LIKE, JUST KIND OF LIKE HER HAIR, LIKE, WITHOUT HURTING THIS AND ALL THE COLORS. IT WAS
[Call to Order and Announce Quorum is Present]
[00:00:05]
REALLY GOOD. AND KELLY. ALL RIGHT. IT IS 6:00 AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED WORKSHOP CALLING IT TO ORDER. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM HERE AT THE LOUISVILLE CITY COUNCIL. FIRST UP. AND YOU KNOW, NORMALLY WE DON'T DO THESE IN THIS ROOM. SO IF EVERYBODY'S OKAY WITH THIS, WE'RE JUST GOING TO MOVE PAST ITEMS A AND B, WHICH ARE THE INVOCATION OF PLEDGE BECAUSE THIS IS A WORKSHOP. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM C WHICH IS THE VISITOR'S FORUM. SPEAKERS MUST ADDRESS THEIR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR RATHER THAN TO INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF. DO WE[A. Presentation by UNT Ecological Action Studio Students of the Assessment Findings of Garden Ridge Low Mow Plots.]
HAVE ANYBODY HERE FOR VISITOR'S FORUM? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND STEP STRAIGHT INTO THE WORKSHOP SESSION ITEM A PRESENTATION BY UNT ECOLOGICAL ACTION STUDIO. STUDENTS OF THE ASSESSMENT FINDINGS FOR THE GARDEN RIDGE LOW MOW PLOTS. AND I BELIEVE IT'S THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM THAT'S PRESENTING. SO WELCOME. AND I KNOW THIS SLIDE DECK FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF DECK. IT'S PERFECT. WELL HELLO EVERYBODY. WE ARE THE LEWISVILLE GROUP OF THE 2025 ECOLOGICAL ACTION STUDIO CLASS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS. AND TODAY WE WILL BE GUIDING YOU THROUGH OUR PERCENT PLANT COVERAGE OF GARDEN RIDGE BOULEVARD. SO TO KICK IT OFF, WE WILL BE INTRODUCING OURSELVES. MY NAME IS ELEANOR LEWIS. I AM A SENIOR ECOLOGY MAJOR AT UNT AND I AM GRADUATING THIS SUNDAY. HI, I'M ASHLEY, I'M ALSO A COLLEGE STUDENT AND GRADUATING THIS WEEKEND WITH ELLIE, AND I'M ALSO A LEWISVILLE RESIDENT. YAY! I'M JASMINE SAWYER. I'M ALSO AN ECOLOGY STUDENT. I'M A JUNIOR THOUGH, SO I'M A BIT LONGER. AND I'M CASSIDY HINDS. I'M A SENIOR ECOLOGY STUDENT AND I GRADUATE IN DECEMBER. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. TO KICK US OFF, I WILL BE GUIDING US THROUGH OUR INTRODUCTION OF GARDEN RIDGE BOULEVARD, THE GARDEN RIDGE BOULEVARD STARTED WITH THE INTENTION OF EXPANDING CITY OF LOUISVILLE'S GREEN SPACES. IT IS HOST TO MANY NATIVE TEXAS WILDFLOWERS, WHICH AID IN POLLINATOR HABITAT THROUGHOUT NORTH TEXAS. AND JUST TO KIND OF OPEN THIS UP, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE PICTURES OF HOW FAR EXACTLY GARDEN RIDGE HAS COME OVER THE YEARS. AND WE'VE GOT A PICTURE FROM 2022 UP INTO 2025.AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GONE OUT THERE RECENTLY, BUT IT IS REALLY AWESOME TO SEE. THERE'S A LOT OF GROWTH AND IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL AND KICKING IT OFF. ALL RIGHT. SO I HEARD THAT WE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT WE'RE USING TO SPREAD SEED ON THE BOULEVARD. AND THE MACHINE IS CALLED A WOODS PRECISION SUPERSEDURE. AND THIS ENSURES THAT SEEDS CAN BE SPREAD EVENLY ACROSS THE BOULEVARD AND ENSURE REALLY GOOD GROWTH. IN CONTRAST TO THIS, LAST YEAR THEY SPENT ABOUT 14,000 ON SEEDS FOR GARDEN RIDGE BOULEVARD AND PREDICT SPENDING ABOUT 10,000. AND THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR, AND THEN 4000 THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THE BENEFIT OF THIS IS THAT THE 32,000 TO MOW THE ANCHORS, 19 ANCHORS USUALLY HAS DECREASED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO $4,800, SAVING THE CITY OF LEWISVILLE A TOTAL OF $27,000 OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. PERFECT. AND IN CONTRAST TO THAT, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE SAVING MONEY, YOU'RE ALSO REALLY DOING A GOOD DEED BY HELPING LOCAL BIODIVERSITY FOR INSECTS, PRAIRIE PLANTS HAVE A REALLY DEEP ROOT SYSTEM, AND THEY'RE REALLY GOOD FOR STORM WATER FLOODING, ABSORPTION, AS WELL AS CARBON SEQUESTRATION. AND IT'S JUST REALLY GOOD FOR LITTLE CRITTERS LIKE THIS. WE REALLY LOVE THEM AND WE WANT TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND PROTECT THEM. AND ALSO IN CONTRAST TO THAT, GREEN SPACES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
