February 8th, 2012
City seeks public input on parkland management

Spring Lake Preserve wetlands area. PHOTO by DON ANDERS

The San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department will host an open house at the San Marcos Nature Center Feb. 15.

The event, which will be from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., is a way for the public to affect the development of a land management plan for the Spring Lake and Purgatory Creek Natural Areas. The nature center is at 430 Riverside Drive, next to Tourist Info Center on the access road of Interstate 35 South.

Five components of the land management plan are under consideration, including water quality and quantity, wildlife, plants, fire prevention, and recreation.

“This plan will serve as a guide to keep our natural areas as beautiful as the day we bought them for the public to enjoy in perpetuity,” said Melani Howard, natural parks and watershed manager. “We also hope to continue to expand our natural areas to serve our growing population.”

Purgatory Creek Natural Area is 570 acres and was purchased by the City in portions since December 2001. The Edwards Aquifer Authority partnered with the city to acquire the upper portion of the natural area and has entered into a conservation agreement to help manage the property.

The 251-acre Spring Lake Natural Area was purchased in part with a bond passed by the citizens in 2005. Multiple grants and donations from Hays County, Texas Parks & Wildlife, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Meadows Foundation, Terry Gilmore, the McCoy Foundation, the Lower Colorado River Authority, and the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority in 2007 rounded out the project’s funding.

Written comments about the pending land management plan may be sent to landmgtplan@sanmarcostx.gov. For more information, call Howard at (512) 393-8448.