保持野性.
We 所有 play a part in preserving this fragile ecosystem – from the plants and animals that c所有 it home to the visitors who enjoy the untamed forests and natural trails.
健康的水, 土壤, 空气, and plant life are critical in keeping this habitat healthy for 所有 species, including the rare and endangered plants and animals found here. 没有你的帮助，我们做不到!
你能做什么?? 实践 The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace, 遵守保存规则, 沿着有标记的小路走, and consider joining our team as a stewardship volunteer. 电子邮件我们 了解更多 about current opportunities.
It’s also helpful to understand the difference between a park and a preserve. While the primary goal of parks is providing recreational opportunities, preserves are focused on natural resource and ecosystem protection.
Wild Basin staff seeks to to preserve the land in its natural state, increase knowledge about preserve protection through education and research, and increase appreciation through light usage of its trails for hiking.
鼓舞人心的大图景.
Did you know that Wild Basin is part of and serves as a gateway to the magnificent and much larger 峡谷地保护区 (BCP)? The BCP is one of the nation’s largest urban preserves, 覆盖超过32个,000英亩——大约50平方英里. The BCP is dedicated to the protection of endangered species, including the golden-cheeked warbler. It was created to make up for other habitat that was lost, so it can never be developed and will continue to be managed as a preserve in perpetuity.
Land stewardship at Wild Basin is overseen by Travis County Natural Resources to ensure protection of endangered and rare species covered by the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan.
管理 of Our Land, Water, and Skies
想想看. Plant and animal species that are native to an area have co-evolved over centuries -- which means they support each other very well. 例如, a native tree might provide food and shelter for hundreds of species, while a tree that is non-native/invasive might support only a few. Another important benefit is that, unlike invasives, native plants provide food and shelter for 所有 有机体的生命阶段.g.(从毛毛虫到蝴蝶).
Non-native invasive plants spread quickly, choking out native plants that support our local wildlife. Some are even dangerous to wildlife, 像天上的竹子, whose berries contain cyanide and are poisonous to birds and other animals. 因此, areas with more non-native/invasive plant species have fewer species of birds, 传粉者, 和其他野生动物.
That's why we monitor for invasive species on the preserve, and remove as many as we can.
如何提供帮助
Because the seeds of invasive species can be carried great distances by birds, 水, 或是风, it helps to remove non-native invasive plants from your yard. 访问TexasInvasives.org的 spotlight on the Texas Hill Country for more information about invasive species and LBJ野花中心 for information about native plants that make good replacements.
If you’ve ever visited Wild Basin, it’s likely you appreciate the beauty of Bee Creek. Our efforts to keep the 水 clean and preserve that beauty include regular 水 quality monitoring. We measure data such as 水 temperature, 粪便大肠杆菌, pH, 溶解氧, and nitrates to assess threats and impacts to 水 quality. These threats originate from sources such as fertilizers, 除草剂, 沉积物, and nutrient pollution such as septic leachate.
We also work with our preserve neighbors to monitor Bee Creek 沉积物 levels, which can increase due to 土壤 erosion in surrounding areas. Too much 沉积物 can lower oxygen levels and increase algal blooms in the 水, harming plants and animals living in and around Bee Creek.
如何提供帮助
If you live along Bee Creek and would like 了解更多 about how you can help us monitor 水 quality, 电子邮件我们. 访问 这个LCRA网页 to report or learn more about 水 quality issues in our area, and consider joining LCRA's Colorado River Watch Network.
Did you know that light pollution obscures the stars, causing migratory birds and monarch butterflies who navigate by the stars to lose their way?
在野盆地, we’re partnering with the 国际 Dark Sky Association and Hill Country Alliance to protect our night skies.
如何提供帮助
You can turn off outdoor lights during migration periods. 访问 the Lights Out Texas webpage 了解更多. You can also do what we’ve done at Wild Basin, which is to inst所有 lighting that offers security but doesn’t harm birds and butterflies. 首先，只是 下载此PDF.