Recently, I returned to the workforce after completing my graduate studies. I had been a full-time caregiver to my young children while also studying as a full-time graduate student. It was a lot of work, but I always made a point to go outside every day with my kids. Those times of playing and exploring were beneficial to them in numerous ways. And, while I’m very much a nature-girl, I didn’t fully appreciate the extent of the benefits of daily time in nature for myself until I returned to work.
Sitting at a desk all day quickly became burdensome and emotionally exhausting. I couldn’t stand sitting still all day without the sound of the wind in the trees, the birds chirping around me, or the glorious aromas of nature like sycamore trees and the honey-like sweetness of flowers. Working in the urban core of downtown San Antonio, there isn’t an abundance of spaces that provide that sense of oneness with the natural world.
But there is San Pedro Creek.
San Pedro Creek is a gem. It’s an oasis in an increasingly bustling downtown district full of commerce and construction. Unlike the more prominent downtown stretch of the San Antonio River, San Pedro Creek is quiet. It’s been expertly landscaped by the San Antonio River Authority with native plants, and there is an abundance of native wildlife enjoying the improved stretch of the creek that was once straightened and channelized to prevent flooding. While not a full restoration, the improvements to the downtown stretch of the creek are the result of increased knowledge in hydrology, engineering, and a changing paradigm about the role of humankind in the environments in which we live.
No longer a concrete ditch, the restored creek is a haven for wildlife. As I walk San Pedro Creek nearly every day during my lunch break, I am enchanted by some of my favorite birds: egrets, herons, ducks, cormorants, hummingbirds, and so many others. I note the slow turtles and maybe a snake. The blossoms are teeming with butterflies and bees. I smell the delicious mountain laurel and sycamore in the air. I touch the leaves of the plants, the native grasses, and indulge in the beauty of the blossoms. A few days ago, I noticed an abundance of duck eggs in protected islands within the creek. Walking the creek for this past year has been a treasured way to witness the changing of the seasons. These walks have become an important way for me to commune with nature and experience the passing of time.
As I walk with friends along the creek, we excitedly share what we’re experiencing with each other. “Look! One of your favorite bird friends!” Or, “You have to smell this flower!” Whether I’m walking the creek alone or with friends from work, it provides an exceptional place for me to get my blood flowing and squeeze in a mile or so walk in the middle of my day. The departure from the office and deadlines provides mental relief, and the interactions with friends and nature along the creek are medicine for my soul. The value of green spaces like San Pedro Creek is immense. From the benefit to the native and migrating wildlife, to the benefits felt by the people who share these spaces, the value is immeasurable.
As I reflect on the impact of the restoration of San Pedro Creek and humankind’s impact on the natural world, I consider the thoughts of the environmental historian William Cronon. He said, “We need to discover a common middle ground in which all of these things, from the city to the wilderness, can somehow be encompassed in the word ‘home.’” Cronon’s academic work asks us to consider that we are not apart from nature but a part of nature.
When we consider that we are part of the natural world, we can reframe the ways in which we engage with the environments in which we live. The restoration of places like San Pedro Creek, and especially the restoration of the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, are examples of that shifting paradigm about how we view humankind’s role on the planet. The recognition that we had a tragic impact on the river, the land, and the flora and fauna dependent upon it, was followed by a successful plan of action to mitigate and correct the damage done. This demonstrates the power that a new paradigm has to create a better world. Understanding that we are a part of nature provides an impetus to prioritize the natural world in our built environments rather than neglecting it or harming it.
In my reinforced appreciation for urban green spaces, I have found so many things. The personal benefits of exercise, mental and emotional well-being, and the enjoyment of time spent communing with the natural world. But also a more developed understanding of the importance of urban green spaces for native and migrating wildlife, native plants, and the larger ecosystem. The words that continue to come to me are: We are not apart from nature, we are a part of nature.
Texas Master Naturalist Morgan Sanchez is an environmental anthropologist. She is also certified in Native Landscape Management through the Native Plant Society of Texas. Active in environmental education, she has four amazing children who inspire her every day. “Finding my place in the world has been an adventure with both bright and dark moments,” she says, “and I feel it’s a great honor to be able to serve others and share my time as a volunteer.”