Park and Open Space Management Plan

Table of Contents

Page

Park Management Plan…………………………………………………………….. 2

Valley Creek Park (1.5 acres)…………………………………………….. 3

Open Space Management Plan…………………………………………………….. 6

South Hills Conservation Area (42.83 acres)…………………………….. 7

Gaines Greenbelt (22.08 acres)….………………………………………… 14

Indian Prairie Grass Preserve (21.43 acres)….……………………………. 20

Cougar Creek Greenbelt (23.37 acres)…………………………………… 26

Sunset Valley Nature Area (64.59 acres)………………………………… 32

Miscellaneous Trail Links

Village Trail……………………………………………………….. 38

Lone Oak and Curley Mesquite…………………………………… 40

Appendix

Park and Open Space Management Plan Project Evaluation.………………42

Table 1. The Birds of Sunset Valley………………………………… 43

Table 2. Invasive/Exotic Plant List………………………………….. 46

Table 3. Plants Suitable For Open Space Plantings…………………. 47

CPSC Public Playground Safety Checklist………………………………… 51

References…………………………………………………………………..52

Gaines Greenbelt

Cougar Creek Greenbelt

Valley Creek Park and Buffer

Indian Grass Sunset Valley Nature Prairie Area Preserve

South Hills Conservation Area

1 2 Figure 1. Map of Sunset Valley Park and Open Spaces. 3

1 1 2 3 Park Management Plan 4 5 Objectives and Guidelines 6 The City of Sunset Valley Parklands shall be managed to maintain ecosystem 7 diversity while supplying appropriate recreational opportunities. At this time there is 8 only one Parkland space, Valley Creek Park. The management of Valley Creek Park 9 consists of landscape management, insect control, and playground management. 10 Parklands shall also be protected from degradation from surrounding urbanization 11 12 Park Management Plan 13 The Park Management plan for each tract shall contain: 14 I) A description of the area 15 II) A recommended management program. 16 Tract descriptions will include location and tract acreage, as well as descriptive 17 information on the habitat and public access. The management program will include a 18 description of the impacts of management activities. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

2 1 Park Management Plan 2 3 Valley Creek Park 4 5 I. Description 6 A. Physical Description and Access 7 Valley Creek Park is located at the end of Reese Drive, bordered by the main 8 branch of Williamson Creek along the southeastern edge (Figure 2). Valley Creek Park 9 is 1.5 acres in extent, with designated parking spaces. Valley Creek Park is designated 10 for recreational activities and is handicap accessible. Valley Creek Park contains a 11 playground area with various equipment including swings, geo-dome, tri-level bars, 12 spring saw, and picnic tables.

13 14 Figure 2. Valley Creek Park. Park boundary in turquoise. 15 16 B. Geology and Vegetative Analysis 17 With the close association with Williamson Creek, the soil type of Valley Creek 18 Park is primarily that of Mixed Alluvial Land (Md). Mixed Alluvial Land is comprised of 19 beds of exposed limestone and gravelly alluvium (USDA, 1974). The soil is a grayish, 20 brown calcareous clay loam. The creek bed is composed mostly of a gravelly alluvium.

3 1 Valley Creek Park is a wooded area comprised primarily of cedar elms (Ulmus 2 crassifolia), with a smaller number of live oaks (Quercus fusiformis), ashe juniper 3 (Juniperus asheii), and sugar hackberry (Celtis laevigata). Since the area is a park with a 4 playground there is very little understory. Zoysiagrass, a drought tolerant, shade friendly 5 grass, is the prominent ground cover. There is also a landscaped area around the sign for 6 the park, which has various perennials. 7 8 II. Management Program 9 A. Vegetative Management 10 Valley Creek Park will be mowed and the landscape bed monitored twice 11 monthly. The irrigation system within the landscape bed will be checked every other 12 month beginning in January. The tree canopy will be maintained following the 13 guidelines in the Urban Forest Management Plan. Oak Wilt is a significant threat to 14 native oak populations. Valley Creek Park shall be surveyed yearly to determine any 15 threats of oak wilt and proper oak wilt suppression techniques will be used. 16 17 B. Wildlife Management 18 Although there is a variety of wildlife that makes their home within Sunset 19 Valley, the primary concerns in Valley Creek Park are fire ants and other insects such as 20 wasps and hornets. Beginning in March and throughout the summer, Imported Fire Ants 21 (Solenopsis invicta) will be controlled using approved ant baits. In accordance with the 22 City’s Organics First Program and with concern for the nature of the area, organic 23 compounds such as Green-Light with Conserve will be the first choice for fire ant 24 control. All structures in Valley Creek Park will be inspected to make sure no stinging 25 insect nests are attached, if a nest is found it will be removed immediately. 26 27 C. Playground Management 28 There are specific guidelines to properly maintain a public playground. The 29 Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has developed a checklist for playground 30 safety to reduce the number of accidents that occur on playgrounds. A copy of this 31 checklist has been included in the appendix. Valley Creek Park will be checked at least 32 once weekly. The inspections will include at a minimum checking for the following:

4 1 1. Trip hazards such as rocks, sticks, tree stumps, and litter. 2 2. Exposed equipment footings 3 3. Sharp points or edges on equipment 4 4. Function of equipment, including checking for loose or broken hardware 5 5. Rust and chipped paint on metal components 6 6. Appropriate fall zone sizes and mulch (double shredded bark mulch or engineered 7 wood fibers) will be maintained according to CPSC and ASTM standards. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

5 1 Open Space Management Plan 2 3 Objectives and Guidelines 4 The City of Sunset Valley Greenspace/Preservation and Conservation Areas 5 (Tracts) shall be managed to maintain and enhance ecosystem diversity while supplying 6 appropriate recreational opportunities. The management of these areas shall consist of 7 vegetative control and restoration, wildlife management, removal of trash, creek and 8 slope stabilization, maintenance of trails, and continued monitoring programs. These 9 areas shall also be protected from degradation from surrounding urbanization. In areas 10 where endangered, threatened, or species of concern exist, the welfare of these species 11 shall be paramount in management plan development. 12 The Tracts, currently, have several uses including wildlife habitat, ecological and 13 geologic preservation, and water quality protection. In 1999, an “Ecological and 14 Botanical Inventory” was conducted by Druid Environmental that determined the current 15 conditions of the Tracts and provided management recommendations. This plan 16 incorporates those recommendations as well as additional proposed activities. Most of 17 the physical descriptions are derived from the report completed by Druid Environmental. 18 19 I. Open Space Management Plan 20 Each tract provides varying habitats with different management issues and shall 21 be managed on an individual basis. The management plan for each tract shall contain: 22 I) A description of the tract. 23 II) A recommended management program. 24 III) A system for monitoring management activities. 25 Tract descriptions will include location and tract acreage, as well as descriptive 26 information on the habitat and public access. The management program will set specific 27 prioritized goals for each tract. The management program should include a description of 28 the impacts of management activities. The program will address habitat enhancement, 29 vegetative restoration, oak wilt suppression, animal management, fire ant control, and 30 other management goals. The monitoring section will be used as a system to monitor and 31 evaluate the effectiveness of the management program. This will provide the basis for 32 future changes in the management plan.

