Friends of Bachman Lake - July 2024
"Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven't done a thing. You are just talking." – W. Maathai
Your Texas Plant Palette: Take the Leap, Go Native!
We know how unbearably hot some of our summers get but did you know that native plants can help mitigate the heat island effect? Trees and vegetation (e.g., bushes, shrubs, and tall grasses) lower surface and air temperatures by providing shade and cooling through evaporation and transpiration, also called evapotranspiration. Transpiration is a process in which trees and vegetation absorb water through their roots and cool surroundings by releasing water vapor into the air through their leaves. Trees and vegetation also provide cooling through evaporation of rainfall collecting on leaves and soil. Research shows that urban forests have temperatures that are on average 2.9°F lower than unforested urban areas.
Re-wilded recreational spaces that preserve and utilize native plant species are also healthier due to their biodiversity and less costly to maintain (water / mowing). If you are looking to transition your garden to native plants, consider the ones that RootedIN has planned for the Bachman Greenbelt.
In 2023, we began the removal of one-third of the invasive privet in the Bachman Greenbelt and planted a native plant trailhead to give our community an example of what could be possible. As we battle to recover these 40 acres of lost park land, we need to re-introduce native species that will grow quickly and keep the privet from coming back. Each acre of planting natives is going to cost about $20,000 because we want to have plants that are big enough to survive with no irrigation. Please consider donating to this effort!
🎶 "I Felt the Earth Move Under My Feet" 🎵
We were as suprised as some of you by the major earth movement being done at the Bachman Greenbelt and reached out to our friends at the City to find out what was going on. After many, many emails (we kid you not!), we were informed that: "on June 9th, near 3860 West Northwest Highway, a mainline sanitary sewer pipe experienced a break due to erosion in Bachman Creek from the recent heavy rains. A temporary bypass was established and the failed section of the pipe was replaced with the work being completed last week. The site restoration for this work is underway."
More to follow.
Trail Rides and Trail Talk
Each quarter, the leaders of all the trail friends groups in the city of Dallas meet up for a trail ride and to discuss what's going on in their areas. The most recent ride focused on the Trinity Strand Trail and its extension to the Inwood Station and the soon-to-open connector to the Katy Trail.
We loved the protected railings along Market Center Blvd and were impressed by the landscaping along the trail behind Parkland. From a Bachman perspective, we were very interested in this this ride because we wanted to get a sense of where the City will be implementing bike lanes along Maple, which will cross over Mockingbird to the north, making for safer access to Bachman Lake Park. Maple, for those of you interested, would give access to the Trinity Strand Trail where it intersects with Hudnall.
At previous meetings we have had participation by the North Texas Council of Governments (NCTCoG) and this time we had a fantastic dialog with Parks Director John Jenkins and Parks Board President Arun Agarwal. They thanked everyone in the City for stepping up and helping secure the bond dollar package and gave us a heads-up that they are working on re-establishing a clause in the city charter to protect park maintenance funds as a percentage of the budget. Apparently, this clause was lost over the years. We need a steady-state rate of funding and will let you know when we you can start writing those letters to City Council.
In other news, we were glad to hear that Dallas recognizes that all trails do not have to be cement so we hope that we will get more support for the nature trails in our beloved Greenbelt.
Blood, Sweat and ... Beers? OK, no blood.
On June 29, we joined with Greenspace Dallas and Texas Conservation Alliance to continue the restoration of the Bachman Greenbelt. Volunteers from Abbott, Deloitte, and many community members helped remove privet, picked up trash along the trail and the creek, and planted native plants to support pollinators. It was a really fun event, not just because of the sweat equity but also because a partner organization, Wildlife On The Move, brought their ambassador animals, educating us on how our actions can support Texas wildlife! To top it all off, our friends at On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen hosted all volunteers and helped us cool off with a free beer. You can't ask for a better way to end the "work morning": beer and air conditioning!
We love hosting events like these at Bachman Greenbelt and meeting others that are appreciative of the nature around us. The best part is when neighbors 'discover' this space that they knew nothing about and then decide to get engaged.
Thanks to everyone that joined! Citizens like you help us create a better world.
We Need Partners for Monthly Clean-ups!
Our monthly clean-ups are focused on the Bachman Greenbelt for two reasons: the first is that we are trying to stay ahead of the trash, but more importantly, we want people to get to know this little gem right in the middle of Dallas! We're still looking for organizations to host volunteer team events. It's good for nature and it's good for the soul. If you are interested or want to get details, drop us an email at:
T-Shirt Order - Get yours!
We ordered another batch of our awesome Bachman Lake t-shirts. Each t-shirt is $20, you can order a up to 4 total shirts at a time. You'll have the chance to specify each size. Order here!
Once we place the order and it's printed, we'll let you know at the email you provide so we can tell you how to pick it up. We are targeting dates and locations for our cleanup and meet-up events so we'll let you know!
Events
Our Monthly Cleanup is every first Saturday!
You just need yourself, but feel free to add friends and family to our monthly Plogging activities. Basically, it's picking up litter while jogging (or walking). A bag, some company if you like, and a trip around the lake will help you stay active and healthy and keep the park beautiful!
Meet and Greet Every 4th Wednesday
Our meeting of the minds is at the On Rotation Brewery on Lemmon Ave. This month we will be getting together on July 31st at 5pm. Come join us to talk about everything and anything.
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