Where has all the nature gone?

(Originally posted on the Gracywoods.org forum)

We were out of town last weekend and so couldn’t participate in the park cleanup. Since our section of the park (between Bittern Hollow, Parkfield and Swearingen) was in pretty good shape, I didn’t feel too bad about missing it – I didn’t think that much work would be required. When I saw the cleaned up park on Sunday, I was at first surprised by the amount of cleared brush piled along Bittern Hollow and then taken back – I could say dismayed – by the amount of “cleaning” that happened along the creek towards Parkfield.

I’ve been always very fond of the Parkfield branch of the park, with its old untamed cotton wood trees shading the little creek. I walk there at least once a day and always look for turtles (I saw one laying eggs the other day) and squirrels, try to figure out the birds (I’m always happy when I spot the Yellow Crested Night Heron) and pay attention to the different plants. Over the last few years, though, the trees, turtles, squirrels, birds and plants have gotten scarcer and the park seems to be slowly changing from an oasis with a unique character to a bland urban park. I think it would be a pity if we let that happen.

I’ve been through several park cleanups over the years. These started off as picking of trash and trimming back of branches that invariably overwhelm the paths and get in your way. In the past, most of the trees and off-path plants were not affected.

Last year’s violent storms did some serious damage to trees in the park, including downing of trees and large branches. The paths were blocked in several places for quite some time. During last summer’s park cleanup, we cut up the fallen trees and hauled the branches away. I was there right along helping with the cleanup and hauling old logs and branches to the curb. Afterwards the parks seemed a bit bare, but I figured it was the storm’s doing.

This year there was no storm. The park was doing quite well and I was grateful that at least that portion of the park was safe from the whole LCRA and Austin Energy threat. Of course, the branches grew out again and started to block the paths (although, thankfully, someone clipped them back a few weeks ago), but there were no trees blocking the path and interfering with the enjoyment of the park. A few hours spent pruning should have been all that it took.

So what happened? How come all the cottonwoods that were laying down were denuded of all their branches and several, some as wide as two feet across, cut to small pieces? These trees were in nobody’s way. While not standing upright, they were still alive and their branches would provide valuable shade to the pond and creek, reducing the temperature and evaporation rate. Their foliage slows down the rain which helps with the erosion problems we have further down the stream. Their roots help soak up the mosquito breeding swamp that is developing by the pond. Their branches provide protection and nesting grounds for birds and squirrels. When those cottonwoods fall over, they continue to live. And even after they die, they continue to serve an important function. I, for one, did not find them unsightly and am sad to see them gone.

I’m writing this because of the article that Willie posted on the bench by Parkfield, with which I wholeheartedly agree. I encourage everyone to spend the time to read it. And I hope that in the future we can keep a lighter hand when cleaning up the park.