6 1 Open Space Management Plan 2 3 Tract 1: South Hills Conservation Area 4 5 I. Description 6 7 A. Location and Acreage 8 The South Hills Conservation Area is located at the southern edge of the City of 9 Sunset Valley, along the western edge of the Cherry Creek neighborhood (Figure 3). The 10 tract is 42.83 acres in extent.

11 12 Figure 3. South Hills Conservation Area. Footpath trail is marked in red. Maintenance 13 trail marked in yellow. 14 15 B. Physical Description 16 The South Hills Conservation Area has a peak elevation of approximately 740 17 feet above sea level, and is crossed by fault lines including the Balcones Fault. The 18 lowest elevation is 670 feet within the Dry Fork Branch of Williamson Creek, along the 19 western border of the tract. The Dry Fork branch of Williamson Creek is ephemeral and 20 has a confluence with the main branch of Williamson Creek at the northwestern edge of 21 the tract. The fault lines crossing the area have created an interesting geology exposing 22 various substrates. The creek channel has exposed Edward’s limestone, whereas the

7 1 sides of the creek and other outcroppings contain Georgetown limestone. Above the 2 Georgetown limestone, along the hills is Del Rio clay topped with Buda limestone. Some 3 portions along the hillsides have been eroded and demonstrate the high gypsum content 4 of the Del Rio clay. This site also contains fossil remains along the bottom of slopes 5 from the Buda limestone and Del Rio clay. 6 Soils within the area include Ferris-Heiden along slopes and flats. Ferris soils are 7 light olive-gray and are mottled with yellow at depths greater than six inches. Heiden 8 soils are dark grayish brown clay at the surface and olive-yellow below 15 inches. These 9 soils are highly susceptible to erosion. The other main soil type of the area is from the 10 Tarrant series, which are shallow, stony, clay soils overlying limestone. 11 12 C. Botanical Description 13 The extant plant community of the South Hills Conservation Area is that of an 14 Ashe Juniper-Oak Series (Juniperus ashei- Quercus spp.). It is thought that this area may 15 have, at one time, been closer to a tall grass prairie community of the Blackland Prairie in 16 some areas based on the soil types. The most common tree on this tract is Ashe Juniper 17 (Juniperus ashei), with Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia) also present. Along the eastern 18 boundary Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis), Sugar Hackberry (Celtis laevigata), Texas 19 Persimmon (Diopyros texana), and Pencil Cactus (Opuntia leptocaulis) are more 20 prevalent. Shin Oak (Quercus durandii var. breviloba), Texas Ash (Fraxinus texensis), 21 Mexican Buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa), and various other trees are also present. Grasses 22 such as Side-oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), Silver Bluestem (Bothriochloa 23 laguroides), and Tall Dropseed (Sporobolous asper) are common in open areas. A small 24 population of Alabama Lipfern (Cheilanthes alabamensis) has also been found within the 25 tract. This tract also supports a wide variety of herbaceous species including Turk’s Cap 26 (Malvaviscus arboreus), Blue Curls (Phacelia congesta), and Frostweed (Verbesina 27 virginica). 28 29 D. Wildlife Description 30 No official surveys have been conducted at this time, so the wildlife description is 31 based on field observations. Observed wildlife within the City of Sunset Valley includes 32 White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Coyote (Canis latrans), Raccoon (Procyon

8 1 lotor), Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis), Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana), 2 Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilaus floridanus), Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Common Gray Fox 3 (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), Nine-banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), Squirrels 4 (Spermophilus sp.) and other various rodent species. Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta 5 lindheimeri), Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster), Western 6 Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Rough Earth Snake (Virginia striatula), Red- 7 eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), Texas River Cooter (Pseudemys texana), Green 8 Anole (Anolis carolinensis), Reticulated Gecko (Coleonyx reticulates), and American 9 Toad (Bufo americanus) are the reptile and amphibian species identified to date. Central 10 Texas is along a migratory bird path and has a rich diversity of bird species. The bird 11 species identified to date in Sunset Valley are located in Table 1(Appendix). 12 13 E. Public Access 14 The South Hills Conservation Area is open to the public for foot traffic during 15 daylight hours on marked trails. From time to time, access to the tract or portions of the 16 tract may be limited in order to let the area recover from various natural and 17 anthropogenic disturbances and during times of maintenance and management activities. 18 Public notice will be provided at least 7 days prior to the closure of the South Hills 19 Conservation Area, except in times of emergency situations. Persons found in the South 20 Hills Conservation Area during a period of restricted public access shall be asked to leave 21 the area and shall not receive a citation except for violations of the law other than being 22 present in the conservation area during a period of restricted access. 23 24 II. Management Program 25 A. Goals 26 A large portion of the South Hills Conservation Area has been damaged through 27 various activities. The management priority for the South Hills Conservation Area is to 28 restore damaged areas to a pre-disturbance state. The following management goals have 29 been outlined for the South Hills Conservation Area: 30

9 1 1. Presently, a system of maintenance trails is used by volunteers and staff for access 2 to the site for management activities. A primary footpath will be identified and 3 maintained through the area. 4 5 2. All damaged areas shall be restored. 6 7 3. On one of the hillsides along the southern border there is a large area that has 8 been impacted by erosion. The slope needs to be stabilized and a centralized trail 9 system established. Removal of woody vegetation is not recommended from this 10 area. The area may be experimentally planted with bunch grasses, a terraced 11 system installed in certain locations, or another approved method or combination 12 of tactics may be used to accomplish this goal. 13 14 4. The existing boundary fences shall be maintained along the border with the City 15 of Austin. 16 17 5. Install signage in the South Hills Conservation Area along the trails and the 18 boundary between the Sunset Valley Nature Area and South Hills Conservation 19 Area. The signage shall be maintained and new signage will be erected as 20 necessary. 21 22 6. Trash and debris shall be removed from the South Hills Conservation Area on a 23 semi-annual basis. Trash along trails can be removed continuously, but twice a 24 year, one day will be set aside to remove larger debris and other trash that may 25 have accumulated. 26 27 B. Vegetative Management 28 Invasive plant species shall be monitored and removed from locations throughout 29 the tract. Table 2 lists invasive species that require control measures. These species are 30 aggressively invasive and shall be controlled through removal or controlled herbicide 31 applications. Wicking, by applying the herbicide directly to the stem of a plant, is the 32 preferred application method in most situations.

10 1 Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) and Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosis) are 2 both natives to Texas but can be opportunistic in their growth habit and may require 3 additional control. These plants require control when they start competing for habitat 4 from other species and create monocultures or thickets. The goal of this plan is to 5 increase or maintain species diversity, and large monocultures of any one species can 6 effect the community composition. 7 Ashe Juniper occurring along slopes should remain intact and allowed to proceed 8 through a natural succession to control soil erosion. Ashe Juniper that has grown onto 9 flat uplands and have created thickets below larger trees can be controlled through 10 removal and replanting other native understory species. These small trees can be 11 removed through a basal cut and do not require the application of an herbicide. Table 3 12 provides a list of approved native plants for plantings. 13 Honey Mesquite is a tree with a large tap root that performs a function commonly 14 known as “hydraulic lift”. During dry nights, moisture moves up the tap root and into the 15 surrounding surface soils providing water to nearby plants. This combined with a thorny 16 defense makes mesquite the perfect nurse plant for other species, such as Greenbrier 17 (Smilax bona-nox), to grow up and create thickets. Mesquite that are encroaching onto 18 open grasslands, are small (below 6 feet), and have multiple small stems (<1 inch) 19 warrant removal. Mesquite will reestablish even after basal cuts, so the use of an 20 approved herbicide applied directly to the cut area is recommended. Drilling holes and 21 applying herbicide into the basally cut trunk may also be effective. 22 Seedlings and saplings shall be planted to encourage an increase in species 23 diversity. Areas that have been disturbed should be planted and/or seeded with approved 24 plant species. Disturbance can be due to storm damage, animals, erosion, or through 25 anthropogenic means. Each restoration effort should have a written plan including 26 location of restoration, species removed, number and type of plants for revegetation, 27 equipment/supplies needed, and costs. All plantings shall be planted using standard 28 practices and provided supplemental water (hand watering, use of DRI-WATER, or 29 Water Gators) for approximately one month after the initial planting. 30 Oak Wilt is a significant threat to native oak populations. This tract shall be 31 surveyed yearly to determine any threats of oak wilt and proper oak wilt suppression 32 techniques will be used.

