Following direction from Dallas Parks & Recreation, initially, 3 segments of the loop are to be maintained for a soft dirt trail to be three feet wide to eliminate the ragweed on the trail as DPR’s primary concern is hikers getting lost and calling 911.
NTMN is to work only around the Buckeyes. Clear and maintain several trails, including the Ned & Genie Fritz Trail and The Bois d’arc Trail and eventually several other nameless trails in Blair Park; ID native plants; remove invasive plants (especially privet*) so that the Texas Buckeyes can be liberated; potential signage; leading trail walks; and educating the public. Work with the Bonton neighborhood, Bonton Farms and the council representative for the community.
*The privet is to be cut 6 inches from the ground and tagged. DPR will direct staff to re-cut and treat per city guidelines after the volunteer crew cuts and takes to designated point for city pick-up.
2024 Activities – 18 volunteers with 315 hours of service performed
- Trail Restoration – Including non-TMN, fifty-nine volunteers worked 500+ hours on trail restoration and invasive species removal. The work included initial blazing of the White Rock Trail to the White Rock Creek/Trinity River confluence, reconnoitering the old Bois ‘d Arc Trail, and reestablishing the Buckeye Trail on the eastern Trinity River bank at the buckeye grove after an erosion collapse.
- Walks/Field Trips – Seven walks and field trips on the Ned and Genie Fritz Buckeye Trail and Bois d’Arc Trail were led by knowledgeable hike leaders including: Eileen McKee (Ned and Genie’s daughter), Michael McKee (Ned and Genie’s grandson), Kristi Kerr Leonard, Amy Martin, Bob Richie, Marion Lineberry, Shelby Smith, Caleb Hinojo, Steve Smith and Ben Sandifer.
- Three New Pollinator Gardens – To add to the habitat diversity at the Buckeye Trail, monarch butterfly-friendly and autumn-blooming pollinator plants were installed at the Bonton Circle pavilion and Buckeye trailhead thanks to grants from Monarch Watch and Texas Conservation Alliance (TCA). Mulch provided by Dallas Parks & Recreation.
- TCA hosted a “Bird and Blooms” walk led by Karen Carpenter. A planting with over 40 volunteers occurred on October 19. A total of over 150 hours!
- New Buckeye co-leader, Charlie Marshall, generously donated the funds for new shovels, organic compost, and a large water cooler for the event, complementing the tools provided by Trinity Coalition.
- NTMN trainees created QR Code guides to the flora, fauna, and history of the Buckeye Trail. Accompanying trail signage and directional markers will be installed in 2025. In process of learning about the Buckeye Trail ecosystem, they also compiled an oral history of nature experiences by long-time residents of the neighboring Ideal community.
- We have never given a volunteer award, until this year! Excluding our leaders, we chose Susan and Kent Roberts. They have volunteered on the Buckeye trail since our first event in 2020! Susan and Kent worked on Habitat for Humanity in the Bonton neighborhood from 1996 to 2014. They also worked in 1999 with T.R. Hoover Community Center. When they saw our project on the NTMN, they knew it was the perfect match for them. Susan is a certified 2021 TMN, and Kent was accepted into the class of 2025. Besides showing up almost every time for four years, they have always been willing to switch to a leadership role when needed.