a little more difficult, but I enjoyed being able to watch our progress. Throughout our time I heard snippets of conversations with the centers' managers about the grant money they received and the use of the greenhouse once it was approved. I wished I had been able to ask one of them more about their goals with the greenhouse. It seems that they do an incredible job managing the grounds so that there is plenty of vegetation on the grounds. Are they planning to use this greenhouse to grow endangered species of plants, or plants that are being killed off by parasitic plants? Questions for the next time we go.
I was a little bit surprised that they had us working on man-made structures, especially on our first week. I think if I had more context to the intended purpose of the structures, I would understand. However, none of the state parks I have visited have had more than a ranger station on the property. I suppose that the goal of a nature center differs from that of a state park. From the introduction we received it seems that there is a significant amount of education that occurs on the grounds. What a brilliant way to introduce kids, especially from the often urbanized areas of the Metroplex, to nature.
I am looking forward not only to volunteering more there, but also to hopefully traveling out with friends and simply exploring all that the center has to offer!
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| Photo courtesy of Yelp |
As for what we did this first volunteer session, we were asked to help lay out weed mat in the newly built shade shelter area next to the new greenhouse. The muddy clay made this task a little more difficult, but I enjoyed being able to watch our progress. Throughout our time I heard snippets of conversations with the centers' managers about the grant money they received and the use of the greenhouse once it was approved. I wished I had been able to ask one of them more about their goals with the greenhouse. It seems that they do an incredible job managing the grounds so that there is plenty of vegetation on the grounds. Are they planning to use this greenhouse to grow endangered species of plants, or plants that are being killed off by parasitic plants? Questions for the next time we go.
I was a little bit surprised that they had us working on man-made structures, especially on our first week. I think if I had more context to the intended purpose of the structures, I would understand. However, none of the state parks I have visited have had more than a ranger station on the property. I suppose that the goal of a nature center differs from that of a state park. From the introduction we received it seems that there is a significant amount of education that occurs on the grounds. What a brilliant way to introduce kids, especially from the often urbanized areas of the Metroplex, to nature.
I am looking forward not only to volunteering more there, but also to hopefully traveling out with friends and simply exploring all that the center has to offer!
Good post. I was a little surprised too, when we were asked to help out at the new greenhouse. I thought we would be working on the trail system. But our help was needed, and greatly appreciated.
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