11 1 2 C. Wildlife Management 3 Specific wildlife populations shall be monitored on an as needed basis with the 4 exception of white-tailed deer on this tract. Wildlife such as coyotes, raccoons, other 5 small mammals, reptiles, and birds shall be monitored at this site depending on trends 6 within the general area. If a marked increase or decrease in any animal population is 7 noticed, approved monitoring will begin. The overall health of the ecosystem will be 8 monitored on a continual basis. 9 White-tailed deer and other browsing animals can effect plant community 10 composition when they overpopulate an area. White-tailed deer shall be monitored 11 annually and management recommendations made based on population fluctuations. 12 White-tailed deer management incorporates all Tracts south of US 290 and a new 13 management program will be initiated each year. Practices designed to increase deer 14 populations are not recommended. 15 Imported Fire Ants will be controlled through the City’s Organics First Program. 16 If chemical control is necessary, approved chemicals and bait formulations will be used 17 that minimize impacts on native ants, flora, and fauna. 18 19 D. Fire Break Maintenance 20 A fire break shall be maintained along the eastern edge of the tract which 21 interfaces the Cherry Creek Neighborhood. An approximate ten foot section shall be 22 maintained clear of debris and low-growing vegetation. In locations where this would 23 precipitate the removal of large trees a shaded fire break technique shall be used. Shaded 24 fire breaks require the removal of the understory and small limbs below 6 feet in height. 25 A shaded fire break may be as wide as 15 feet. Shaded fire breaks remove the vegetation 26 that provides easy, readily combustible fuel for a fire. The area maintained by the City 27 combined with the existing acreage on the residential lot shall constitute the fire break at 28 1 ½ times the fuel height. 29 30 III. Monitoring 31 Each year the tract shall be reevaluated for project completion and new projects 32 suggested. This plan will be re-evaluated after three years for efficacy, and changes can

12 1 be made at that time. Six months after each vegetative restoration effort sites will be 2 evaluated and suggestions made to improve future projects. The evaluation of each 3 project shall be completed on Form A in the appendix. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

13 1 Open Space Management Plan 2 3 Tract 2: Gaines Greenbelt 4 5 I. Description 6 7 A. Location and Acreage 8 The Gaines Greenbelt is located at the northern edge of the City of Sunset Valley, 9 and connects with the City of Austin’s Barton Creek Greenbelt (Figure 4). The area is 10 bisected several times by Gaines Creek. Gaines Creek is ephemeral and is a tributary for 11 Barton Creek. The tract is 22.08 acres in extent.

12 13 Figure 4. Gaines Greenbelt. Trail is marked in red. 14 15 B. Physical Description 16 The Gaines Greenbelt has an elevation varying from 570 to 660 feet along the 17 plateau. The plateau is capped by Georgetown Limestone and extends toward Ben White 18 Boulevard. This cap was mapped by Garner and Young (1976) and is nearly 19 unrecognizable due to construction within the area. The most common geological 20 formation is the exposed Edwards Limestone along the ravines and hillsides. Along the 21 creek there are several overhangs and a cave that provide shelter for wildlife.

14 1 The soil of the Gaines Greenbelt is mostly Tarrant soils and rock outcrops. This 2 is a soil that is commonly found on steep slopes along rivers. The soil is a gray-brown 3 stony clay or clay loam that is approximately seven inches thick overlaying limestone. 4 Between 50-80 percent of the area has rock outcrops of broken limestone. 5 6 C. Botanical Description 7 The plant community of the Gaines Greenbelt is that of an Oak – Juniper 8 woodland (Quercus spp. and Juniperus ashei). Although mostly wooded the area does 9 support a few small, open grasslands. The most common tree on this tract is Ashe Juniper 10 (Juniperus ashei). Other common trees are Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis), Texas Oak 11 (Quercus texana), Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia), Shin Oak (Quercus durandii var. 12 breviloba), Texas Ash (Fraxinus texensis), Sugar Hackberry (Celtis laevigata), and 13 Escarpment Black Cherry (Prunus serotina). Shrubs and small trees of the understory 14 include Texas Persimmon (Diospyros texana), Carolina Buckthorn (Rhamnus 15 caroliniana), and Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia). The slopes and cliffs provide habitat 16 for various ferns including Southern Shield Fern (Thelypteris kunthii), Purple Cliffbrake 17 (Pallaea atropurpurea), Alabama Lipfern (Cheilanthes alabamensis), and Blackstem 18 (Asplenium resiliens). Some interesting plants found within the Gaines Greenbelt are 19 Fiddleleaf Tobacco (Nicotiana repanda), Brazos Rockcress (Arabis petiolaris), Mormon 20 Tea (Euphorbia antisyphillitica), and Twisted-leaf Yucca (Yucca rupicola), 21 22 D. Wildlife Description 23 The Gaines Greenbelt is unique in that it provides habitat for the endangered 24 Golden-cheeked Warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia). Golden-cheeked Warblers nest in the 25 Ashe-Juniper and Oak woodlands surrounding canyons and ravines. These small 26 songbirds (~4.5 inches) were listed as endangered in 1990, their decline is related to 27 habitat loss and fragmentation. Migratory in nature, these birds spend the winter in 28 Mexico and Central America, and Central Texas is the only place where these birds nest 29 and raise their young. Other bird species found in Sunset Valley are listed in Table 1. 30 No official surveys have been conducted at this time, so the wildlife description is 31 based on field observations. Observed wildlife within the City of Sunset Valley includes 32 White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Coyote (Canis latrans), Raccoon (Procyon

15 1 lotor), Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis), Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana), 2 Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilaus floridanus), Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Common Gray Fox 3 (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), Nine-banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), Squirrels 4 (Spermophilus sp.) and other various rodent species. Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta 5 lindheimeri), Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster), Western 6 Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Rough Earth Snake (Virginia striatula), Red- 7 eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), Texas River Cooter (Pseudemys texana), Green 8 Anole (Anolis carolinensis), Reticulated Gecko (Coleonyx reticulates), and American 9 Toad (Bufo americanus) are the reptile and amphibian species identified to date. Central 10 Texas is along a migratory bird path and has a rich diversity of bird species. The species 11 identified to date in Sunset Valley are located in Table 1. 12 13 E. Public Access 14 The Gaines Greenbelt is open to the public for foot traffic during daylight hours 15 on marked trails. From time to time, access to the tract or portions of the tract may be 16 limited in order to let the area recover from various natural and anthropogenic 17 disturbances, protection of endangered species, and during times of maintenance and 18 management activities. Public notice will be provided at least 7 days prior to the closure 19 of the Gaines Greenbelt, except in times of emergency situations. Persons found in the 20 Gaines Greenbelt during a period of restricted public access shall be asked to leave the 21 area and shall not receive a citation except for violations of the law other than being 22 present in the conservation area during a period of restricted access. 23 24 II. Management Program 25 A. Goals 26 Due to the sensitive nature of this area, management goals reflect the need to 27 maintain the area for Golden-cheeked Warbler habitat. No activities, including but not 28 limited to, forms of habitat manipulation (tree or brush removal, plantings, etc.), creek 29 clean ups, or use of machinery shall occur during the nesting period for Golden-cheeked 30 Warblers from March through July. 31

