The Frisco Parks Department held an extraordinarily successful “Arborfest Tree Walk and Buffalo Stomp” nature event at Frisco Commons Park on Saturday, Oct. 30. Several Blackland Prairie Master Naturalists played significant roles in both the preparation for this event, and as participants in the event itself.
The “Buffalo Stomp” portion of the event is a native plant seedball toss in the prairie restoration area at Frisco Commons. Well, to make seedballs, you need seed! Several BPTMN’s helped harvest native flora and grass seed form a large natural area in Frisco’s Northwest Community Park. Over several late summer and early fall work sessions, large quantities of Basketflower, Lemon Beebalm, Firewheel, milkweed, Ironweed, Sideoats Grama, and other native plant seeds were harvested from the park.
Leah Justice, Lisa Travis, Nick Ward, Michelle Norris, Jeff Witt, and Jean Suplick happy with completing another successful day of harvesting seed at NW Park.
John Garbutt made a new friend while seed harvesting. This Hackberry Emperor stayed on John’s hat, arm or back the entire morning. Must have been the cologne.
After spending a couple of weeks in October sorting and processing the seed, it was time to make the seedballs! BPTMN’s, working with Frisco Parks staff and the Frisco Garden Club, made over 600 seedballs for the upcoming event.
It’s messy work, but fun!
They may look like meatballs, but they don’t taste like meatballs.
It was a beautiful sunny day on October 30, the day of the event. Over 100 individuals, families, and scouts attended this event. At 9:30am, after a short proclamation re Arborfest by the Mayor of Frisco, the kids jumped in to help plant a Cedar Elm and Chinkapin Oak at the park.
After the tree plantings were completed, yours truly lead the group on a walk through the woodlands at Frisco Commons.
Into the forest we go!
Yours truly answering questions about the large Pecan tree in the park woodlands.
Upon conclusion of the tree walk, the group was led into the prairie restoration area just north of the woodlands, where cups containing seedballs for the “Buffalo Stomp” were distributed to the kids.
It’s seedball toss time!!!
During the Stomp, Nick Ward and Michelle Norris staffed the BPTMN Outreach table, answering questions and inviting prospective new members to register for the upcoming class.
The Buffalo Stomp in full gear.
This fella takes the Stomp seriously!
Many thanks to Nick, Michelle, Lisa, and Cynthia for participating in the Frisco Arborfest/Buffalo Stomp event…we had great weather, great turnout, and a bunch of engaged families and kids!