My Getaway: A Conversation with Bernie Andersen

Bernie earned a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and a Master of Science in Forestry from Stephen F. Austin State University. He moved to San Marcos in 2014 after retiring from a forestry career of more than 30 years.

Bernie worked as a District Forester for 10 years for the Oklahoma Forestry Services, supervising the district’s wildland fire and forest stewardship programs. He then went to work for the Kentucky Division of Forestry, first as a District Forester and then as the Urban Forestry Program Coordinator. He spent the last 17 years of his career as the Division’s Forest Protection Chief responsible for wildland fire suppression, prescribed burning, and forest health programs. He retired in 2012.

Why do you value the natural areas?

I value the natural areas in San Marcos because they provide places for people to connect with nature. They also provide areas where flora and fauna are protected from the intense development occurring in Central Texas. Our natural areas also help to protect our river recharge areas, a vital source of the limited water supplies in the Texas Hill Country.

Who or what most influenced your view of the natural world?

When I was in high school, my father used to take me and my best friend camping. While on these trips, the three of us would go hiking and try to identify the trees we would see on our hikes. These hikes influenced both me and my friend to study forestry in college and started me on my lifelong journey of enjoying and appreciating nature.

Also, the hikers I have interacted with through the years provided me with many diverse views on the appreciation of nature.

What attracted you to the Greenbelt Alliance?

When I moved to San Marcos, I joined a hiking group and started leading hikes again. I was impressed with the natural areas and the trails and started asking who was responsible for the trails and was directed to the SMGA website. I signed up as a volunteer once I saw that the SGMA trail crew built and maintained the trails in the natural areas.

Working as a trail crew volunteer has given me the opportunity to give something back since I get so much pleasure out of hiking the trails.

What is your favorite trail? What do you like about it?

I really enjoy hiking the trails that I helped to construct. These include trails in Purgatory Natural Area, Spring Lake, Schulle Canyon, and River Recharge.

When hiking these trails, I enjoy thinking back to all the planning and work that was involved in their construction. This includes lopping and sawing, raking, grubbing, rock moving, spreading gravel, etc. It makes me really appreciate all the expertise and effort provided by the SMGA trail crew volunteers.

What do you most enjoy doing when you visit the Greenbelt?

Hiking and trail building. I have been a hiker and led hikes for many years. I also really enjoy working with the SMGA trail crew to build new trails and perform maintenance on existing trails. I also enjoy working with Team Flora, an offshoot of the SMGA trail crew that plants, waters, mulches, and prunes native trees that have been planted in the natural areas. Team Flora also collects and sows native plant seeds in the natural areas.

What recommendations would you give new users of the trail?

Start at a trailhead and stay on the established trails. If possible, download a trail map from the SMGA website. When hiking, take the time to enjoy the sights and sounds around you. Listen to the birds, look at the native plants, and notice the change in topography along the trails. Notice the differences between upland areas and drainages.  Appreciate that San Marcos has natural areas and trails for hikers, bikers, and runners that can be enjoyed and appreciated by all ages.