By Diane Johnston
It happened in a land far, far away…a long, long time ago…well, it wasn’t a land that far away, it was Cullinan Park in Sugar Land. It wasn’t that long ago, it happened shortly after the 2025 Spring and Fall Texas Master Naturalists classes. The real mystery is how a group of eccentric…I mean knowledgeable Texas Master Naturalists came together to become a team for the beneficial management of natural resources at Cullinan Park.
As with all Texas Master Naturalists classes, a class project was needed. Due to Cullinan Park’s location, a group of TMNs began working there one day each week. Initially, this group worked on removing invasive plants and non-native vegetation from a small area identified as the pollinator extension garden, which subsequently became a class project.
As the weeks rolled by, the pollinator extension garden required less attention. While working in the park the team noticed the amount of litter around trash cans (inquisitive raccoons) and other areas of the park (unruly people) had increased. Based on these weekly observations of litter scattered about the park, the group came together and initiated what they termed the “plogging” movement. What is “plogging”? Plogging combines the action of jogging or running with the Swedish phrase “plocka upp,” which means “to pick up.” We don’t jog or run; rather, we walk around the park and the park lake “picking up” litter.
We are amazed by the amount of litter we pick up in just a couple of hours. It is very satisfying knowing that we are keeping litter out of the park lake and adjacent waterways. During these walks, master naturalist topics are discussed, including plant identification and insect facts and occurrences. It is a great way to learn about natural resource conservation and how to identify plants and critters. If you want to get outside at Cullinan Park, join us! Or, start your own plogging group in a park or natural area near you!