Hey everyone! I posted a month or so ago about my town mowing in a restoration area. I ended up tracking down why it happened – long story short, people complained it looking ugly and the city administrator told people to mow it. They had rough plans to disc it all up and reseed, which is 100% not needed in the area.
I continued down the rabbit hole and got really deep into the history of the site and how it was established in the first place. It's largely been ignored for the last 10+ yrs, so I asked the city admin if I could propose some sort of management plan. The entire buffer covers 3.2 acres, and I am hoping the city will also jump on board with incorporating the adjacent 12 acres (city owned) as part of riparian buffer mgmt. I am presenting this plan to city council on Monday, and it combines collaborating with state and federal agencies (I've already met with the local folks who would help with mgmt collaboration) as well as starting up volunteer opportunities within the community.
It's a huge undertaking and I feel like I'm running blind into the darkness (I have no experience managing riparian buffers, or managing volunteers, or dealing with local city politics) but I'm excited about it.
Thought you guys might appreciate this. I'm just someone who cares, I guess. Someone's gotta – why not us?
by sunshineandcheese
10 Comments
It sounds like you’ve done amazing work already! Sometimes things like this just need a community advocate, you said this area had been kind of neglected in the past so it sounds like nobody was advocating for it.
You don’t have to have all the answers, you just need to keep the momentum going!
You might look up your state native plant society on Facebook and see if they have a local chapter to you. Some in my area are involved in the politics part. They might be able to help you get it organized, but it sounds like you are doing great! I am not an organizer, but I can appreciate the work you do.
You are a super hero for working towards this! It does sound like a lot of work and I don’t have any experience or suggestions, just here to say that you’re amazing for doing this. Hopefully since a couple acres are already established those will have minimal stewardship needs and might just need some invasives removed. But hopefully the city adds the other 12 acres too!
I think it’s super inspiring and commendable that you’ve taken this on! How exciting, I hope the presentation goes well.
Please continue to share progress, rooting for you and the restoration!!
Good job so far, stick with it and make sure you rope in others to help. These projects can be a giant time suck, but worth it!
It is really cool you looked for answers and came up with a solution. It might be a rocky road ahead but you’re on the right path! I hope you stick to it and more people get involved. You’ve come this far, keep it up!
Look into exploration green in clear lake Texas. They have created a federally recognized restoration area that the community can use with trails and flood mitigation.
Amazing!! I am so proud of you as a person who is continually disappointed in my fellow humans XXXX
Omg, I am in Missouri also and you are a hero. Department of conservation may be able to help. A
If you haven’t already, reach out to your regional NRCS branch office. This sort of project is solidly in their wheelhouse and part of why they exist! I think they’re a state-to-state thing, so I can’t tell you exactly where to look for your area, but they were a huge resource for me when managing my habitat. Good luck!