AFTER EXPERIENCING THE BOULEVARD AND BEING OUT THERE, IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL, AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE SPACES LIKE THIS. AND THERE'S KIND OF A MUTUALISTIC BENEFIT BETWEEN THE INSECTS INHABITING THE AREA AND THE CITIZENS OF LEWISVILLE. SO SOME GOALS THAT WE HAVE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, I KNOW WE REALLY WANT TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN WHAT THIS PROJECT IS. OUR IDEA THAT WE CAME UP WITH IS TO IMPLEMENT BUTTERFLY BENCHES ALONG THE TRAIL ON THE BOULEVARD. THIS WILL MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SIT AND ENJOY WHAT THE BOULEVARD HAS TO PROVIDE, AND IT'S JUST REALLY GOOD FOR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH AS WELL, BECAUSE USUALLY IF YOU SEE A BUTTERFLY BENCH WITH FLOWERS
[00:05:01]
BEHIND IT, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND SPREAD THE WORD. AND THE LAST THING THAT I'VE GOT FOR YOU GUYS IS A LOT OF THE SIGNS ON THE BOULEVARD SAY, NO MOW ZONE. WE'RE THINKING TO CHANGE IT TO LOW MOWN ZONES IN ORDER TO THIS KIND OF MAYBE CREATE AN EASE OF MIND FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW IT'S BEING MOWED ONCE A YEAR. THIS IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY, AND IT WOULD EDUCATE THEM. AND BECAUSE THEY'RE MOWED ONCE A YEAR IN JULY OR AUGUST, IT'S A GOOD WAY TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE BOULEVARD. AND I'M PASSING IT OFF TO ASHLEY. SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THIS IS. I'M SURE MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW, BUT IF ANYONE DOESN'T, IT IS IN LEWISVILLE, WHICH IS IN DENTON COUNTY, WHICH IS LIKE NORTH OF DFW. IT STRETCHES ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILES. THERE'S 19 PLOTS IN TOTAL AND ABOUT 19.5 ACRES. IT'S REALLY CLOSE TO MULTIPLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND PARKS.THE GARDEN RIDGE TRAIL RUNS RIGHT THROUGH IT. AND YEAH, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU GO BACK? WHAT IS SOLARIZATION SEASON? WHAT IS THAT? HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT? IT'S HOW WE SEEDED THE PLOT. SO THEY'RE BOTH SECOND SEED, EACH ONE SEEDED DIFFERENTLY. YES, YES. AND YOU'LL NOTICE THE ONES THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY GOING ARE THE THIRD YEAR SEEDING. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO BIODIVERSITY AND HOW WE COLLECTED THOSE OBSERVATIONS. WE USE THE APP INATURALIST. THIS QR CODE IS ACTUALLY LINKED TO THE CITY'S PAGE OF OUR OBSERVATIONS. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2021. OF RESIDENTS AND UNT STUDENTS OBSERVATIONS. AND YOU CAN JUST SEE HOW MUCH IT HAS SKYROCKETED IN THE AMOUNT OF TAXA. SO SINCE THERE IS SO MANY FLOWERS ON THE PLOTS, WE DECIDED TO CHOOSE FOUR OF OUR FAVORITES, WHICH ARE ALL ONE OF EACH OF THESE HAVE ONE OF OUR PRESSED FLOWERS DOWN HERE. SO I PICKED THE LEMON BEE BALM BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A REALLY PRETTY FLOWER. IT'S ACTUALLY BLOOMING RIGHT NOW AND IT'S GOING TO BE BLOOMING UNTIL OCTOBER. IT ACTUALLY WHEN IT'S NOT BLOOMING, IT ALSO HAS LEAVES THAT SMELL LIKE LEMON IF YOU RUB YOUR FINGERS ON IT. SO IT'S REALLY GOOD GROUND GROUND COVER FOR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND IT'S ALSO A HOST PLANT FOR THE SPICEBUSH SWALLOWTAIL. AWESOME. AND I CHOSE THE TALL POPPY MALLOW FLOWER. IT'S ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITES. I DO FLOWER PRESSING AND WHEN YOU PRESS IT, IT PRESSES WITH A REALLY VIBRANT, BEAUTIFUL PURPLE COLOR. THESE PLANTS ARE REALLY TALL AND HAVE A REALLY DEEP ROOT SYSTEM. THEY'RE REALLY GREAT FOR WATER ABSORPTION AND MOST OF ALL THEY BENEFIT POLLINATORS SUCH AS OUR NECTAR INSECTS, WHICH