SMGA News: November 2023
SMGA Collectible Pins
The first in what will be a series of collectible pins featuring each of our 7 natural areas is now available. This pin depicts a hiker looking out from The Grotto in Upper Purgatory. The second pin, now in production, shows a black and white widow skimmer at the pond in Spring Lake. This pin will be available in the next few weeks. Both pins were designed by Susan Hanson, with assistance from SMGA member Mimi Ambrose on the second.
Like our hats, T-shirts, and bandanas, these hard enamel pins will be for sale at all SMGA tabling events or by special arrangements with members of the Outreach Committee. They will sell for $5 each.
Trail Connect V
Several SMGA members—Sherwood Bishop, Jon Cradit, Susan Hanson, and Mark Taylor—spent the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 6 at Trail Connect V, an event hosted by the Great Springs Project and Texas State University’s Office of Sustainability. It was an opportunity for conservation-minded people to engage in conversation and hear from experts in the field of environmental protection. Presenters included Texas State President Kelly Damphousse, founder and former Meadows Center director Andy Sansom, and former Mayor of San Antonio Henry Cisneros, as well as a panel of development professionals chaired by Great Springs CEO Garry Merritt.
Jon Cradit and Mark Taylor at the SMGA table. 
Sherwood Bishop with Great Springs board member Dianne Wassenich.
Trail Crew at Work
Nov. 16: The team continued working on the Paraiso extension in Upper Purgatory. When it’s finished, serious hikers and mountain bikers will appreciate the distance, challenge, and beauty of the Hill Country terrain they find here. On this day, there was a good turnout of SMGA members, along with the City of San Marcos trail crew.
Ken asking a question before work begins
From the top left: Sheila; Olivia; Monique pointing the way; Melissa and Yvonne consulting with Chris.
Oct. 19: The Thursday trail crew continued to work on the new trail in Purgatory. There were a lot of hands-on deck as they string-trimmed, put down anchors, reinforced / armored water crossings, and raked away organics and cobble. The trail is a work in progress and will be worth the wait.
Team Flora worked in Prospect in hopes the weather forecast for the next week was right. They seeded shade friendly plants along Virgil’s and Sinon, and full sun wildflowers in the (thus far) disappointing 5P project.
Recycling at Its Best
Do you ever wonder where those beautiful benches in the natural areas come from? Many of them are built using wood from trees that have fallen either in the Greenbelt or on friends’ property. Recently, just such a tree was harvested, cut into slabs, and planed, ready now to be turned into a beautiful cedar bench. Here, Scott Henize and Todd Derkacz look over the slabs with Larry Hanson, who will be building the benches.
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