News from the River (Cont.) Calling ALL Photographers! Along with spending time discovering the Trinity River Corridor Project, you could win cash prizes and recognition for your photos. Your photographs may even be put on display at the Dallas City Hall and on the Trinity River Corridor Project website. What are you waiting for? Send an e-mail to mytrinityriver@dallascityhall.com to register for the contest; include your name, designation (professional, amateur, youth), and telephone number. Central Dallas Ministries and Student Conservation Association Event at the Texas Buckeye Trail On the morning of Saturday, June 6, 130 AmeriCorps national service members and volunteers with Central Dallas Ministries (CDM) launched their Summer of Service program in partnership with the Student Conservation Association at the Texas Buckeye Trail Privet Removal Event. CDM AmeriCorps members serve throughout the Dallas area to engage young people in positive summer activities such as tutoring, service learning, and recreation. Before the privet removal began, City of Dallas Councilmember Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway welcomed everyone and by officiating the AmeriCorps Pledge of Service, swearing in over 100 AmeriCorps Texas members. AmeriCorps members pledged their service for the summer and beyond. After this special moment, the volunteers made their way toward the Texas Buckeye Trail to remove the privet and other invasive species from along the new hard surface portion. Once on the Texas Buckeye Trail, it was business time! Like athletes preparing for a championship game, the volunteers began with stretching, team building, and pep talking led by the North Texas Master Naturalists, CDM team leaders and Student Conservation Association team leaders. With their muscles warm and minds ready, and shovels in hand, these dedicated men and women put their game faces and hard hats on and tackled the privet. It was hard work in the infamous Texas heat, but the volunteers proved too great a match for the privet. The privet was removed from the Buckeye Trail and placed in the forest where it will wither and dry up. Hikers are now safe from the danger of tripping over these twisted plants, and native species will now, unobtrusively, thrive in their proper homes. As Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway said on Saturday, “We appreciate all your hard work and dedication to the purpose of leaving this world a better place for all of us.” “This project was an important opportunity to get members out of their comfort zones and more environmentally aware,” said Jennifer Africawala, AmeriCorps Program Manager for CDM and organizer of the day’s event. “This trail is beautiful and a great tribute to the City of Dallas and the Trinity River Corridor project.” Breaks were encouraged for the workers and a golf cart was used to distribute water and various “power” drinks. Delicious cooking smells began drifting over the Bexar Street Pavilion by noon. Volunteers and staff enjoyed hot dogs and hamburgers straight out of the big smoker along with chips and it was all topped off by cool crisp watermelon for dessert. CDM was founded in 1988 and it battles hunger every day as well as focusing on health, housing, education, employment, and environmental issues. For more information visit: www.centraldallasministries.org. National Trail Days Celebration Rolls the Tires Out On Saturday, June 6, in celebration of “National Trails Day”, volunteers from AmeriCorps and Merrell through Groundwork Dallas trekked through the Great Trinity Forest to begin removing the remaining tires at an illegal dump site at 6800 Petty Lane, Dallas, TX 75217, and to continue spreading the message that illegal dumping has severe negative effects on our forest. Illegal dumping interferes in many natural forest processes by blocking proper drainage, and it can be harmful to the wildlife in the area. It is also unsightly for hikers coming across this type of discarded debris. Thanks to the help and dedication of these volunteers, about 150 additional tires have been removed, and they are certainly not going to waste! According to Ron Smith, “the City of Dallas uses processed tires as bedding material, and a new innovative bio reactor cell speeds up the rate of decomposition at the City’s McCommas Bluff landfill. These tire shreds facilitate even moisture distribution, as liquid amendments are added to the municipal solid waste, promoting much more efficient waste degradation, landfill settlement and added space reuse, as well as early production of natural gas which is cleansed and sold as ‘Green renewable energy’”. You know what they say, “one man’s waste is another man’s renewable energy!“ he continued. Though many tires have been “rolled out”, there are still more to be moved. A third event will be planned later this summer. Groundwork Dallas is a non-profit organization that improves access to the Great Trinity Forest by planning, constructing and maintaining nature trails, multi-use recreational trails and trail amenities in the forest. |
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