By Teri Silver

 

Nature—it’s reality’s way of showing us that there is more to life than financial success and telling other people what to do. Nature is where life begins—flora, fauna, flowing rivers and waterfalls, mountains, beaches, farmlands, and then some. Nature may seem unspoiled, but it takes time and effort to keep it that way, especially because human beings use these areas for their own purposes.

While Federal and state programs seek to protect nature, these entities can only do so much with the budgets they have. Volunteers for conservation do most of the grunt work—from cleaning up natural habitats and rescuing wildlife to collecting wildflower seeds for redistribution and redesigning habitat layouts. For preserving our natural habitats, the power of volunteerism is priceless.

Natural Habitat 101

Natural habits are defined as any wooded, watery, or grassy areas where organisms can eat, breathe, reproduce, and live out their predetermined lifespan without being threatened by outside forces. Natural habitats provide food, shelter, water, and space for animals to move about and for plants to grow and thrive.

The amount of space in a natural habitat is crucial for each particular species. For example, big cats such as pumas, tigers, leopards, and bobcats need a wide area for roaming, hunting, and reproducing. But an ant needs only a small space in which to live and build his world.

Have you ever thought about creating a wildlife habitat in your own backyard? Whatever amount of space you have, you can turn your yard into a certified wildlife habitat by noting the type of animals coming on to your property and developing a health and wellness plan for them.

Texas Ecology

With varying landscapes, topography, and ecological biodiversity, Texas covers about 266,597 square miles—second in the United States (to Alaska) in land area. Yearly rainfall in the Lone Star State averages 8 inches in far West Texas deserts to up to 56 inches per year in East Texas’ swampy areas.

Texas has 10 noted ecoregions: Piney Woods, Gulf Prairies and marshes, Rolling Plains, Trans-Pecos, Cross Timbers, Post Oak Savannah, Edwards Plateau, High Plains, Blackland Prairies, and South Texas Plains.

Volunteer Power

Volunteering is an empowering way to put your hands to good use. Cleaning up litter, planting trees and wildflowers, removing trash from riverbeds, and WWOOFing—Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms—are just a few productive ways to help improve biodiversity and the environment.

Native plants and wildlife are thriving because of society’s understanding that not all land needs to be torn up for houses and shopping centers. Volunteers who donate time and sweat equity to improve natural habitats are using their talents for preserving the earth.

Volunteering in San Marcos

San Marcos is about 40 miles southwest of Austin, close enough to draw folks to the San Marcos River, the Blanco River, and several creeks in the area. Because people love natural water sources like lakes, streams, ponds, and rivers, these areas tend to get messed up with litter inadvertently (or deliberately) left behind.

The San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance organizes volunteers for two main tasks: maintaining natural areas and increasing awareness of caring for undeveloped land and waterways.

The SMGA Trail Crew gets their hands dirty by removing invasive species, planting native greenery and wildflowers, maintaining equipment, cleaning and monitoring hiking trails, and training new crew members … among other tasks.

The Outreach Team gets the word out about caring for nature. The public relations team participates in community events, develops an engaging social media presence, hosts educational activities, and raises money for the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance.

As much as we’d like to believe that our taxpayer dollars can pay for all the environmental and ecological protection that’s ever needed, in reality, there are only so many dollars to go around. Cleaning up planet Earth and caring for natural habitats isn’t high on the government’s list, unfortunately, so it’s up to us to pick up the slack. And some litter, too.

 

Teri Silver is a journalist and outdoor enthusiast. She and her husband live on 5 acres with a vast lawn, three gardens, a farm, a pond, many trees, and a lot of yard work! The best parts of the year are summer and fall when home-grown veggies are on the dinner table.