There is an exciting to development and potential future partnership that is shaping up at the Willowbrook Reach. Yesterday, a few of us met with Minnette Marr from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Minnette is a plant biologist and seed conservationist, and collects seeds from native plants from around Central Texas.
Minnette has begun the process of providing us with wild, native seeds that have been collected from just around Central Texas - from within our "seed shed" - that are appropriate for a habitat like the Reach. Some of them are even relatively rare plants.
The Wildflower Center has an enormous bank of native seeds, and Minnette said they would like to begin sharing those with groups like ours that are committed to restoring native plants back to their place within our ecosystems. This is just a very beginning.
We will likely spread a few of these seeds on our forthcoming workday and Clean Sweep Day, Apr 8.
This is very exciting, and another step forward in our mission to bring even greater numbers of pollinators, birds, flowers and native fruits and plants to our neighborhood!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
invasives: AYW Removes Ligustrum and Chinaberry
Austin Youth Works was out yesterday at the Reach helping to further an invasive plant removal project that we began in December at our workday. They cut down a number of ligustrum trees and seedlines, some chinaberry and others, including pyracantha (I think).
We will always be dealing with these non-native invasive species, but removing them now provides a good opportunity to replace them with similar natives. Cherry laurel, for example, is a good native alternative to ligustrum, since it provides winter berries for birds and its evergreen nature is good habitat.
So, you'll see some piles of plants that were cut down until they are removed by the City, and perhaps that the Reach looks a bit different without those evergreens dotting the banks...for now, that is...
We will always be dealing with these non-native invasive species, but removing them now provides a good opportunity to replace them with similar natives. Cherry laurel, for example, is a good native alternative to ligustrum, since it provides winter berries for birds and its evergreen nature is good habitat.
So, you'll see some piles of plants that were cut down until they are removed by the City, and perhaps that the Reach looks a bit different without those evergreens dotting the banks...for now, that is...
Monday, January 3, 2011
birds: We Have an Owl!
The past couple of days, an Eastern Screech Owl has been calling our new owl box home! Check him out:
Look for him poking his head out of the box during the day, and listen for his call at night. It sounds a lot like a horse whinnying. Here's a great recording of their calls.
The box is in a high traffic area, so it's possible the owl might not make this a permanent home and raise a brood with a female, but we can cross our fingers!
Installing more owl boxes around the Reach might be a project to consider in the future. And if you've got the perfect tree, definitely think about installing an owl box at your own home. Here's an article about building and placing nest boxes.
Look for him poking his head out of the box during the day, and listen for his call at night. It sounds a lot like a horse whinnying. Here's a great recording of their calls.
The box is in a high traffic area, so it's possible the owl might not make this a permanent home and raise a brood with a female, but we can cross our fingers!
Installing more owl boxes around the Reach might be a project to consider in the future. And if you've got the perfect tree, definitely think about installing an owl box at your own home. Here's an article about building and placing nest boxes.
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