Combating Nature Deficit Disorder in the Texas Mountains

One of the greatest assets of the Texas Mountain Trail region is our deep connection to nature.  Above is a profound video (12 minutes long) from a young woman who speaks eloquently about the need for experience with the natural world.

Where can you connect yourself (and your kids) to nature?

Try--
El Paso's Keystone Heritage Park, Franklin Mountains State Park, Museum of Archaeology, Wyler Aerial Tramway
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Davis Mountains State Park
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center just outside Fort Davis
Marathon's Post Park
Big Bend Ranch State Park
Lajitas' Barton Warnock Visitor Center
Presidio's Fort Leaton State Historic Site
Big Bend National Park (if you're interested in outfitters for a guided experience, click here.)

A happy participant at
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center's
Toddle on the Wild Side
photo: Jessica Glasscock, CDRI

The book referenced in the video is Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv.  Read about it here.

Also, visit our events calendar for experiences and opportunities in our parks and natural areas...more parks and attractions are posting their events with us...www.texasmountaintrail.com/events !!

An Oasis in the City: Keystone Heritage Park

One of the most surprising places in El Paso is Keystone Heritage Park, a quiet place to enjoy nature, right in the midst of the city.  From their website:

"Keystone Heritage Park is an archeological site, an archaic wetlands and a botanical garden.

The Archeological Site was first discovered in the late 1970s by the Corps of Engineers during the construction of flood control dams. Runoff from a thunderstorm washed away the bank of a shallow arroyo revealing a cut-away of an ancient pitch house. Preliminary research revealed the hut was part of a larger village. Carbon dating indicated the site was 4000+ years old. According to National Geographic Magazine, it may be one of the largest and oldest villages of its kind in the United States.

Keystone Wetlands is home to many species of birds and is a stop on a migratory route for even more. Over 193 species of birds have been spotted there, including 22 species considered rare by the Audubon Society. These archaic wetlands, protected by Federal Law, depict the wetlands that once lined the Rio Grande.

The Botanical Garden at Keystone is a project adopted by the Junior League of El Paso in the year 2000. In 2003, the Rotary Club of El Paso committed to building Phase Two of the garden. The Garden encompasses features such as a Xeric demonstration garden, a children’s garden, an amphitheater, a moonlight garden, an ethno-botanical garden and more."

12 Days of Christmas: Joining the Work of Good People

Friends of Big Bend National Park hold a trail run (as well as many other efforts) to raise money to benefit the park

There are many ways to get involved in the good works of the region, including joining a members group (or giving a gift membership to someone you love!) or a support organization for your favorite park or museum!

Consider these suggestions!

Friends of Big Bend National Park
Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association
Friends of Fort Davis National Historic Site
Compadres del Rancho Grande (Friends of Big Bend Ranch State Park)
Other state parks across Texas
Keystone Heritage Park
Museum of the Big Bend
Friends of McDonald Observatory
Casa Magoffin Compañeros

Scenes from our Far West Texas Wildlife Trail Map launch parties!



Getting ready for the ribbon cutting behind Indian Lodge at Fort Davis' Davis Mountains State Park, June 2



Friends gather around information tables at Indian Lodge, June 2



El Paso's Channel 7 comes to the June 4 launch party at Keystone Heritage Park

Getting ready for the ribbon cutting at El Paso's Keystone Heritage Park!

We want to thank everyone who came out this week to celebrate the launch of our Far West Texas Wildlife Trail map in Fort Davis and El Paso! 

A special thanks to everyone who worked hard to bring this project to fruition--the members of our map committee (volunteers from all over the region); site nominees, managers and landowners; map sponsors and donors, friends who came to the events and hosted information tables (Friends of Big Bend National Park, McDonald Observatory, Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, Tierra Grande Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists, The Nature Conservancy).  Also HUGE thanks to those who worked on the events themselves--Carol Edwards, the Tierra Grande Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists and Friends of Davis Mountains State Park, Linda Hedges, David Bischofhausen, Bernie Sargent, Rebecca Diaz, Hyatt Place El Paso Airport, Keystone Heritage Park, Scott Jordan and our friends of the Texas Pecos Trail, Mercer Black, Rob McCorkle, and especially Shelly Plante and the folks at TPWD.  Y'all are great!!  Thank you!

You can view the map online here. 

Because of state budget cuts, we need to revise our distribution of the map to the public.  Please check our main website early next month for a list of regional vendors who will be offering the map for sale! 

Far West Texas Wildlife Trail Map Launch Party, this morning at El Paso's Keystone Heritage Park/Botanical Garden!

We're very proud of the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail map, and we want to invite all of you to come on down to Keystone Heritage Park, in El Paso to join us at the launch party!  LOTS of folks helped make the map a reality and now it is time to celebrate.  If you attend the party, you'll get your own free copy, and there will be lots of giveaways...and free viewing of birds at the park's viewing stand! 

Festivities begin at 9:45 am, at Keystone Heritage Park/El Paso Botanical Garden, 4200 Doniphan!

Today's Map Launch: Monahans Sandhills State Park in the Texas Pecos Trail region!

Yesterday we had a great launch party at Fort Davis' Indian Lodge.

This morning, head on over to Monahans Sandhills State Park in the Texas Pecos Trail region for the launch of the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail map! 

And then tomorrow, to El Paso's Keystone Heritage Park!  Join us!!

Join us this morning!

We're launching the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail Map this morning, followed by two more events this week!  Come join in the fun, receive your own map, and lots of free giveaways!