16 1 1. Spring surveys shall occur each year to assess the status of Golden-cheeked 2 Warblers in the area. These may be performed in conjunction with other local 3 organizations. 4 5 2. A primary footpath will be identified and maintained through the area. Footpaths 6 shall be monitored by staff on a monthly basis to identify any hazards or damages 7 that may have occurred. 8 9 3. All damaged areas shall be restored. 10 11 4. Vegetation composition analysis should be conducted to determine levels of 12 species diversity and richness in the area. Permanent transects can be established 13 so that this may be monitored on an ongoing basis. 14 15 5. Currently there is no signage in the Gaines Greenbelt. In order to increase 16 awareness of the critical nature of the habitat, interpretive signage should be 17 installed at the entrance and exit of the Sunset Valley portion of the preserve area. 18 19 6. Garbage and other debris shall be removed from the preserve on an annual basis 20 in the fall. 21 22 7. Create an entrance to the Gaines Greenbelt from properties within Sunset Valley. 23 When doing this several factors should be considered. In clearing the trail, 24 canopy cover must be maintained. Breaks in canopy cover effectively fragment 25 the habitat and create a new series of ecological issues. The resulting trail should 26 be no wider than 3 feet and no taller than 6 feet. If the trail descends on a slope a 27 series of switchbacks should be utilized to decrease the effects of erosion. 28 29 30 B. Vegetative Management 31 Minimal habitat manipulation is recommended for the Gaines Greenbelt. Due to 32 the number of steep slopes, Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) is needed for stabilization and

17 1 erosion control. Mature Junipers are also necessary, along with hardwood species, for 2 Golden-cheeked Warbler habitat. Understanding and monitoring vegetative species 3 composition will help to establish baseline habitat information. 4 Invasive plant species (Table 2) shall be monitored and/or removed from 5 locations throughout the tract. These species are aggressively invasive and shall be 6 controlled through removal or controlled herbicide applications. Wicking, by applying 7 the herbicide directly to the stem of a plant, is the preferred application method in most 8 situations. 9 Seedlings and saplings shall be planted to encourage an increase in species 10 diversity. Areas that have been disturbed should be planted and/or seeded with approved 11 plant species. Disturbance can be due to storm damage, animals, erosion, or through 12 anthropogenic means. Fall seeding of wildflowers may also be conducted to increase the 13 species diversity in open areas. All plantings shall be planted using standard practices and 14 provided supplemental water (hand watering, use of DRI-WATER, or Water Gators) for 15 approximately one month after the initial planting. 16 Oak Wilt is a significant threat to native oak populations. This tract shall be 17 surveyed yearly to determine any threats of oak wilt and proper oak wilt suppression 18 techniques will be used throughout the city. 19 20 C. Wildlife Management 21 Since the Gaines Greenbelt connects with the Barton Springs Greenbelt it would 22 be best to monitor and protect wildlife populations in cooperation with the City of Austin. 23 As listed in the management goals Golden-cheeked Warblers shall be monitored each 24 spring. Other specific wildlife populations shall be monitored on an as needed basis. 25 Wildlife such as white-tailed deer, coyotes, raccoons, other small mammals, reptiles, and 26 birds shall be monitored at this site depending on trends within the general area. If a 27 marked increase or decrease in any animal population is noticed approved monitoring 28 will begin. The overall health of the ecosystem will be monitored on a continual basis. 29 Imported Fire Ants will be controlled through the City’s Organics First Program. 30 If chemical control is necessary, approved chemicals and bait formulations will be used 31 that minimize impacts on native ants, flora, and fauna. 32

18 1 D. Fire Break Maintenance 2 The eastern edge of the Gaines Greenbelt that borders the houses on Stearns Lane 3 is a plateau that drops down into the main portion of the Gaines Greenbelt. This cliff 4 may aid in acting as a firebreak between the greenbelt and the neighboring community. 5 Since this is critical endangered species habitat and geographic features separate the 6 areas, no other tree removals are recommended at this time. 7 8 III. Monitoring 9 Each year the tract shall be reevaluated for project completion and new projects 10 suggested. This plan will be re-evaluated after three years for efficacy, and changes can 11 be made at that time. Six months after each vegetative restoration effort sites will be 12 evaluated and suggestions made to improve future projects. The evaluation of each 13 project shall be completed on Form A in the appendix. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

19 1 Open Space Management Plan 2 3 Tract 3: Indian Grass Prairie Preserve 4 5 I. Description 6 7 A. Location and Acreage 8 The Indian Grass Prairie Preserve is located along Williamson Creek between Country 9 White Lane, Home Depot Boulevard, Brodie Lane, and the apartment complex (Figure 5). 10 Part of the western boundary is adjacent to watershed protection lands of the City of 11 Austin. Contained within the preserve area are a radio tower, an associated small building, 12 and a gravel road. A wastewater line is also located north of Williamson Creek. The area 13 comprises 21.43 acres in extent.

14 15 Figure 5. Indian Prairie Grass Preserve. Trail marked in yellow. 16 17 18 B. Physical Description 19 Located approximately 700 feet above sea level, the Indian Grass Prairie Preserve 20 has several interesting physical features. The substrate of the Indian Grass Prairie 21 Preserve is Edwards Limestone and a cave occurs along the northern edge of the area. 22 This cave commonly called Sunset Valley Cave (Goat’s Head Cave) and Rattlesnake

20 1 Sink is a recharge feature for the Edwards Aquifer. The cave is composed of two main 2 chambers and is home to a variety of invertebrate species. The Indian Grass Prairie 3 Preserve is located within the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. 4 The site is bisected by Williamson Creek, which is composed of Mixed Alluvial 5 Land. Mixed Alluvial Land is comprised of beds of exposed limestone and gravelly 6 alluvium (USDA, 1974). The majority of the site is composed of Tarrant and Speck 7 soils. Tarrant soils are well-drained clay soils found atop limestone. Speck soils are 8 reddish brown and also overlay a limestone substrate. 9 10 C. Botanical Description 11 The plant community of the Indian Grass Prairie Preserve is that of a Plateau Live 12 Oak – Midgrass vegetative community (Quercus spp.). The site consists of an open 13 prairie area located near the radio tower. Many invasive species such as Johnson 14 (Sorghum halepense) and Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) inhabit this area. Native 15 species found here include Silver Bluestem (Bothriochloa laguroides), Indiangrass 16 (Sorghastrum nutans), Purple Threeawn (Aristida purpurea), Curley Mesquite (Hilaria 17 berlangerii), and Side Oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula). This area is also being 18 encroached by Honey Mesquite (Prosopsis gradulosa). 19 The major tree species include Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis), Ashe Juniper 20 (Juniperus asheii), Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia), Sugar Hackberry (Celtis laevigata), 21 and Texas Ash (Fraxinus texensis). The understory is composed of Elbowbush 22 (Foresteria pubescens), Texas Persimmon (Diospryos texana), and Wafer Ash (Ptelea 23 trifoliolata). 24 25 D. Wildlife Description 26 No official surveys have been conducted at this time, so the wildlife description is 27 based on field observations. Observed wildlife within the City of Sunset Valley includes 28 White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Coyote (Canis latrans), Raccoon (Procyon 29 lotor), Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis), Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana), 30 Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilaus floridanus), Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Common Gray Fox 31 (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), Nine-banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), Squirrels 32 (Spermophilus sp.) and other various rodent species. Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta

21 1 lindheimeri), Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster), Western 2 Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Rough Earth Snake (Virginia striatula), Red- 3 eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), Texas River Cooter (Pseudemys texana), Green 4 Anole (Anolis carolinensis), Reticulated Gecko (Coleonyx reticulates), and American 5 Toad (Bufo americanus) are the reptile and amphibian species identified to date. Central 6 Texas is along a migratory bird path and has a rich diversity of bird species. The species 7 identified to date in Sunset Valley are located in Table 1. 8 9 E. Public Access 10 The Indian Grass Prairie Preserve is open to the public for foot, bicycle, and 11 equestrian traffic during daylight hours on marked trails. From time to time, access to the 12 tract or portions of the tract may be limited in order to let the area recover from various 13 natural and anthropogenic disturbances and during times of maintenance and 14 management activities. Public notice will be provided at least 7 days prior to the closure 15 of the Indian Grass Prairie Preserve, except in times of emergency situations. Persons 16 found in the Indian Grass Prairie Preserve during a period of restricted public access shall 17 be asked to leave the area and shall not receive a citation except for violations of the law 18 other than being present in the conservation area during a period of restricted access. 19 20 II. Management Program 21 A. Goals 22 Management of this tract focuses on protection/restoration of natural resources, 23 maintaining and enhancing the prairie areas, as well as protecting the cave and recharge 24 to the aquifer. 25 26 1. Assess the status of the cave entrance. The door to the cave is prone to 27 erosion and a new gate system is necessary. This area needs to be protected 28 from trash and unfiltered runoff entering the system. 29 30 2. The prairie area needs to have periodic control/removal of mesquite and 31 invasive grasses. Late winter/early spring mowing in this area is

22 1 recommended as well as fall seeding with native grasses and wildflowers. 2 These are all components of a long-term prairie restoration project. 3 4 3. A primary foot (equestrian) path will be identified and maintained through the 5 area. 6 7 4. Garbage and other debris will be removed on an annual basis. Garbage shall 8 be removed from the creek on a bi-annual basis. 9 10 5. Boundary fences will be maintained along the perimeter of the property. 11 12 6. Install signage in the Indian Grass Prairie Preserve along the trails. The 13 signage shall be maintained and new signage will be erected as necessary. 14 15 B. Vegetative Management 16 Invasive plant species (Table 2) shall be monitored and/or removed from 17 locations throughout the tract. These species are aggressively invasive and shall be 18 controlled through removal or controlled herbicide applications. Wicking, by applying 19 the herbicide directly to the stem of a plant, is the preferred application method in most 20 situations. Pesticides will not be used within the drainage basin of the cave. 21 Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) and Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosis) are 22 both natives to Texas but can be opportunistic in their growth habit and may require 23 additional control. These plants require control when they start competing for habitat 24 from other species and create monocultures or thickets. The goal of this plan is to 25 increase or maintain species diversity, and large monocultures of any one species can 26 effect the community composition. 27 Ashe Juniper occurring along slopes should remain intact and allowed to proceed 28 through a natural succession to control soil erosion. Ashe Juniper that has grown onto 29 flat uplands and have created thickets below larger trees can be controlled through 30 removal and replanting other native understory species. These small trees can be 31 removed through a basal cut and do not require the application of an herbicide.

23 1 Honey Mesquite is a tree with a large tap root that performs a function commonly 2 known as “hydraulic lift”. During dry nights moisture moves up the tap root and into the 3 surrounding surface soils providing water to nearby plants. This combined with a thorny 4 defense makes mesquite the perfect nurse plant for other species, such as Greenbrier 5 (Smilax bona-nox), to grow up and create thickets. Mesquite that are encroaching onto 6 open grasslands, are small (below 6 feet), and have multiple small stems (<1 inch) 7 warrant removal. Mesquite will reestablish even after basal cuts, so the use of an 8 approved herbicide applied directly to the cut area is recommended. Drilling holes and 9 applying herbicide into the basally cut trunk may also be effective. 10 Seedlings and saplings shall be planted to encourage an increase in species 11 diversity. Areas that have been disturbed should be planted and/or seeded with approved 12 plant species (Table 3). Disturbance can be due to storm damage, animals, erosion, or 13 through anthropogenic means. Fall seeding of wildflowers may also be conducted to 14 increase the species diversity in open areas. All plantings shall be planted using standard 15 practices and provided supplemental water (hand watering, use of DRI-WATER, or 16 Water Gators) for approximately one month after the initial planting. 17 Oak Wilt is a significant threat to native oak populations. Oak wilt was identified 18 on adjacent property to south boundary in 1998. A trench was cut in cooperation with the 19 Texas Forest Service and the Country White Neighborhood to protect the oaks on this 20 tract. This tract shall be surveyed yearly to determine any threats of oak wilt and proper 21 oak wilt suppression techniques will be used throughout the city. 22 23 C. Wildlife Management 24 White-tailed deer will be monitored at this site annually. Wildlife such as coyotes, 25 raccoons, other small mammals, reptiles, and birds shall be monitored at this site 26 depending on trends within the general area. If a marked increase or decrease in any 27 animal population is noticed approved monitoring will begin. The overall health of the 28 ecosystem will be monitored on a continual basis. 29 Imported Fire Ants will be controlled through the City’s Organics First Program. 30 If chemical control is necessary, approved chemicals and bait formulations will be used 31 that minimize impacts on native ants, flora, and fauna. In the drainage basin for the 32 recharge feature boiling water will be used to control fire ant infestations.

24 1 D. Fire Break Maintenance 2 With the exception of the southern and eastern borders most of the Indian Grass 3 Prairie Preserve is surrounded by other natural areas and a fire break is not necessary. 4 The majority of the remaining borders are surrounded mostly by the open prairies and do 5 not pose the threat of a tree falling into a neighboring property and accelerating the 6 spread of wildfire. 7 8 III. Monitoring 9 Each year the tract shall be reevaluated for project completion and new projects 10 suggested. This plan will be re-evaluated after three years for efficacy, and changes can 11 be made at that time. Six months after each vegetative restoration effort sites will be 12 evaluated and suggestions made to improve future projects. The evaluation of each 13 project shall be completed on Form A in the Appendix. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

25 1 Open Space Management Plan 2 3 Tract 4: Cougar Creek Greenbelt 4 5 I. Description 6 7 A. Location and Acreage 8 The Cougar Creek Greenbelt is located along the Sunset Valley Branch 9 (commonly called Cougar Creek) of Williamson Creek (Figure 6). The tract extends 10 from Brodie Lane, across Ernest Robles Way, and south of Jones Road. The tract is 11 23.37 acres in extent.