ARE BEETS. THEY'RE REALLY NICE. AND THEN I CHOSE THE TEXAS BLUEBONNET BECAUSE I LIKED HOW BLUE IT IS. AND I LIKE ITS FUZZY LEAVES, AND IT'S A LARVAL HOST TO THE HAIRSTREAK, ELEPHANT AND SULFUR BUTTERFLIES, WHICH IS COOL. AND THEN I CHOSE THE TEXAS YELLOW STAR THAT IS GOING TO BE THIS BEAUTIFUL YELLOW PLANT RIGHT HERE. I REALLY LOVE THE YELLOW. IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE COLORS AND IT'S AN ANNUAL IT BLOOMS MARCH THROUGH MAY. THE GENUS IS NAMED AFTER FERDINAND JACOB LINDHEIMER, THE FATHER OF TEXAS BOTANY AND THE FIRST RESIDENT PLANT COLLECTOR IN TEXAS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY NEAT AND IT IS EASILY CULTIVATED WITH SEED PROPAGATION, WHICH IS GREAT FOR OUR GARDEN RIDGE BOULEVARD MEDIAN. SO WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT ALL THESE NATIVE FLOWERS AND PLANTS? WELL, IT'S BECAUSE SO MANY OF OUR INSECTS RELY ON THEM. A LOT OF OUR INSECTS LAY THEIR EGGS AND THEY ONLY EAT OFF OF CERTAIN HOST PLANTS. AND WHY DO WE? WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT OUR INSECTS? WELL, BECAUSE 75% OF OUR INSECT BIOMASS HAS DECLINED THROUGHOUT THE DECADES, AND WE RELY ON POLLINATORS, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE WITHOUT OUR POLLINATORS. THEY'RE KEY FOR US. ALSO DRAGONFLIES. THEY ARE ACTUAL NATURAL PEST CONTROLS. THEY EAT OUR MOSQUITOES. SO ALL RIGHT. AND THEN IT'S ALSO BENEFICIAL FOR OUR BIRDS. THEY ARE OUR BIRDS. MAIN RESOURCE FOR NUTRIENTS. THEY'RE PACKED WITH HIGH PROTEIN AND BIRDS WITH YOUNGLINGS MAINLY FEED THEM SOFT BODIED INSECTS LIKE CATERPILLARS. SO THEY DON'T CHOKE. SO AND LIKE KESTRELS, 74% OF THEIR DIET IS INSECT. AND CASSIDY ACTUALLY WORKED WITH THE UNT PROJECT WITH THE PROJECT. AND SHE'LL PROBABLY TELL YOU MORE THAN I CAN. YEAH. SO UNT IS STUDYING RIGHT NOW. THE DECLINE IN KESTREL POPULATIONS. AND IT'S REALLY COOL BECAUSE THE KESTRELS ACTUALLY ARE RESIDENT ON THE GARDEN RIDGE BOULEVARD, WHICH IS RARE. USUALLY, KESTRELS MIGRATE NORTH FOR THE SUMMER TO FIND A BREEDING RESIDENT PAIR IN A HABITAT. IT INDICATES THAT IT'S A REALLY STRONG AND SUCCESSFUL HABITAT. AND THEN ASPEN'S GOING
[00:10:01]
TO TALK ABOUT OUR PLAN ASSESSMENT. OKAY. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. SO FIRST WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR SECOND YEAR PLANT ASSESSMENTS. WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT PLOTS EIGHT, 915 AND 16. AND IT IS GOING TO ALL HAVE A LITTLE STAR DESIGNATED NEXT TO IT. SO YOU KNOW WHICH CLAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. FIRST I'M GOING TO COVER THE TEN MOST ABUNDANT PLANT SPECIES THAT WE FOUND AT THE SECOND YEAR PLOTS. WE HAD A VERY HIGH ABUNDANCE OF FIELD MATTER, WHICH IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES. HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THAT POLLINATORS REALLY LIKE FIELD MATTER BECAUSE THEY HAVE LONGER BLOOM TIMES THAN A LOT OF NATIVE PLANTS, SO THEY'LL USE THEM YEAR ROUND EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE INVASIVE. AND THEY ARE ALSO SUCH A SMALL PLANT THAT IT'S VERY HARD TO MITIGATE THEM. AND THEY'RE JUST KIND OF EVERYWHERE. AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO ALSO HAVE SOME COMMON HEDGE PARSLEY AND CARROT FAMILY. BOTH OF THESE ARE INVASIVE SPECIES. HOWEVER, FOR THE CARROT FAMILY THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO BE USED BY THE MESH WEAVERS FOR OVERWINTERING. THEY USE THE SEED HEADS TO SPIN THEIR WEBS, SO EVEN THOUGH IT IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES, IT IS STILL GOOD FOR OUR BIODIVERSITY AND MESH WEAVERS. THEN WE ARE GOING TO HAVE LEMON BALM, WHICH IS A NATIVE SPECIES RESCUE BROME, WHICH IS INVASIVE, AND THEN AN EVENING PRIMROSE WHICH IS GOING TO BE NATIVE. HOWEVER, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE AMOUNT OF NATIVE SPECIES ON THIS PLANT LIST. SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FIREWHEEL, BUFFALO GRASSES, TEXAS BLUEBONNET, PINK LADY'S, TEXAS YELLOW STAR, TEXAS WINTERGRASS, DAKOTA MOCK, VERVAIN PRIMROSE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AMERICAN BASKET FLOWERS, TALL POPPY MALLOWS, STANDING CYPRESS, WINECUP MALLOW, BLANKET FLOWERS AND SENSITIVE PLANTS. SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF NATIVE PLANTS ON THIS PLOT IS A FIREWHEEL THE ONE I GUESS IS LIKE KIND OF REDDISH ORANGE IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE YELLOW SIDE. YEAH. