Record number of volunteers make Keep Lockhart Beautiful event a success

Activities included Plum Creek watershed cleanup, education efforts              

LOCKHART – The success of watershed education and clean-up efforts during the recent Keep Lockhart Beautiful event may serve as a “ray of hope” for other areas dealing with watershed issues, said the Plum Creek Watershed coordinator.

“As yet another major flooding event gives us pause to consider the more important things in life, recent cleanup efforts by the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership may bring a small ray of hope by reminding those impacted what can be accomplished when a community comes together,” said Nick Dornak.

Dornak said they work closely with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service  to coordinate activities related to the watershed.

“We worked with the Caldwell County agent and local 4-H groups as well as with local Master Gardener volunteers who support the agency’s horticultural efforts,” Dornak said.

He said AgriLife Extension was instrumental in developing the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan in 2008 and implemented by the agency for the first five years.

“These clean-up and educational outreach efforts are part of that watershed protection plan,” Dornak said. “We had 374 volunteers show up at Lockhart City Park to participate in the eighth annual Keep Lockhart Beautiful event, which included refuse removal from the Plum Creek watershed.”

He said volunteers cleaned up more than 1,500 pounds of refuse, including three large tires, scrap metal, a television and a car battery. More than 300 pounds of recyclable items were collected.

“We had dozens of volunteers from several 4-H clubs involved in the effort, including club members, managers and adult leaders,” said Michael Haynes, AgriLife Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources, Caldwell County. “Some clubs used this as an opportunity to provide community service. We also had Texas Sage Master Gardener association volunteers who represented both Caldwell and Bastrop counties.”

Dornak said 36 sponsors supported the Keep Lockhart Beautiful event, providing cash and in-kind donations to make it possible. Sponsors included the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, City of Lockhart, Caldwell County 4-H, Pegasus School and the H-E-B/Central Market-funded  Keep Texas Waterways Clean Program.

He said due to the overwhelming turnout of sponsors and volunteers the partnership was also able to purchase a number of native trees and shrubs, which were planted along Town Branch near Pecos Park.

“In addition to the riparian restoration effort, volunteers cleaned planters and added holiday decorations in the downtown area,” Dornak said.

Event activities also included an Environmental Fair, which was attended by more than 200 people.

“The purpose of the fair was to inform people about the need for environmental stewardship and show them how important the watershed is to the community,” Dornak said. “This tied in with the goal of the watershed protection plan, which was to restore and protect Plum Creek and its tributaries.”

He said the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership works to boost awareness of water resource issues and protect and restore water quality for the watershed.

“Public involvement is key to watershed stewardship, and the partnership relies on the cooperation of numerous local stakeholders, including municipalities, agencies, organizations, businesses and interested individuals,” Dornak said. “The positive outcomes from this year’s event and previous events provide not only hope to those who would benefit from a community effort, but also a template for how to protect water resources and address water quality issues.”

For more information, please go to the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership page.

Funding for the development and support of the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan is through a Clean Water Act grant provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.