A Free Fresh Air Event:
Matzke park is a great place for fresh air.. AND .. there are alternatives very close by.
National Trails
Day is June 1st. It celebrates the thousands of miles of great public
trails our country has to
offer. On June 1st In honor of this day, Bayou Land Conservancy
looks forward to residents of the Norchester Subdivision joining us and Harris County
Pct. 4 Parks Department
for a light work session at the new 100-Acre Wood Preserve.
When:Saturday,
June 1st 9 am-11:30
am
Where: 100-Acre
Wood Preserve (see map picture below)
Where to Meet: Intersection of Balcrest and Normont in Norchester
Wear and Bring: Long pants, closed-toed shoes, bug spray, your own water,
shovels, clippers, and work gloves.
Your "Bloggers," Luv2Plant and Helper #1, walked the trails of this area from the start, at Jones and Cypress Creek all the way to behind the YMCA and back. About a mile each way. It was a very pleasant and interesting hike with just a few moderate short hills. There were no bugs at all when we were there 3 weeks ago.
“The 100 Acre Wood
Preserve” is situated on 98 acres in northwest Harris County.
It is bordered by Jones Road
to the west, a Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 230 water
treatment facility to the east, Cypress Creek to the north, and the Norchester
Subdivision to the south. Bayou Land Conservancy facilitated the donation of the
property to Harris
County, and has ensured
that the property will be forever protected by placing a conservation easement
over it. The conservation easement ensures that the property will never be
cleared, developed, or otherwise damaged. This future Harris County
nature preserve will be mostly left in its natural state. Currently there are
approximately two miles of trail that will continue to be maintained. The
county will be constructing an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible
“trunkline” trail through a portion of the preserve.
Four unique forest
communities are present on the preserve, which is also dotted with small
patches of pocket prairie. The forests here are mature second growth, and are
inhabited by trees that may be in excess of half a century. Mixed pine hardwood
uplands occur on well-drained soils and are dominated by a healthy population
of mature post oaks and loblolly pine. American beautyberry and yaupon can be
found in the understory. Moist transitional forests are highly diverse
communities with overstory species such as water oak, water hickory, loblolly
pine, sweetgum, and American holly. A variety of hawthorn species as well as
deciduous holly and dwarf palmetto can be found in the understories. The
preserve also harbors a number of forested wetlands, which occur on poorly
drained soils and hold water mainly in the winter months or following large
rain events. Tree species here include water oak and water hickory. There is a
large nearly pure stand of overcup oak, which occurs here at the southwestern
edge of its range. Species such as river birch and American sycamore thrive in
riparian forests along Cypress Creek. The conservation easement held by Bayou
Land Conservancy will ensure that these forests remain intact for the enjoyment
of future generations. For more information about Bayou Land Conservancy please
visit it HERE
Bayou Land Conservancy is pleased to have raised the
funds to purchase this land, donate it to Harris County Parks Dept., and then
permanently protect it with a conservation easement. This special green space
with post oaks is now an important part of the growing Cypress Creek Greenway.
Please make plans
to join them and their main sponsor, Houston Endowment, and other partners
including: REI, GHORBA, and the Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition. Houston
History magazine will also be there with copies of their latest edition – with
the cover story on the Spring Creek and Cypress Creek Greenway history (photos
and articles by Bayou Land Conservancy!)
Bring your family,
friends and neighbors to introduce yourself to, and work on this new two-mile
trail system that is free and open to the public!