12 13 Figure 6: Cougar Creek Greenbelt. Trail is marked in red. 14 15 B. Physical Description 16 The Cougar Creek Greenbelt has an elevation ranging from 680 to 700 feet above 17 sea level. Geological features include Buda Limestone on the eastern portions and river 18 terrace deposits of sand, silt, and clay along the western portion (Garner and Young, 19 1976). Soil types include Crawford clay, Speck stony clay loam, and Tarrant soils. The 20 construction of berms along the tributary along with a nearby re-irrigation system has 21 caused the formation of an ephemeral wetland on a southwestern portion of the property. 22 The berms were constructed to constrain the flow of the creek, a concrete dam was also

26 1 constructed at the terminus of the berm. A trail also follows the east to west layout of the 2 area and connects to a handicapped accessible granite gravel trail located behind the 3 Village Shopping Center. This tract is bisected by Ernest Robles Way and a significant 4 recharge feature is located southeast of Ernest Robles Way. 5 6 C. Botanical Description 7 The plant community of the Cougar Creek Greenbelt is that of a Plateau Live Oak 8 (Quercus spp.) – Midgrass series. Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis) and Cedar Elm (Ulmus 9 crassifolia) are the dominant canopy trees, with Agarita (Berberis trifoliata), Elbowbush 10 (Foresteria pubescens), Prickly Pear (Opuntia lindheimeri), and Pencil Cactus (Opuntia 11 leptocaulis) common understory species. Other common woody plants include Ashe 12 Juniper (Juniperus ashei), Honey Mesquite (Prosopsis gladulosis), Prairie Sumac (Rhus 13 lanceolata), and Sugar Hackberry (Celtis laevigata). 14 Common grasses include Buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides), Annual bluegrass 15 (Poa annua), and Silver Bluestem (Bothriochloa laguroides). Among other common 16 grasses were several invasive species including Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), 17 Johnsongrass (Sorghum halapense), Common Oats (Avena fatua), Wheat (Triticum 18 aestivum), and King Ranch Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum). 19 Common herbaceous species include Frostweed (Verbisina virginica), Prairie 20 Coneflower (Ratibida columnifera), Texas Broomweed (Gutierrezia texana), and 21 Roosevelt weed (Baccharis neglecta). Texas star (Lindheimeri texana), Indian Blanket 22 (Gaillardia pulchella), and Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuas) are also seasonally 23 found throughout the tract. 24 The wetland (mesic) areas that have developed are inhabited by Sand Spikerush 25 (Eleocharis montevidensis), Large-spike spikerush (Eleocharis palustris), and several 26 other species of rush (Juncus spp.). The area is also inhabitated by Rattlebush (Sesbania 27 drummondii). 28 7 29 D. Wildlife Description 30 With the exception of White-tailed Deer surveys, no other official wildlife 31 surveys have been conducted at this time. Observed wildlife within the City of Sunset 32 Valley includes White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Coyote (Canis latrans),

27 1 Raccoon (Procyon lotor), Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis), Virginia Opossum 2 (Didelphis virginiana), Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilaus floridanus), Bobcat (Lynx 3 rufus), Common Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), Nine-banded Armadillos 4 (Dasypus novemcinctus), Squirrels (Spermophilus sp.) and other various rodent species. 5 Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri), Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis 6 calligaster calligaster), Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Rough 7 Earth Snake (Virginia striatula), Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), Texas 8 River Cooter (Pseudemys texana), Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis), Reticulated Gecko 9 (Coleonyx reticulates), and American Toad (Bufo americanus) are the reptile and 10 amphibian species identified to date. Central Texas is along a migratory bird path and has 11 a rich diversity of bird species. Since water is available periodically throughout the year 12 this area may also be an ideal place for birds and bats to frequent. Table 1 includes a list 13 of bird species identified on Sunset Valley property. 14 15 E. Public Access 16 The Cougar Creek Greenbelt is open to the public for foot traffic during daylight 17 hours. Bicycle and equestrian traffic are permitted on marked trails during daylight 18 hours. From time to time, access to the tract or portions of the tract may be limited in 19 order to let the area recover from various natural and anthropogenic disturbances and 20 during times of maintenance and management activities. Public notice will be provided 21 at least 7 days prior to the closure of the Cougar Creek Greenbelt, except in times of 22 emergency situations. Persons found in the Cougar Creek Greenbelt during a period of 23 restricted public access shall be asked to leave the area and shall not receive a citation 24 except for violations of the law other than being present in the conservation area during a 25 period of restricted access. 26 27 II. Management Program 28 A. Goals 29 The management of the Cougar Creek Greenbelt will focus on the 30 protection/restoration of natural resources, increasing species diversity, and enhancing 31 the wetland area. 32

28 1 1. Develop a program to manage invasive grass species, while increasing the 2 density of native grasses. This may be accomplished by various mowing 3 strategies, possible herbicide application, and reseeding. 4 5 2. Maintain open grasslands by selectively removing mesquite, juniper, and 6 other woody species that can form thickets. 7 8 3. Wetland enhancement. This will include the removal of several large dead 9 trees and the seeding/planting of wetland species. This will also include the 10 construction of bat boxes and bird houses (ex. Purple Martin for mosquito 11 control). 12 13 4. Re-establish trail to connect City Hall to the Village Trail (Buffer Trail) after 14 construction of new residential area is complete. 15 16 5. Garbage and other debris will be removed from the area on an annual basis. 17 18 7. Development of wetland observation area with interpretive signage. 19 20 B. Vegetative Management 21 Invasive plant species (Table 2) shall be monitored and/or removed from 22 locations throughout the tract. These species are aggressively invasive and shall be 23 controlled through removal or controlled herbicide applications. Herbicide application is 24 not allowed within the drainage basin of the recharge feature. Wicking, by applying the 25 herbicide directly to the stem of a plant, is the preferred application method in most 26 situations. 27 Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) and Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosis) are 28 both natives to Texas but can be opportunistic in their growth habit and may require 29 additional control. These plants require control when they start competing for habitat 30 from other species and create monocultures or thickets. The goal of this plan is to 31 increase or maintain species diversity, and large monocultures of any one species can 32 effect the community composition.

29 1 Ashe Juniper occurring along slopes should remain intact and allowed to proceed 2 through a natural succession to control soil erosion. Ashe Juniper that has grown onto 3 flat uplands and have created thickets below larger trees can be controlled through 4 removal and replanting other native understory species. These small trees can be 5 removed through a basal cut and do not require the application of an herbicide. 6 Honey Mesquite is a tree with a large tap root that performs a function commonly 7 known as “hydraulic lift”. During dry nights moisture moves up the tap root and into the 8 surrounding surface soils providing water to nearby plants. This combined with a thorny 9 defense makes mesquite the perfect nurse plant for other species, such as Greenbrier 10 (Smilax bona-nox), to grow up and create thickets. Mesquite that are encroaching onto 11 open grasslands, are small (below 6 feet), and have multiple small stems (<1 inch) 12 warrant removal. Mesquite will reestablish even after basal cuts, so the use of an 13 approved herbicide applied directly to the cut area is recommended. Drilling holes and 14 applying herbicide into the basally cut trunk may also be effective. 15 Seedlings and saplings shall be planted to encourage an increase in species 16 diversity. Areas that have been disturbed should be planted and/or seeded with approved 17 plant species (Table 3). Disturbance can be due to storm damage, animals, erosion, or 18 through anthropogenic means. Fall seeding of wildflowers may also be conducted to 19 increase the species diversity in open areas. All plantings shall be planted using standard 20 practices and provided supplemental water (hand watering, use of DRI-WATER, or 21 Water Gators) for approximately one month after the initial planting. 22 Oak Wilt is a significant threat to native oak populations. This tract shall be 23 surveyed yearly to determine any threats of oak wilt and proper oak wilt suppression 24 techniques will be used throughout the city. 25 26 C. Wildlife Management 27 Specific wildlife populations shall be monitored on an as needed basis with the 28 exception of white-tailed deer on this tract. Wildlife such as coyotes, raccoons, other 29 small mammals, reptiles, and birds shall be monitored at this site depending on trends 30 within the general area. If a marked increase or decrease in any animal population is 31 noticed approved monitoring will begin. The overall health of the ecosystem will be 32 monitored on a continual basis.

