TO ALL WHO VOLUNTEERED TO WORK AT GUS FRUH TRAIL ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR REVISED WORK DATE: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26.

John Cook (our COA Parks Liason person) and I walked the trail yesterday and it is extremely soggy, plus more rains are predicted for the week-end. The Greenbelt trails are closed to the public under these conditions, in order not to cause undue compaction and erosion.

We decided that we would do more harm than good if we had 58 people (the number of volunteers who were signed up!) with wheelbarrows and tools working on the trails under these conditions. Hopefully, our volunteers will be able to accommodate the date change and work with us on Saturday, February 26, on the Gus Fruh trail at 2642 Barton Hills Drive, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please RSVP so we can adequately plan ahead.

We have an ambitious agenda to fill in eroded trail areas on the steep switchback trail and repair all of the cross trail drainage swales with more effective placement and more permanent materials. We also envision a dramatically diminished population of ligustrum and nandina along the creek bed trails, due to enthusiastic use of our weed wrenches. Rock wall and edge repair, native seed planting, short cut barriers, and trash clean-up are also on our list of tasks. The creek is up and running again, so we will probably have to hold off on repairing the creekside retaining wall, which was totally obliterated in the last big flood.

Thanks to all who have signed up to work. We hope to see you February 26, on a cool, sunny, dry day!

Glee Ingram

Greenbelt Guardian Coordinator

443-7522

On Saturday, February 12, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., we will hold our 8th trail repair work day, celebrating two full years as Greenbelt Guardians. We are getting to know our adopted greenbelt more intimately as we move through the seasons and the cycles of flood and drought.

This upcoming work day we will be focusing our attention on the Gus Fruh trail, at 2642 Barton Hills Drive, repairing damage caused by the recent flood and tending to one of the commitments we made for our Austin Parks Foundation Grant (“God willing and the creek don?t rise”… again). Our tasks will include: filling in eroded sections of the trail with granite; repairing fallen sections of stone retaining walls on the steep switchback trail; recycling downed tree limbs to use as barriers on illegal “rabbit trails”; creating improved cross trail drainage swales to decrease future trail erosion; and collecting river boulders to rebuild the creek overlook retaining wall. We will also continue our program of invasive species removal, whittling away at the growing ligustrum and nandina population. We’ll also have a native seed planting team and a trash collection team.

There are plenty of tasks with varying levels of stamina and skill required. We hope to have another great neighborhood turn out. If you haven’t yet joined us for one of these workdays, please come join us. We work hard, have a great time, and go home satisfied that we have given back to this beautiful place that gives so generously to us.

Please RSVP via email or phone so that we can properly prepare for the work day.

Glee Ingram

Greenbelt Guardian Coordinator

443-7522