Sunday Crew Tackles Prickly Pear

The Sunday afternoon volunteer crew began removing prickly pear cactus in Ringtail Ridge on October 19.  A handful of Master Naturalists began working on the excessive amount of cactus in the 40+ acre natural area off Old Ranch Road 12.

Led by Donna Browning, Marilyn Brister, Tom Watson, Jim Baggett, and Dianna Tupa began moving wheelbarrows full of cactus pads to a concrete slab.  Prickly pear cactus is a Texas native that is very hardy and thriving at the former slaughterhouse for the former Hughson Meat Company.

Proper clothes and tools are important in removing cactus. -LJ

Groups of volunteers work Sundays for a couple hours removing bastard cabbage, ligustrum,  johnson grass, and other non-native plants in an attempt to restore the habitat to a more natural setting. In addition to removing the invasives the disturbed soil is seeded with either wildflowers or native grasses provided by the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance.

Ringtail Ridge is one of the city-owned natural areas that sits on the Edwards Aquifer and promote retention of the all-important rain water through karst features. A series of greenways are envisioned to provide recreation, transportation and water retention benefits.

Volunteers are welcome to participate and can sign-up at http://smgreenbelt.org/contact.htm and mention Sunday work crew to be included in the eMail notification.  -- LJ