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT, I GUESS I HAD TO DO STUFF MYSELF. NEXT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR SOLARIZATION PLOT. THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOLARIZATION PLOTS AND THEN THE NON SOLARIZED PLOTS. SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO ON THE SOLARIZATION PLOTS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE MAIN PLOTS. IS THAT THE MAIN PLOTS, BEFORE THEY LAY DOWN SEED, THEY ARE GOING TO MOW IT THE SHORTEST THAT THEY CAN MOW IT BEFORE SEEDING, WHEREAS SOLARIZATION THEY'RE GOING TO LAY TARPS DOWN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO KILL ALL THE GRASSES, INVASIVE SPECIES THAT ARE UNDER IT. SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP 17 IS DESIGNATED WITH A LITTLE SIGN NEXT TO IT. SO WE CAN SEE THAT PLOT EASILY. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR PLANT LIST RIGHT HERE. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY HIGH ABUNDANCE OF FIREWHEEL WHICH IS A NATIVE SPECIES. SO THAT'S GREAT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FIELD MATTER. RYE GRASSES, BOTH ARE INVASIVE SPECIES. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CARROT FAMILY AND BLANKET FLOWERS. BLANKET FLOWERS IS GOING TO BE NATIVE. AND THEN ON THIS LIST WE ALSO HAVE TEXAS WINTERGRASS EVENING PRIMROSE LEMON BEEBALM TALL POPPY MALLOW, WINECUP MALLOW, ENGELMANN DAISIES, THE TEXAS BLUEBONNETS, AND THE AMERICAN FLOWERS. SO AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY HIGH POPULATION OF NATIVE SPECIES. IS THERE A REASON TO DO THE SOLARIZATION THERE AND NOT EVERYWHERE? IS IT EXPERIMENT? IS IT? IT WAS EXPERIMENT. I THINK WE DID TWO ONE. WE JUST DID THAT ONE. OKAY. YES. AND IT WAS ABOUT IT WAS A LITTLE OVER $5,500 TO DO JUST A HALF ACRE. OKAY. IT WORKS, BUT IT'S NOT FOR THAT SCALE. OKAY. YES. AND THEN FINALLY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR THIRD YEAR PLAN ASSESSMENTS, WHICH ARE GOING TO BE PLOTS FIVE AND SIX. SO AGAIN WE HAD A VERY HIGH ABUNDANCE OF FIREWHEEL AND A HIGH ABUNDANCE OF FIELD MATTER AND CARROT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE I'VE TALKED ABOUT CARROT A LOT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT BARN OWL RIDGE OVER AT LEILA, WHICH IS A GREAT PRAIRIE HABITAT, ALSO HAS A HIGH ABUNDANCE OF CARROT AND FIELD MATTER AND THAT THE COMPOSITION LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE. CARROT IS JUST KIND OF EVERYWHERE. SO AGAIN, LET'S HIGHLIGHT SOME NATIVE SPECIES WE HAVE. WE HAVE TEXAS WINTERGRASS EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY LEMON BEEBALM, WINE CUP MALLOW, ENGELMANN DAISY, AMERICAN PLASKETT FLOWERS, AND STIFF FREE THREADS. SO AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF NATIVE SPECIES ON THIS LIST.OKAY. AND I'M GOING TO PASS THIS ON TO CASSIDY WHO'S GOING TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT PUBLIC OUTREACH. OKAY. SO I WENT THROUGH THE FACEBOOK PAGES AND I WENT THROUGH ALL THE COMMENTS AND FOUND THE TOP THREE COMPLAINTS, WHICH ARE THAT CITIZENS FEEL THAT THERE'S A DOUBLE STANDARD BETWEEN THE CITY BEING ABLE TO HAVE LIKE A WILD ZONE AND THE RESIDENTS NOT BEING ABLE TO, AND BEING FINED IN ORDER TO DO THAT. AND THEN THE DENSE GROWTH RAISES PEST CONCERNS. THEY THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO ATTRACT LIKE SNAKES AND RATS, AND THAT THEY ARE PRETTY IN THE SPRING AND THE SUMMER WHEN THEY'RE BLOOMING. BUT THEN ANY OTHER TIME THEY JUST LOOK LIKE DEAD WEEDS. AND THEY SAY THAT THE CITY MAKES TOO MUCH MONEY TO LOOK DEAD LIKE THAT.
