Greenbelt and
trail vision
for San Marcos
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About SMGA
Who We Are
What We Do
Accomplishments
From the President
Who We Are
The
San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance is working to protect the quality
of life for the people of San Marcos through the creation
of interconnected parks and natural areas. Today, in the midst
of unprecedented growth throughout Central Texas, SMGA is
dedicated to ensuring that along with development, we take
care to protect natural areas for ourselves, our children,
and our future.
SMGA
is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), all volunteer organization that
survives on the membership dues, donations, grants, perspiration,
brains and brawn of people who understand the value of the
natural world.
What
We Do
Conservation:
Protect and conserve greenspace by working
with stakeholders.
Stewardship:
Maintain the health of greenspaces through
community participation.
Outreach
/ Education:
Promote awareness and understanding of
the value of protecting and connecting greenspace.
Accomplishments
Conservation
- Interact with local developers to help
them understand options for including greenspace set asides
in various development projects.
- Advocated for an update to the San Marcos
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan, conducted
in 2008 by Land Design Partners.
- Worked alongside other Hays County conservation
groups to form a PAC and successfully campaign for a $30
million bond on the May 2007 ballot.
- Led campaign to get voter approval of the
first open space proposition in San Marcos history through
our spin-off PAC, Yes Prop One. The citizens approved a
$2 million bond in 2005 for 250 acres.
- Advocated and campaigned for the first
Hays County parks bond ever on the ballot. The bond passed
in 1999 with 69% voter approval.
- Advocated for and participated in the San
Marcos Greenspace Planning Committee composed of city, county,
and community representatives to develop the Project Selection
Criteria and Checklist, which is now part of the Parks Master
Plan.
Stewardship
- Partner with Texas State University each
year to plan projects and lead work teams of citizens and
students during Bobcat Build.
- Design and lead volunteers in building
and maintaining hiking and mountain biking trails in Ringtail
Ridge, Blanco Shoals, Schulle Canyon, Prospect Park, and
Lower and Upper Purgatory.
- Conducted a feasibility analysis and collected
data for a greenway / trail corridor between Purgatory Creek
Park and the San Marcos River, with a possible connection
to Willow Creek. The corridor would serve as a bicycle,
pedestrian, and natural connection between established neighborhoods
and the San Marcos River and Purgatory Creek, two of the
most significant natural features of San Marcos.
- Consulted on design and layout of accessible
trails and other amenities in Schulle Canyon, Prospect Park
/ Lower Purgatory, and Ringtail Ridge. Assisted in securing
grants to fund these projects.
- Assisted Texas State University departments
of geography (GIS-GPS) and biology (wildlife management)
with setting up a continuous program of habitat assessment
in selected portions of Spring Lake Preserve to observe
changes over the coming years.
Outreach / Education
- Provide presentations on the importance
of open space preservation around the city.
- Sponsor monthly hikes in public and private
natural areas in and around San Marcos with hundreds of
participants.
- Assist scouting and campfire organizations
in developing projects for rank and merit.
- Provide trail shaping, safety, and general
work guidance and training for leaders and teenagers from
the Hays County Juvenile Justice Center, who began regular
self-guided workdays in our natural areas.
- Produce quality trail/visitor maps of San
Marcos natural areas.
- Create and sponsor the annual Naturescapes
Photography Contest in partnership with the Hill Country
Photography Club.
From the President
We believe there are many reasons to protect
these areas including recreation, economic, environmental,
health, spiritual, cultural, legacy-heritage and educational.
Since 1998 we have been working hard with developers, the
City of San Marcos, Hays County, and a host of local, state
and national entities to secure greenspace, promote stewardship
and provide low impact access. We look for the most appropriate
natural areas and viable opportunities for preservation and
devise strategies that reduce costs to our citizens while
maximizing the benefits. We are not opposed to development;
we simply consider natural areas to be part of high quality
development patterns, the necessary infrastructure, that can
connect people with parks and greenspace for the benefit of
all.
All the while we celebrate the greenspaces
and encourage others to do so with us or in their own way.
We help create access and connect these beautiful, valuable
places with trails. If you enjoy greenspace, we would love
to have you join in.
See you on the path,
Todd Derkacz, President
Board Members,
2009-2010
Sherwood Bishop
Todd
Derkacz
Vicki
Giere
Ann
Jensen
Julie
Hulbert-King
Maggie
Hutchins-Wagner
Charlie
O'Neil
Vicki
Vaughn
Mary Waters
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