THE NATURAL AREAS
(en Español, tambien)
News & Articles
Young Birders Club
Friderich Wilderness Park
21395 Milsa
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Do you like to look at, listen to and learn about birds?
Are you between the ages of 9 and 14?
That makes you a Young Birder.
Improve your birding and leadership skills along with others your age by attending a beginning birders’ program
September 11, October 9 & November 13.
Bring binoculars if you have them.
(You must attend the September 11 session to be eligible to attend the October and November sessions!)
Pass it On
The most precious treasure we possess is the lifetime of knowledge stored in our memory bank. The most precious treasure the world possesses is the potential in the life of a child. The greatest resource to sustain the environmental movement is the knowledge gained from lives lived close to the land. The most effective tool for growing a child with a consuming desire to nurture the environment is the passing of that knowledge to them.
At a recent Explore program in the Natural Areas, an Education Volunteer guided the hands of a young class participant in the grinding of a batch of cochineal insects. The ground insects would be dissolved in water to produce a dye for yarn that would be wound into a model of a coral snake. The insects ground by someone else colored the strawberry banana juice we drank that day. The students will not soon forget ‘bug juice’. They will remember that the white fuzzy stuff on cactus is the protection around those cochineal insects.
One connection to the natural world that will help grow a child who will enjoy, appreciate and care for that world. One volunteer who shared his knowledge and ‘passed it on’.
Got Rocks?
Yes we do! Our Natural Area Parks & the Hill Country have very interesting geology with an important relationship with our water source, the Edwards Aquifer. Dr. George Veni provides information on our geology in the series, "Geology of Friedrich Park".
OUR MISSION:
1) Preserve and manage San Antonio’s Natural Areas to protect natural ecosystems,
2) Promote inclusive and transformative relationships between people and natural systems. |
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EVENTS & EDUCATION
August 25
Friends of Friedrich
Nature Discovery Series
Friedrich Wilderness Park
21395 Milsa
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Karst Critters - Wednesday, August 25
Dr. Andy Gluesenkamp, herpetologist - Nongame & Rare Species, Texas Parks &Wildlife Department.
Andy specializes in the rare & unique animals that live in the limestone caves in this part of the Hill Country. He received his Ph.D. from U.T. Austin & has taught at Texas State University. He is an active contributor to herpetology societies & speleological societies. He is a member of the Biological Advisory Team for the Southern Edwards Plateau-Hill Country Plan.
September 11, 2010
Native Plants of the
South Tx Brushlands
Medina River Natural Area
15890 Hwy 16 South
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Hike with author and local botanist Patty Leslie Pasztor and learn about edible and native plant uses.
For more info, see September Programs.
September 11, 2010
Animal Tracking
Eisenhower Park
19399 NW Military Hwy
10:00 am - noon
Richard Heilbrun, Wildlife biologist
for Texas Parks & Wildlife presents this program on identifying and tracking animals at the Eisenhower Park Mass Pavilion. For more info, seeSeptember Programs.
Teacher Resources Link
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FLORA & FAUNA
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After the completion of the renovation of the Friedrich Wilderness Park offices, the challenge/opportunity of building a landscape using only plants native to north Bexar County became our next focus. Part of that challenge is that although there are many beautiful native plants, they are not all available commercially. 
We wanted a native look that was pleasing but not contrived, and wildlife friendly. We wanted plenty of nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies and seeds and berries for birds. Butterflies visit the zexmenia, Texas lantana, cenizo, damianita, mistflowers, gayfeather, ironweed, Mexican plum, redbud, mountain laurel, and rock rose. Hummingbirds are attracted to the turk’s cap, cedar sage, red yucca, autumn sage, rock rose, desert willow, and trumpet vine. Goldfinch dine on the seeds from the zexmenia and the annual sunflowers that volunteered in the landscape. Fruits from the Mexican plum ripen mid-summer to fall and the berries from the possumhaw will provide food in the future when it matures.
The bold and the beautiful provide texture and structure to the landscape. Plants such as sotol, beargrass, red yucca, threadleaf yucca, and twistleaf yucca provide a bold texture and structure to the landscape, and bring interest to the garden during the winter months. Lindheimer’s Muhly adds softness and movement to the garden. I also love the bold blue-green leaves of the buffalo gourd against the palmate leaves of the Virginia creeper. 
As the Natural Areas are part of the aquifer protection lands, we wanted to have water represented in the landscape. Headwaters and a natural dry creekbed were included in the design. A pathway going over the streambed was made to look like an old stone path that had washed out in a flood but still functioned as a path. “Density” buffalograss was used between the beds. We used flagstones matching the patio to create paths.
Today, a beautiful landscape leads visitors to our office and education classroom, cools and softens the hard light from patios, incorporates drainage issues, nurtures wildlife, and mimics the wilderness park.
Janis Merritt - COSA Native Plant Specialist.
Mountain Lion (also known as puma, cougar and by other names) is a native animal of Bexar County. They have always been here and continue to survive in reduced numbers. As our communities expand and wild areas become more rare, these large cats are being forced into areas they would not normally inhabit.
The Natural Areas are nature preserves. Our goal is to preserve the natural landscape and its native flora and fauna, including mountain lions. However, human safety comes first. For your protection we are providing this information.
Please review the Texas Parks and Wildlife's
"Mountain Lions in Texas" for more information and the best reaction for you if you have the rare occurrence of a meeting with this animal.
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