[00:15:05]
THAT ONE ALWAYS CRACKS ME UP, BECAUSE THAT'S THE SAME PEOPLE WHO COMPLAIN THAT WE OVERSPEND.YEAH, WELL, HOW DO YOU SAVE MONEY? I CAN'T MAKE HEADS OR TAILS OF THAT COMMENT, BUT YEAH, ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS I HAD FOR THESE PROBLEMS IS TO PUT MORE EDUCATIONAL SIGNS OUT. SO RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE THE BIG NO NO GROW ZONE SIGNS. WE WANTED TO TRANSITION THAT TO THE LOMO GROW ZONE SIGNS. SO IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER THEY WOULD BE THE SAME LOMO GROW GROW ZONE. BUT IN THE FALL, INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING NO SIGNS, YOU COULD HAVE ONES THAT SAY LOMO GROW ZONE AND THEN WE MIGHT LOOK DEAD, BUT WE'RE DROPPING OUR SEEDS TO PREPARE FOR SPRING AND THEN IN THE WINTER, A LOMO GROW ZONE. AND THEN THEY'LL SAY, LIKE, WE'RE SLEEPING, BUT WE'LL BE BACK IN THE SPRING. AND THEN SOME OTHER GENERALIZED PUBLIC OUTREACH IDEAS THAT WE CAME UP WITH WERE NATIVE AND WILD NATIVE WILDFLOWER AND GRASS SEED PACKETS. MOST PEOPLE HAVE A PACKET ON THEIR DESK AS LIKE A LITTLE GOODIE BAG THING AND SOME STICKERS. WE CAME UP WITH TWO DESIGNS SUPPORT LEWISVILLE WILDLIFE LOMO GROW ZONES AND MAKE TEXAS NATIVE AGAIN A FUNNY PLAY ON WORDS. AND NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST, AND A NATIVE TEXAS PLANT COLORING BOOK. I DIDN'T BRING THE COLORING BOOK WITH ME, BUT IT IS LINKED ON OUR REPORT AND ON OUR LINKTREE. AND THERE WOULD BE A ONEDRIVE. YES. YEAH. AND THEN FOR THE PUBLIC OUTREACH, WE ALSO CAME UP WITH A INSECT PINNING BOX THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE COOL IN LIKE A LIBRARY OR A REC CENTER OR ANY KIND OF PUBLIC EDUCATION EVENTS. ELLIE IS GOING TO OPEN IT. THERE'S A MOTH BALL IN THERE BECAUSE IT KEEPS THEM PRESERVED. THE SMELL ISN'T TOO STRONG, SO I'VE KEPT IT CLOSE THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION, BUT YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT SPECIES INHABITING THE AREA, AND WE WENT AHEAD AND PINNED THEM AND PUT THE NAME AND THE SCIENTIFIC NAME UNDERNEATH THEM. THAT WAY, STUDENTS AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OR IF YOU PUT IT IN THE REC CENTER, THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT EXACTLY IS LIVING INSIDE THE BOULEVARD. YEAH, WE GOT SOME OF OUR PLANTS UP HERE TOO. SPECIAL DAY. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME PRESSED FLOWERS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DONATE TO LEWISVILLE, AND ALSO WITH THE INSECT BOXES TO BE DISPLAYED WHEREVER Y'ALL SEE FIT. AND OUR FINAL THOUGHTS ARE TO KEEP GOING, KEEP EXPANDING. YOUR TRAILBLAZERS AND PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING YOU THEN AND CORINNE, TO NOW HAVE LOMO ZONES IN THEIR OWN CITIES. AND THEY WERE INSPIRED BY THE PROJECT LEWISVILLE IS DOING. SO THAT'S REALLY COOL. AND IT JUST TAKES ONE LIKE CITY TO MAKE EVERYONE KIND OF CHANGE THEIR THE CULTURE AROUND NATIVE PLANTS AND TURFGRASSES, WHICH IS REALLY COOL. AND WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT. SO. SO MY SON GOES TO SCHOOL AT VALLEY RIDGE ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS JUST RIGHT THERE WHERE WE'RE IN THE THIRD YEAR. SO I FEEL LIKE I'VE KIND OF GOTTEN A FRONT ROW SEAT TO WATCHING ALL OF THIS HAPPEN, AND IT IS JUST GORGEOUS. I LOOK FORWARD TO GO GETTING HIM FROM SCHOOL EVERY DAY BECAUSE I GET TO GO LOOK AT THE FLOWERS AND I WHENEVER I DRIVE THROUGH THERE. I'M PROUD. I'M PROUD OF OUR CITY AND I AND I'LL ALSO SAY THAT I'M NOT ALONE. I KNOW IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, WE DID GET A LOT OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK ON ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT HONESTLY, THIS YEAR I'VE REALLY NOT SEEN ANY. EVERYBODY'S KIND OF CHANGING THEIR TUNE. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE MORE AND MORE THE PROGRAM GETS ESTABLISHED AND PEOPLE ARE JUST LIKE ME SEEING THE FLOWERS AND GOING, THIS IS GORGEOUS, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL, THAT WE ALSO HAD SOME WARRIORS ONLINE THAT WERE WERE FIGHTING THAT BATTLE FOR US AND TALKING ABOUT ALL THE BENEFITS OF IT AS WELL. SO I FEEL LIKE THE TIDE IS CHANGING. AND I ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION ABOUT ALL OF THE EFFORT AND WORK THAT WENT INTO GETTING IT TO LOOK THE WAY IT IS, BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST LIKE WE STOPPED MOWING AND THEN THIS IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT INTO IT, WHICH IS WHY I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THE WHEN PEOPLE START SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ARE JUST LETTING IT GO. AND THIS IS, THIS LOOKS TERRIBLE. I'M LIKE, WELL, THERE'S JUST IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE BEING LAZY. WE'RE PUTTING A LOT
