Spring blooms at Taylor Park after all the hard work

 

 

Taylor Regional Park and Sports Complex

 Nurturing both Sports and Nature

 

This City of Taylor park, located just north of Texas Highway 95 on Carlos Parker Boulevard began as a city sports park and is evolving into a nature park as well.

When the park began construction in 2009, a very small pond existed in the natural drainage way for the entire 75 acres. This pond was expanded into a six acre lake in order to contain the runoff from the entire site, to provide a water source for the park irrigation system, and to provide fishing opportunities. The international waterfowl conservation organization, Ducks Unlimited, was engaged to provide technical expertise for the construction of a duck nesting island and shelter peninsula in the lake in order to attract and retain migrating waterfowl. Ducks Unlimited’s first, “Urban Wetland” project in the state of Texas, coupled with the flora and fauna educational signage erected along the hiking trail next to the lake, will educate children and parents alike. Boy Scout troop #167 erected three duck nesting structures and five Texas Bluebird nest boxes strategically around the lake and regenerated prairie. Now it is time to restore native prairie in the park.

Master Naturalists have begun helping the community sow wildflower seeds and native grasses.   Early in the year native grasses were sown on a strip along the east side of the lake and wildflower seeds were sown on one acre at the north end of the park.

At the Burleson Prairie, native grasses and summer and fall wildflower seeds were harvested into round bales after the seed heads had dried.  Just recently Master Naturalists spread one bale on one acre just north of the earlier sown wildflower seed. Another bale of harvested native grasses was spread around the lake by the Taylor Middle School Outdoor Rec class.

 

Master Naturalists Dave and Gail McAdoo, Sterlin Barton, Kathy and Walt Henderson, Betty Jackson, Pat Shirk, and Bonnie Sladek spreading grasses and wilflower seed

John McDonald, Taylor’s mayor Pro-Tem, has a plan to restore this northern part of the park to native tall grass prairie pathways to encourage people that come to the park, to also have this natural area to enjoy.

 

 

 

  
 

Become a Master Naturalist

Texas Master Naturalists not only get their feet wet and their hands dirty, but while doing so they spend time in a natural setting, learn about different plant and animal species, and maybe even find something new: One member, in fact, discovered a new plant species.

To become a Texas Master Naturalist, each volunteer:

  • Goes through an approved training program with at least 40 hours of combined field and classroom instruction, plus 8 hours of approved advanced training
  • Donates 40 hours of volunteer service back to the state and community. Trainees can complete their 40 hours of volunteer service and 8 hours of advanced training within a year after their initial training.
  • Completes another 8 hours of advanced training and donates 40 hours of volunteer service every year after the first one.

Interested in joining? If you can’t find a chapter near you, contact the Texas Master Naturalist coordinator, a local office of Texas Parks and Wildlife or a local county Extension agent.

Become A Master Naturalist

Want to know more?
Here’s some facts:

Since the organization’s founding in 1998, Texas Master Naturalists have contributed more than 1,003,409 hours of service on 90,000 acres of wildlife and native plant habitats, and reached more than 1.2 million Texas residents of all ages. These volunteer efforts are worth more than $20 million.

Currently 5,306 Texas Master Naturalist™ volunteers serve in 39 local chapters across the state, and new chapters are opening all the time

The program has earned the Wildlife Management Institute’s Presidents’ 2000 Award, the National Audubon Society’s 2001 Habitat Hero’s Award, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission’s 2001 Environmental Excellence Award, and Texas A&M University’s 2001 Vice Chancellor’s Award of Excellence in Partnership. In 2005 program earned the U.S. Department of Interior’s “Take Pride in America” award.