Prairie Notes #132 - Do Look Back
Prairie Notes are monthly photo/journal observations from Tandy Hills Natural Area by Founder/Director, Don Young. They include field reports, flora and fauna sightings, and more, mixed with a scoop of dry humor and a bit of philosophy.
They are available free to all who get on the FOTHNA email list.
Do Look Back
Prairie Notes #132
December 1, 2017
01) Do Look Back
02) Field Report - November
03) Manly Men Wild Women RSVP
04) PrairieSky / StarParty 2017 Schedule
05) Imitation is...
06) Event Reports - November
07) New Scenic Overlook
08) New Species for Tandy Hills
09) Outdoor Classroom in Use
10) Prairie Proverb
01) Do Look Back
Contrary to the advice of Satchel Paige on NOT looking back (see Prairie Proverb, below), we have a tradition at FOTHNA more akin to the the advice of John Dewey ("We learn by doing when we reflect on what we have done.") Reflecting on our accomplishments is also a reminder to supporters of our worthiness AND, to our little band of volunteers, a pat on the back for their positive impact on our world in 2017.
Herewith, I am proud to present this itemized list of our 2017 accomplishments. It denotes the sustained commitment of Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area to restoring, interpreting and raising awareness of our local prairie. Your support is VITAL as we move ahead in 2018.
The 8th annual Manly Men Wild Women Hike the Hills drew another large crowd of newcomers on New Years Day
Brush Bash #9 brought out the best in our crew of volunteers who cleared the trailhead area
Our much-revered outdoor education program, Kids on the Prairie (KOP), notched year #7 hosting or sponsoring seven public and private school field trips
The FASH Foundation awarded Friends of Tandy Hills a grant of $2,000 dedicated to KOP
PrairieSky / StarParty, a collaboration with FW Astronomical Society, completed Year 2 with a cosmic bang
The Tandy Hills iNaturalist Project website page exploded with more observations and species count
The FW Chapter of American Institute of Architects announced the winner of the Tandy Hills Pavilion Design Competition
Prairie Posse, a monthly land management program, notched Year 2 with significant improvements including, the trailhead and Barbara's Button Hill
Tandy HIlls was honored to be named a Lone Star Legacy Park
Friends of Tandy Hills participated oin the national, City Nature Challenge helping the DFW area win 1st place
360 West, that slick, tony magazine, saw fit to feature Tandy Hills in two separate issues in 2017
Tandy Hills was added to the Great Texas Wildlife Trail system by Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.
Friends of Tandy Hills helped celebrate, National Prairie Day, a new national holiday
AIA-FW and FOTHNA hosted an exhibition of submissions from the Pavilion Design Competition
Friends of Tandy Hills helped celebrate the 200th anniversary of nature mystic, Henry David Thoreau
Participants in the Botanical Society of America annual conference in FW visited Tandy Hills for a work day/field trip
Fort Worth Mayor & City Council and FW Park & Rec Director, Richard Zavala, honored Friends of Tandy Hills recent efforts at a public meeting
FOTHNA sponsored, DFW Day of Yoga on the Prairie, at Tandy Hills in our continuing efforts to raise awareness
North Texas Giving Day helped raise $1,725 for FOTHNA education and restoration initiatives
FW Weekly awarded a Best of 2017 Award for Example of New Architecture to the Tandy Hills Pavilion design by, Dennehy Architects
Frost Bank Photo of the Day featured a shot of Tandy Hills by Don Young
Twice Upon a Time Storytellers performed The Legend of the Tandy Hills Witchey Tree, at Tandy Hills
DY
02) Field Report - November
The Indian Summer-like days of November made for some memorable saunters and discoveries. There was more going on color-wise than expected. There were also lots of people on the prairie in November. Check out a few of my observations from November.
03) Manly Men Wild Women RSVP
January 1, 2018 is a month away, the same day you'll receive the next Prairie Notes. So consider this an aide-to-memorie. Feel free to RSVP. Only for brave demented nature mystics.
04) PrairieSky / StarParty 2018 Schedule
Due to astronomical events beyond our control and in a effort to better entertain and astound you, the 2018 schedule will not always be on the 2nd Saturdays as they have been previously. The free star-gazing events in cooperation with FW Astronomical Society, will take place on "selected" Saturdays when the night sky is most interesting. The events pick up again on Saturday, March 24, and will continue on April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 13 and November 10. Occassional special events can be expected. Mark your calendars.
05) Imitation is...
If, as Colton famously observed, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then, our Kids on the Prairie program is blushing. Commons Ford Prairie and Travis Counrty Audubon Society in Austin teamed up to develop an outdoor education program that mimics our Kids on the Prairie program founded in 2010. They were kind enough to acknowledge us in a recent press release. To that we say....Aw shucks, thank ya'll! From their Press Release:
"The program was developed over the past 2 years and was modeled after the Kids on the Prairie program at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth."
06) Event Reports - November
Friends of Tandy Hills hosted 11 delighted participants of America's Grassland Conference for a 5-hour field trip/information session on November 14. They included educators, land owners, ranchers, land managers, non profit leaders and students who got a good understanding of how FOTHNA works. Volunteers Anne Alderfer, Debora and Don Young led the group on a hearty hike across the hills.
07) New Scenic Overlook
A new scenic overlook has been created on the Hawk Trail with help from Boy Scout, Trey Schomaker. Trey chose Tandy Hills for his Eagle Scout badge project. With help from fellow Scouts and family, a new vista facing northeast is well under way. FOTHNA volunteer, Joseph Lippert and FW-PARD rep, Michelle Villafranca, advised and guided Trey on his project. Early next year a large limestone rock will be placed at the new overlook for your contemplation needs.
08) New Species for Tandy Hills
I'm delighted to report that two new bird species and an insect species were identified at Tandy Hills in November. A group of Eastern Bluebirds was spotted on November 3rd. That same day, a Northern Harrier hawk, was observed, characteristically hovering the open area north of the Hawk Trail. (The Harrier was gone before stunned onlookers got a photo.) Neither species has ever been recorded here. A few days later, Anne Alderfer, while escorting a group of kids on a field trip, spotted a White-tipped Black Moth.
09) Prairie Proverb
“Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.”
Prairie Notes© is the official newsletter of Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. All content by Don Young except where otherwise noted.