30 1 White-tailed deer and other browsing animals can effect plant community 2 composition when they overpopulate an area. White-tailed deer shall be monitored 3 annually and management recommendations made based on population fluctuations. 4 White-tailed deer management incorporates all municipal tracts south of US 290 and a 5 new management program will be initiated each year. Practices designed to increase deer 6 populations are not recommended. 7 Central Texas is home to a large population of bats. Bats actively control many 8 insect populations. Since there is an ephemeral wetland, that can provide water for bats, 9 bat inhabitation is encouraged. Bat boxes can be placed in the vicinity of the wetland 10 areas to encourage nesting. 11 Imported Fire Ants will be controlled through the City’s Organics First Program. 12 If chemical control is necessary, approved chemicals and bait formulations will be used 13 that minimize impacts on native ants, flora, and fauna.. In the drainage basin for the 14 recharge feature boiling water will be used to control fire ant infestations. 15 16 D. Fire Break Maintenance 17 The majority of the borders of the Cougar Creek Greenbelt, meet other open areas 18 and do not pose an additional fire threat. The border with the residents of Yellowtail 19 Cove is buffered by a grass berm for flood control. This area also falls within a critical 20 water quality zone, and the residents have a vegetative buffer zone. The vegetative buffer 21 zone is an area of natural vegetation maintained in order to reduce the sediment load of 22 the water flowing from the residential area into the water quality zone. Since the 23 vegetative buffer of most residents remains in a natural state, and the remaining lawn is 24 manicured creating an official fire break is unnecessary. 25 26 III. Monitoring 27 Each year the tract shall be reevaluated for project completion and new projects 28 suggested. This plan will be re-evaluated after three years for efficacy and changes made 29 at that time. Six months after each vegetative restoration effort sites will be evaluated 30 and suggestions made to improve future projects. The evaluation of each project shall be 31 completed on Form A in the Appendix. 32

31 1 Open Space Management Plan 2 3 Tract 5: Sunset Valley Nature Area 4 5 I. Description 6 7 A. Location and Acreage 8 The Sunset Valley Nature Area is located between Lovegrass and Oakdale 9 (Figure 7). The tract surrounds a portion of the main branch of Williamson Creek and 10 connects with the South Hills Conservation Area. Brodie Lane separates the Sunset 11 Valley Nature Area from the Indian Prairie Grass Preserve. The flow of Williamson 12 Creek is ephemeral and no permanent body of water is located on the tract. The tract is 13 64.59 acres in extent.

14 15 Figure 7. Sunset Valley Nature Area. Trail is marked in red. 16 17 B. Physical Description 18 The elevation of the Sunset Valley Nature Area extends from approximately 670 19 to 700 feet. A third of the tract has an Edward’s Limestone substrate and the remainder 20 of the site is Buda Limestone. The tract is bisected by Williamson Creek, which is 21 composed of Mixed Alluvial Land (Md). Mixed Alluvial Land is comprised of beds of 22 exposed limestone and gravelly alluvium (USDA, 1974). The majority of this tract is

32 1 composed of Tarrant and Speck soils. Tarrant soils are well-drained clay soils found atop 2 limestone. Speck soils are reddish brown and also overlay a limestone substrate. 3 4 C. Botanical Description 5 The Sunset Valley Nature Area is considered to be a Plateau Live Oak (Quercus 6 fusiformis) - Midgrass plant community. Trees found commonly in the upland area 7 include Live Oak (Q.fusiformis), Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia), Juniper (Juniperus 8 asheii), and Honey Mesquite (Prosopsis gradulosis). The understory is composed of 9 Texas Croton (Croton fruticulosis), Elbowbush (Foresteria pubescens), and Yaupon (Ilex 10 vomitoria). The grassland areas are composed of Side Oats Grama (Boutoloua 11 curtipendula), Purpletop (Tridens flavus), Curley Mesquite (Hilaria berlangeri), and 12 Buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides). The SVNA is also home to a national champion 13 Bigelow Oak (Quercus durandii var., breviloba) along the Dry Fork Branch of 14 Williamson Creek. 15 Along the stream banks a closed canopy Oak –Juniper woodland has formed. 16 Common species along the creek are Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera), Sugar 17 Hackberry (Celtis laevigata), Texas Oak (Quercus texana), and Post Oak (Quecus 18 stellata). Elbowbush (Foresteria pubescens), Agarita (Berberis trifoliolata), and 19 Mountain Laurel (Sophora secudiflora) are common understory species. At one section 20 of the creek a small population of Alabama lipfern (Cheilanthes alabamensis) exists. 21 Common wildlflowers throughout the tract are Wild Onion (Allium spp.), 22 Spiderwort (Tradescantia humilis), White Prickly Poppy (Argemone albiflora), Southern 23 Dewberry, and Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea). 24 25 D. Wildlife Description 26 With the exception of White-tailed Deer surveys, no other official wildlife 27 surveys have been conducted at this time. Observed wildlife within the City of Sunset 28 Valley includes White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Coyote (Canis latrans), 29 Raccoon (Procyon lotor), Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis), Virginia Opossum 30 (Didelphis virginiana), Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilaus floridanus), Bobcat (Lynx 31 rufus), Common Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), Nine-banded Armadillos 32 (Dasypus novemcinctus), Squirrels (Spermophilus sp.) and other various rodent species.