[00:20:03]
OF EFFORT INTO IT AND IT'S PAYING OFF. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WANT TO JUMP IN ON THAT AS WELL BECAUSE THIS IS I, I'M PRETTY ACTIVE ON FACEBOOK, RIGHT? I POST FAIRLY FREQUENTLY OUT THERE. THIS POST I DID WITH ME AND MY WIFE GOING OUT AND WALKING ALONG GARDEN RIDGE. THAT GOT BY FAR THE MOST ATTENTION OF ANYTHING I POSTED OUT THERE.MORE THAN, MORE THAN, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE I POSTED OUT THERE. WHAT'S THAT? YEAH, FIVE SIX COMMENTS I WISH, YOU KNOW I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING. I GOT SEVEN, I GOT 55 COMMENTS OF 407 LIKES AND HEARTS. NO, NO DOUBT. THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN. BUT SOME OF THE SOME OF THE COMMENTS IN HERE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THOSE SEEDS. WE LIVE IN THE AREA AND LOVE SEEING THIS EVERY DAY. I WAS SMILING THE WHOLE RIDE OF GARDEN RIDGE. I JUST COMMENTED ON HOW BEAUTIFUL ALL THE BUTTERCUPS ARE ALONG. I DON'T THINK THE BUTTERCUPS, BUT HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE. I LOVE DRIVING BY THIS. SO THE THERE ARE A FEW NEGATIVE, BUT THIS IS A TOUGH PAGE. THIS PAGE IS VERY TYPICAL. IT CAN BE NEGATIVE, THE TIDE IS TURNING. BUT I WOULD SAY LIKE WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH LIKE 95% OF THEM WERE POSITIVE AND I HAD TO LIKE REALLY SEARCH TO FIND THE NEGATIVE ONES. YEAH, THEY HAVE RESPONSES BEING LIKE, YEAH, THERE'S LIKE PEOPLE HIDING UNDERNEATH THE NEGATIVE ONES TOO. LIKE SOMEBODY WAS CALLED A DEBBIE DOWNER IN HERE, WHICH I.
YEAH THAT'S RIGHT. ANYWAY, IT LOOKS FANTASTIC. AND I'M A BELIEVER NOW. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS THAT YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT IT, THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT THE RESPONSE SHOULD BE? I THINK THE COMPLAINTS I GOT, AND THIS WAS LAST YEAR, I THINK I TOLD THEM WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING THAT HERRING WAS SOME GUY CAME UP AND SAID, WHAT ABOUT ALL THESE WEEDS? AND THE WEEDS ARE GERMINATING IN MY BACKYARD NOW? SO I REMEMBER THAT POST OR I SAW A POST LIKE THAT. YEAH, PROBABLY THE SAME GUY, BUT THEY WERE AFRAID GETTING WEEDS IN THEIR YARD. HAVE WE DONE ANY VIDEOS ON LIKE BECAUSE I REMEMBER LIKE I REMEMBER LOOKING AT GARDEN RIDGE AND SEEING THE PLASTIC BAGS AND EVERYTHING, THAT THAT WAS BECAUSE WE HAD TO DO THE KILL TO GET EVERYTHING DOWN, BUT JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH A TIMELINE AND KIND OF EXPRESSING SOME OF THESE THINGS ON HERE FOR FOLKS, BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL HELP OUR NEIGHBORS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT IT, SO THEY CAN HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH, BUT CONTINUE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE, BECAUSE AS MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE ON ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE MAY BE SOME WHO ARE STILL HAVING OR VISITING MAY HAVE A QUESTION.
AND THEY CAN SEE ON OUR EITHER ON YOUTUBE OR THE CHANNEL THAT NOW WORKS ON SPECTRUM, THEY CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHY WE'RE DOING IT, AND THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND IT. I HAVE SOMEONE VERY CLOSE TO ME THAT WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THEM, AND I HAD TO TELL THEM, LIKE, LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU LOOK AT LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF EROSION IN SOME AREAS AND YOU KNOW, THIS STOPS THAT. I'M LIKE LIKE THE JUST THE PICTURE OF, OF THE GRASS AND THE NATIVES AND HOW DEEP THEY GO TO PLAY, LIKE RIGHT THERE. IT SHOULD HELP SOME PEOPLE UNDERSTAND LIKE THIS. THIS IS IMPACTFUL AND HELPFUL AND IT'S HEALTHY FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT. WE'VE DEFINITELY DONE SOME VIDEOS. I DON'T YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT? YEAH, WE'VE DONE SOME VIDEOS. AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER IN A PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, A GROUP PUT TOGETHER KIND OF LIKE SOMETHING THAT LIVES ON OUR WEBSITE, THAT KIND OF HAS SOME STUFF THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT VIDEOS THAT MIGHT WE HAVEN'T DONE, BUT OTHER, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITIES ARE ARE UNIVERSITY.