Thursday, June 2, we'll have an 8 am bird walk, starting from Fort Davis' Indian Lodge in Davis Mountains State Park, followed by a 10 am party.

Friday, June 3, there will be an event at Monahans Sandhills State Park.

Saturday (National Trails Day!), June 4, we'll hold a party at Keystone Heritage Park in El Paso, starting at 9:45 am

Celebrating the launch of the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail this week!

Collard lizard, photo courtesy of TPWD!

Starting tomorrow, we're celebrating the launch of the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail map, your guide to great places to go birding and wildlife viewing in the Texas Mountain Trail and the western portion of the Texas Pecos Trail region. 

Thursday, June 2, we'll have an 8 am bird walk, starting from Fort Davis' Indian Lodge in Davis Mountains State Park, followed by a 10 am party.

Friday, June 3, there will be an event at Monahans Sandhills State Park.

Saturday (National Trails Day!), June 4, we'll hold a party at Keystone Heritage Park in El Paso, starting at 9:45 am

Come join us!  There will be lots of fun giveaways and snacks at each event, and time to explore each location! 

What you could take home!!!

The back of the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail t-shirt

National Trails Day t-shirt

Next week, we'll be launching the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail at three parties...and you're invited to each of them!  At each party, we'll have drawings for lots of neat giveaways; including t-shirts, hats and lens cloths for the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail, as well as t-shirts for National Trails Day! 

Thursday, June 2, we'll have an 8 am bird walk, starting from Fort Davis' Indian Lodge in Davis Mountains State Park, followed by a 10 am party.

Friday, June 3, there will be an event at Monahans Sandhills State Park.

Saturday (National Trails Day!), June 4, we'll hold a party at Keystone Heritage Park in El Paso, starting at 9:45 am

Hummingbirds are out in force!!

Click on the photo for a closer view!

We've got a feeder up and the hummers are ACTIVE!  Lots of places to see hummingbirds around the region, consult the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail Map!   This photo was taken in Dog Canyon at the visitor center at the north end of Guadalupe Mountains National Park; another great place to see hummingbirds (they have a special garden to attract them) is the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center in Fort Davis.

We'll have public launch parties for the map, details to follow soon!  In the meantime, put these dates on your calendar:

June 2, Davis Mountains State Park
June 3, Monahans Sandhills State Park
June 4, Keystone Heritge Park, El Paso

All party locations are also wildlife and bird viewing sites on the map, too!

El Paso Desert Botanical Garden/Keystone Heritage Park

One of the most unlikely places to view wildlife is in the center of a large city.  El Paso is abound with surprises, not the least of which is Keystone Heritage Park and the El Paso Botanical Gardens.  Located at 4220 Doniphan on the west side of the city, is a unique place to view desert plants and gardens, birds and even an archaeological site (the site by appointment only).  For more information on the park, click here and here!  An upcoming event is below!

Water in El Paso? Yes, and birds, gardens, archaeology, too, at Keystone Heritage Park

Keystone Heritage Park in El Paso's Upper Valley is a huge surprise in the center of the city.  The 52 acre park has wetlands, a botanical garden, an archeological site and birding opportunities. 

Keystone wetlands is home to  many species of birds and is on the migratory route for even more.  According to their website, over 193 species of birds have been found there, including 22 considered rare by the Audubon Society.

The archeological site was first discovered in the 1970s during the construction of flood control dams, when a portion of an ancient pitch house was found.  Later, it was believed to be part of a village, and according to National Geographic magazine, possibly "one of the oldest and largest villages of its kind in the United States."  The site is open to visitors only with a guide.

The botanical gardens feature a xeric demonstration garden, a children's garden, amphitheater, moonlight garden and ethno-botanical garden.

To learn more, visit Keystone's website, here.

Keystone Heritage Park butterfly

El Paso's Keystone Heritage Park and Botanical Gardens is a surprising place. In the middle of the city, the park sits in the shadow of the Franklin Mountains. Its wetlands provide the visitor with excellent birding opportunities, and the garden is simply lovely for a stroll.

You can read more about it here and here.

For a list of other nature centers in the region, click here.

Keystone is a great place for birdwatching. For information on birdwatching within the Texas Mountain Trail region, visit: www.texasmountaintrail.com/bird

Flowers

These lovely blossoms were found at the El Paso Desert Botanical Garden, part of Keystone Heritage Park in El Paso.

For more information on nature centers in the region, click here.

For more interesting places to visit in our largest city, click here.

Fall Beauty

The brilliant blossoms of a Red Fairy Duster grace the El Paso Desert Botanical Garden at Keystone Heritage Park.

For a list of all the Mountain Desert Nature Centers in the region, including Keystone, click here!

Butterflies in the City

When funding is available, the kind folks at the El Paso Desert Botanical Garden, part of the Keystone Heritage Park in El Paso, raise butterflies in their greenhouse.

Last weekend, they released their fall butterflies, pictured here.

Click here for a list of our regional nature centers.

Birding at the Keystone Wetlands

Surrounded by the City of El Paso, one of the most surprising natural places is the Keystone Wetlands, which along with the Keystone Dam Archaeological Site and the El Paso Desert Botanical Garden, is part of the Keystone Heritage Park.

A list of birding species of the Keystone Heritage Park can be found on our Texas Mountain Trail birding page: www.texasmountaintrail.com/bird.

Other nature centers in the region are listed here.