Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest - News & Calendar

February 7: Meeting, 7:00 p.m. N. Garland Library - Texas Master Naturalist Jim Varnum presents a program on the natural areas in Collin Co. It is more than just a travel log. Jim discusses the history and growth of Collin Co. and the soil and land usage to give insight to where the nature areas are located throughout the county.

February 11: Work session, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 4848 N Garland Ave - Project is privet removal. We can accommodate a large number of volunteers here so come on out! Bring your favorite tools, or borrow ours. If you get there late, call me (214-392-5479) or mosey down the trail to the east to find us.

February 16: Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Fay's House - Open to all interested people. Bring your nominations for the Board elections in March.

February 17-20: The Great Backyard Bird Count

Feb 25: Rain or Shine, Spring Creek Forest Trout Lily Walk and Nature Hike
Tom Frey, Landscape Architect for the Garland Parks and Recreation Department, leads participants through Spring Creek Forest to see the Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum), one of our earliest spring wildflowers to appear in rich woods and slopes. Its natural habitat is found on gentle slopes in bottomland hardwood forests. The flowering period is only two to four weeks and its above-ground life cycle for this bulb is completed in about 10 weeks.
The leaf patterns resemble the skin of brook and rainbow trout and the flower is a beautiful white with occasional lavender or blue. Tom presents a fascinating account of the history of Spring Creek including forest ecology, how early cultures used the forest, and visions of its future.
Field Trip Details: Walks will begin at 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM at Spring Creek Forest, located at 1770 Holford Road in Garland. The parking lot is south of President George Bush Tollway and north of Arapaho Road. Please wear boots or supportive footwear.

March 6: Meeting, 7:00 p.m. N. Garland Library - Presentation by Randy Johnson, Director of Horticulture for Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park entitled Draught Gardening and How to Survive!

March 10: Work session, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 4848 N Garland Ave - Project is privet removal. We can accommodate a large number of volunteers here so come on out! Bring your favorite tools, or borrow ours. If you get there late, call me (214-392-5479) or mosey down the trail to the east to find us.

News:

Concrete Bike Path: Construction has begun on the concrete bike path between the 1770 Holford parking lot and N Garland Ave, but the preserve is open. You might want to try hiking at the 1787 Holford or 4848 N Garland Ave trailheads to avoid the construction.
Bike Path in the Newspaper: The Dallas Morning News ran a story on Jan 3, 2012 about the concrete path. If you subscribe, this link should work for you:  http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/garland/headlines/20120103-trails-to-bring-new-traffic-to-doorstep-of-old-growth-forest-in-garland.ece?action=reregister

General Information:
Meeting Information:
Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m.
Meeting dates: Feb 7, Mar 6, Apr 3
Meeting Location:
N. Garland Library
3845 N. Garland Ave. (at Apollo Rd.)
Garland, TX 75040

Work sessions: The Saturday after each meeting
Bring water to drink. Wear work gloves, long pants and sturdy shoes (no sandals) for protection from poison ivy and insects. If you have them, bring loppers and short-handled tree saws. We usually meet at 1770 Holford. 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. (Note that there are times we meet at other locations. Watch for email notifications regarding changes.)

Work session dates: Feb 11, Mar 10, Apr 7, May 5

Membership - please renew your membership annually.
A renewal form is located on our website, www.springcreekforest.org.

We are caretakers of the Preserve. Assume you are the owner. Carry a sack so you can pick up trash while you walk. Help people see the Preserve as an environmental treasure rather than a site for recreation.

Thank you for your support and we hope to see you at an activity soon.
Matthew Mortimer
President, Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest
Cell phone: 214-392-5479
matthew_mortimer@hotmail.com