THE UNIVERSITY HAS DONE. BUT WE ALSO DID A CHRIS CHASTAIN, OUR PRESERVING GREENBELT MANAGER, LAST FRIDAY WALKED GARDEN RIDGE AND DID A LITTLE LIKE SHOW AND TELL AND, YOU KNOW, LETTING PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT. AND I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO MAKE THAT KIND OF LIKE A REGULAR CADENCE. I REALLY LIKE SOME OF THE IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, CHANGE THE SIGNS OUT THERE A LITTLE BIT SO THAT THEY DON'T JUST BECOME NOISE AND IT CHANGES A LITTLE BIT, AND WE MIGHT EVEN CHANGE THE BACKGROUND COLOR SO THAT IT REALLY TRIGGERS YOU TO LOOK AT IT. SO WE'RE WE'RE HEADING THAT WAY AND POPULATING MORE AND MORE. ONE OTHER QUICK QUESTION. I'M LIKE, I NOTICED PEOPLE WERE TAKING TAKING PICTURES LIKE THE BLUEBONNET PICTURES. MAYBE WE CAN HAVE LIKE A LITTLE SELFIE AREA WHERE THEY CAN KIND OF GET WHERE THEY'RE NOT SITTING ON ON THE PLANTS, BUT THEY CAN HAVE A LITTLE CARVE OUT VERY SMALL SO THEY CAN GET BEHIND IT AND GET A NICE PICTURE. SO IF YOU'VE GONE OUT THERE RECENTLY, WE JUST PUT UP SOME INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE OUT THERE THAT WAS INSPIRED BY THE LAST PRESENTATION. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IS A PLACE THAT YOU CAN SET YOUR CELL PHONE AND TAKE A PICTURE AND, AND THEN UPLOAD IT TO A SITE THAT. SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR YOU CAN SEE IT CHANGING FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S PHONES. AND THEN OVER THEN WE'LL HAVE A REPOSITORY OF OVER THE YEARS HOW MUCH IT'S DEVELOPED AND CHANGED, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING FROM THE EXACT SAME PLACE. AND Y'ALL CAN START LIKE A HASHTAG OR SOMETHING. SO YOU GUYS CAN REPOST IT ON YOUR INSTAGRAM STORIES AND STUFF. YEAH. PRETTY COOL. WHERE IS THAT LOCATED? ON THE GARDEN RIDGE. IT'S LIKE WHERE THE TRAIL, I THINK. I BELIEVE IT'S WHERE THE TRAIL SIGN IS, RIGHT? YEAH. SO WHERE WHERE IS THAT? DOWN NEAR THE WOODS WHERE IT CROSSES. AND
[00:25:05]
THERE'S ONE. THERE IS ONE. SIGN UP NEAR WHERE YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH, CLOSE TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. OKAY. I THINK I THINK THE PHOTOS ARE A REALLY GREAT IDEA BECAUSE IT YOU HAVE A SLIDE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW IT, BUT THERE WAS A SLIDE OF IT JUST AS MOWED GRASS. AND THEN THERE'S THE SLIDE OF IT AS IT IS TODAY. IT'S I, I THINK BACK TO THE PHOTOS OF OLD TOWN LEWISVILLE IN 2003, 2004 AND NOW WHAT IT IS TODAY. AND PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT USED TO BE. AND THEY'RE LIKE, I, I HAVE NOSTALGIA FOR THE THING ON THE LEFT. YEAH. NO, NO, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T I NEED I NEED THAT, I NEED TO SHOW THAT PICTURE TO MY WIFE. YEAH. SURE. SO YOU GOT A DAUGHTER TOO? I, WE HAD NO PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH THERE. WE HAD NO ACTIVITY GOING THROUGH THERE. I KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAR FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I DO THE WOODS TRAIL NOW, YOU KNOW. NOW WE HAVE A LOVELY TRAIL THROUGH THERE. WE HAVE ALL OF THIS VISUAL. IT'S JUST IT'S JUST. AND PEOPLE ARE USING IT. I'M OUT THERE ALL THE TIME AND PEOPLE ARE USING IT. SO IT'S A IT'S A GREAT THING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. AND WE REALLY YOU'RE GIVING US THE DATA TO, TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT SIT AT THESE TABLES IN OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS. AND IT'S EASIER IF WE HAVE DATA AS OPPOSED TO A FEELING. I'M SORRY, BUT IT'S TOUGH TO DO PUBLIC POLICY BASED ON YOUR FEELINGS. YEAH, WELL, WE WON'T GO INTO THAT. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT PIECE OF IT WE HAD. I WAS WITH DOCTOR SLY LAST NIGHT TALKING TO THE TEXAS MASTER NATURALISTS. AND YOU, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING IS INSPIRING FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN MASTER NATURALISTS. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY THINK THEY ALREADY ARE PRETTY INSPIRED, RIGHT? THEY. BUT I'M GETTING EMAILS AND CALLS ALL DAY TODAY FROM FOLKS THAT WERE THERE LAST NIGHT SAYING, HEY, THIS WAS GREAT, I NEED THIS, I NEED THAT. YOU'VE INSPIRED ME TO GO BACK TO IT. WE HAD CARROLLTON AND FARMERS BRANCH, THEIR MAYOR AND THEIR DIRECTOR OF THEIR PARKS BOARD CHAIR THAT WERE THERE LAST NIGHT. SO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOU GUYS ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PLANTING SEEDS AND THEN YOU'RE MOVING ON, YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING REALLY AMAZING FOR MY COMMUNITY. AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPACTING NORTH TEXAS. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT PAT THOMPSON TOO, BECAUSE THERE ARE CITIES LIKE FORT WORTH AND DENTON AND YOU KNOW, CORINTH HAVE BEEN ASKING WHAT EXACTLY Y'ALL DID. AND I HAVE TO ASK PAT. OKAY, GIVE IT GIVE ME THE PROTOCOL. LIKE RIGHT HERE WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW. AND SO PAT HIMSELF IS REALLY LEADING THE WAY IN UNDERSTANDING HOW MUNICIPALITIES CAN DO THIS VERY EFFECTIVELY WITH COST SAVINGS. AND THEN NOT ONLY THAT, PAT IS ALSO HELPING YOU IN TO PERHAPS START SOME FIRE TRAINING AT UNT. SO I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH THE STUDENTS THIS SEMESTER AND SHOWING THEM WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK WITH A PROFESSIONAL RIGHT BEFORE THEY GRADUATE. WE'VE GOT BRAND NEW SHINY ECOLOGY MAJORS, AND THEY FLEW VERY WELL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. THANK YOU ALL. I GET AS MUCH OUT OF YOU TODAY. STAFF IS STAFF HAS TAKEN IT AND RUN WITH IT. SO IT'S A GREAT STEWARDSHIP. WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS COMMENTS, CONCERNS. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? THANK YOU THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THE ECOLOGICAL ACTION STUDIO IS A CLASS THAT I'M NOW TEACHING EVERY SPRING. AND SO WE CAN DO THIS AGAIN. OR I CAN HAVE THE INSECT CLASS AND DO A BIOBLITZ THAT MIGHT EVEN BE MORE APPROPRIATE IN THE FALL, WHERE WE CAN DO BOTH. SO WE CAN JUST KEEP ON ASSESSING THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DOING WELL. WE LOVE THE PARTNERSHIP. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATIVE OF UNT AND ASSESSING THE RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY. KEEP IT GOING. LET ME KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP. WE WANT MORE OF THESE. YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION HAND BACK THERE. I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO DOES DOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE ACCESS TO LIKE THIS, A GROUP OF STUDENTS TO COME OUT AND ASSESS? OH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.YES, ABSOLUTELY. 100%. SO WE HAD A GROUP AT UNT CALLED THE SOCIETY FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, AND IT'S THE LARGEST CHAPTER IN THE WORLD AT UNT. AND WE'VE DONE THIS SEVERAL WAYS WHERE EITHER IT CAN JUST BE A VOLUNTEER GROUP. WE ALSO HAVE A DONATION PAGE WHERE WE HAVE HAD A COMMUNITY MEMBERS GIVE A DONATION. THE STUDENTS GO AND ASSESS THE YARD, HAVE A LOOK AT IT, EVEN HELP PICK OUT THE PLANTS, HELP THEM INSTALL IT, AND THEN THE HOMEOWNER GIVES A DONATION TO LIKE THE POLLINATOR PRAIRIE OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN USE BACK TO SEND THEM TO CONFERENCES. AND I'M TALKING MORE. I'M IN A GATED COMMUNITY, AND IT'S A BIG PARK WITH A LAKE
[00:30:05]
AND JUST WE GOT EROSION AND ALL THAT INFORMATION AND STUFF TOO. SO IT WOULD BE ON A BIGGER SCALE, MORE THAN JUST A HOME. BUT YEAH. AND THEN IF IT CREEPS UP TOO MUCH, I MEAN, THIS PROJECT FOR THE INTERNS FOR NINE MONTHS, PLUS ME JUST HELPING WAS YOU DID WHAT? STACY 25, WAS IT 25 OR 30 GRAND? SO IF IT WAS SOMETHING VERY LARGE AND WE NEEDED TO REALLY PAY STUDENTS TO DO IT, WHICH IS WHAT I PREFER TO DO, YOU KNOW, THEMSELVES, THEN WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT TOO.BUT THERE'S ALSO WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH TEXAS MASTER NATURALISTS. THERE'S DIY TYPES OF OPTIONS. I MEAN, WHEN YOU FROM THE CITY PERSPECTIVE, WHEN YOU PUT THAT AS A AS A PRIVATE PROPERTY, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES THERE. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T YOU CAN'T TAP INTO CITY STAFF AND GET EDUCATION AND INFORMATION THAT CAN HELP YOU DEAL WITH IT AS PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY. GO OUT THERE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! YAY! WHO WOULD LIKE THIS? SHANTE ACADIA? YOU SAID WHAT? WHAT ARE OUR STAFF MEMBERS? SHE LOVES THE OUTDOORS. SHE'S A BIG FAN OF INSECTS. I CAN LEAVE IT ON HER. THIS IS GOING TO BE TERRIBLE. DOES ANYONE WANT TO LOOK CLOSER AT. YEAH, WE WOULD LOVE TO, IF YOU DON'T MIND THE SMELL, I DON'T MIND. OKAY. IT'S NOT THAT BAD. IT'S. YEAH. IT'S HOMEMADE. DO YOU WANT TO PASS THIS AROUND TO CHANTAL? DON'T TELL HER WHAT'S IN THERE. JUST. I SAW MY FIRST. I SAW MY FIRST POPPY MALLOW. AWESOME. IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
SO I TOOK A PICTURE OF IT AS I WAS DRIVING BY. I'M LIKE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS IS FOR. YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT? YEAH. ONE DAY OR YESTERDAY. OKAY. I THINK AT THIS POINT WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN. SO WHAT TIME IS IT? WE ARE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.