My Getaway: A Conversation with Minette Marr

A native of Dallas, Minnette taught high school science for 14 years before attending graduate school at Texas State. Minnette’s experiences as a Girl Scout, high school environmental science teacher, member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and conservation botanist for Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center have provided her with many opportunities to enjoy trails throughout Texas. That said, she believes that none of those experiences have promoted the same level of appreciation for the interconnectedness of life that has grown with repeated visits to the trails that comprise the San Marcos Greenbelt.

Why do you value the natural areas?

Natural areas are home to plants and animals that have co-evolved and survived dynamic conditions for millennia. By closely observing the plant species that thrive in different microhabitats and propagating those plants for use in our yards and rights-of-way, we can create sustainable wild-scapes and wildlife corridors.

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

Reading Rambunctious Garden by Emma Marris in 2011 caused me to pause and question my view of the natural world. The concepts that Marris presented continue to influence my decisions for my small yard in San Marcos, as well as for my family’s 300-acre farm in NE Texas.

https://www.emmamarris.com/writing

What attracted you to the Greenbelt Alliance?

The members of the Greenbelt Alliance understand that building and maintaining trails requires many different skill sets, and they welcome all types of problem-solvers to the Alliance.

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

Limbo Loop is my favorite trail. The trail head is just a five-minute walk from my front door. Once there, the positive impact of years of volunteer activity along the trail gives me hope for the future of both natural areas and built environments.

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

The diversity of the plants along the Greenbelt trails amazes me. Some species occur across the eastern United States, others are limited to just a few counties along the Balcones Fault Zone.  When a plant is in flower and can be distinguished from closely related plants, I take images of the flowers for identification by the iNaturalist community.

https://www.inaturalist.org/people/beeblossomseeds

What recommendations would you give new users of the trail?

I love seeing new faces along the trails. I recommend walking/riding a trail at least once a month over the course of a year and visiting the same trail at different times of the day.