Starting a new biosurvey project
Since the destruction and development of my beloved Clocktower Field, I've been looking for a new location that Everest (my dog) and I can explore and document. We have another spot that we've been documenting, but as luck would have it, the city has started some utility improvements so our access is limited for now.
Necessity is the mother of invention...
So I reached out to the city Parks Department Manager and picked his brain. He suggested a location in the northern part of the city (where I rarely go). This tiny neighborhood park, Overton Ridge Park, is being expanded to include 11 acres of natural area, he told me. The cool thing is that it used to be the homesite of Dale Hansen (over 10 years ago) so I went to check it out. It's really great looking! Lots of oaks and hickories. Hilly. Only a small section of the old homesite has buildings. Great opportunity for interpretive walks once it's done. Unfortunately, the only surface water on the property is a dried up drainage creek. No consistent water, yet. There are intentions of adding features to keep water on the property to attract birds, etc.
I'm excited to have a beautiful place to explore again. Hopefully the city will use the data I collect to help with keeping the native flora and fauna as intact as possible. And I would LOVE to see other iNatters come visit the location, too!