33 1 Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri), Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis 2 calligaster calligaster), Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Rough 3 Earth Snake (Virginia striatula), Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), Texas 4 River Cooter (Pseudemys texana), Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis), Reticulated Gecko 5 (Coleonyx reticulates), and American Toad (Bufo americanus) are the reptile and 6 amphibian species identified to date. Central Texas is along a migratory bird path and has 7 a rich diversity of bird species. Table 1 includes a list of bird species identified on Sunset 8 Valley property. 9 10 E. Public Access 11 The Sunset Valley Nature Area is open to the public for foot traffic during 12 daylight hours. Bicycle and equestrian traffic are permitted on marked trails during 13 daylight hours. From time to time, access to the tract or portions of the tract may be 14 limited in order to let the area recover from various natural and anthropogenic 15 disturbances and during times of maintenance and management activities. Public notice 16 will be provided at least 7 days prior to the closure of the Sunset Valley Nature Area, 17 except in times of emergency situations. Persons found in the Sunset Valley Nature Area 18 during a period of restricted public access shall be asked to leave the area and shall not 19 receive a citation except for violations of the law other than being present in the 20 conservation area during a period of restricted access. 21 22 II. Management Program 23 A. Goals 24 The management goals for the Sunset Valley Nature Area will focus on the 25 protection/restoration of natural resources, increasing species diversity, trail maintenance, 26 and outreach opportunities. 27 28 1. In order to maintain the grass-woodland mix, a program to control the spread of 29 Juniper and Mesquite shall be undertaken. The procedures for this program are 30 listed under vegetative management. 31

34 1 2. Trash will be removed from the site on an annual basis, including removal of 2 accumulated debris from the creek. 3 4 3. Restoration of prairie areas with native grasses. 5 6 4. All damaged areas shall be restored. 7 8 5. Trail signage and maps will be installed. 9 10 B. Vegetative Management 11 Invasive plant species (Table 2) shall be monitored and/or removed from 12 locations throughout the tract. These species are aggressively invasive and shall be 13 controlled through removal or controlled herbicide applications. Wicking, by applying 14 the herbicide directly to the stem of a plant, is the preferred application method in most 15 situations. 16 Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) and Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosis) are 17 both natives to Texas but can be opportunistic in their growth habit and may require 18 additional control. These plants require control when they start competing for habitat 19 from other species and create monocultures or thickets. The goal of this plan is to 20 increase or maintain species diversity, and large monocultures of any one species can 21 effect the community composition. 22 Ashe Juniper occurring along slopes should remain intact and allowed to proceed 23 through a natural succession to control soil erosion. Ashe Juniper that has grown onto 24 flat uplands and have created thickets below larger trees can be controlled through 25 removal and replanting other native understory species. These small trees can be 26 removed through a basal cut and do not require the application of an herbicide. 27 Honey Mesquite is a tree with a large tap root that performs a function commonly 28 known as “hydraulic lift”. During dry nights moisture moves up the tap root and into the 29 surrounding surface soils providing water to nearby plants. This combined with a thorny 30 defense makes mesquite the perfect nurse plant for other species, such as Greenbrier 31 (Smilax bona-nox), to grow up and create thickets. Mesquite that are encroaching onto 32 open grasslands, are small (below 6 feet), and have multiple small stems (<1 inch)

35 1 warrant removal. Mesquite will reestablish even after basal cuts, so the use of an 2 approved herbicide applied directly to the cut area is recommended. Drilling holes and 3 applying herbicide into the basally cut trunk may also be effective. 4 Seedlings and saplings shall be planted to encourage an increase in species 5 diversity. Areas that have been disturbed should be planted and/or seeded with approved 6 plant species. Disturbance can be due to storm damage, animals, erosion, or through 7 anthropogenic means. Fall seeding of wildflowers may also be conducted to increase the 8 species diversity in open areas. All plantings shall be planted using standard practices and 9 provided supplemental water (hand watering, use of DRI-WATER, or Water Gators) for 10 approximately one month after the initial planting. 11 Oak Wilt is a significant threat to native oak populations. This tract shall be 12 surveyed yearly to determine any threats of oak wilt and proper oak wilt suppression 13 techniques will be used throughout the city. 14 15 C. Wildlife Management 16 Specific wildlife populations shall be monitored on an as needed basis with the 17 exception of white-tailed deer on this tract. Wildlife such as coyotes, raccoons, other 18 small mammals, reptiles, and birds shall be monitored at this site depending on trends 19 within the general area. If a marked increase or decrease in any animal population is 20 noticed approved monitoring will begin. The overall health of the ecosystem will be 21 monitored on a continual basis. 22 White-tailed deer and other browsing animals can effect plant community 23 composition when they overpopulate an area. White-tailed deer shall be monitored 24 annually and management recommendations made based on population fluctuations. 25 White-tailed deer management incorporates all municipal tracts south of US 290 and a 26 new management program will be initiated each year. Practices designed to increase deer 27 populations are not recommended. 28 Central Texas is home to a large population of bats. Bats actively control many 29 insect populations. Bat boxes can be placed in the vicinity of the wetland areas to 30 encourage nesting. This area is also home to great horned owls and red tailed hawks and 31 additional nesting boxes or platforms can also be install in this area.

36 1 Imported Fire Ants will be controlled through the City’s Organics First Program. 2 If chemical control is necessary, approved chemicals and bait formulations will be used 3 that minimize impacts on native ants, flora, and fauna.. In the drainage basin for the 4 recharge feature boiling water will be used to control fire ant infestations. 5 6 D. Fire Break Maintenance 7 The majority of the border of the SVNA does not require a defined fire break. 8 The residences bordering the area are a distance away from the property lines. The 9 majority of the adjoining properties have a similar vegetative structure at the rear of the 10 property. For these reasons a maintained fire break across the entire boundary is not 11 necessary. The trail on the southern side of the tract shall be used as a fire break for 12 residences close to the tract. 13 14 III. Monitoring 15 Each year the tract shall be reevaluated for project completion and new projects 16 suggested. This plan will be re-evaluated after three years for efficacy and changes made 17 at that time. Six months after each vegetative restoration effort, sites will be evaluated 18 and suggestions made to improve future projects. The evaluation of each project shall be 19 completed on Form A in the appendix. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

37 1 Open Space Management Plan 2 3 Miscellaneous Trail Links 4 5 Village Trail 6 I. Description 7 The Village Trail links the Cougar Creek Greenbelt to Lovegrass Lane and the 8 Sunset Valley Nature Area (Figure 8). The Village Trail is within a 15 foot easement 9 through the vegetative buffer of the Sunset Valley Village Shopping Center managed by 10 Trammel Crow. The trail itself is maintained by the City of Sunset Valley. The formal 11 trail is composed of one section that is concrete, near Ernest Robles Way and the 12 remainder is decomposed granite gravel.

13 14 Figure 8. Village Trail. Trail is marked in red. 15 16 II. Management Goals 17 The management goals for the Village Trail are as follows: 18 A. Maintain trail integrity. The Village Trail will be inspected periodically for 19 damage and erosion. The trail base is composed of road base material topped

38 1 with compacted decomposed granite. The layer of granite will be periodically 2 raked and re-compacted to maintain a level surface. 3 B. Mowing. The edges of the trail will be mowed/trimmed to provide trail 4 clearance. 5 C. In accordance with the City’s Organics First Program and with concern for the 6 nature of the area, organic compounds such as Green-Light with Conserve and 7 Vinegar will be the first choice for fire ant and vegetative control. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

39 1 Open Space Management Plan 2 3 Miscellaneous Trail Links 4 5 Lone Oak/Curley Mesquite Link 6 I. Description 7 The Lone Oak/Curley Mesquite Link is a small trail linking Lone Oak Trail to 8 Curley Mesquite Cove and the Sunset Valley Nature Area (Figure 9). The easement is 9 for a 6 foot wide trail between two adjacent properties (40 and 42 Lone Oak Trail) and 10 continues along the edge of 5 Curley Mesquite Cove. Part of the trail is enclosed by a 11 fence on both sides with a mulch path. The mulch path from Lone Oak Trail, leads to the 12 entrance of the Sunset Valley Nature Area and to Curley Mesquite Cove.

13 14 Figure 9. Lone Oak/Curley Mesquite Link. Trail marked in red. 15 16 II. Management Goals 17 A. The mulched path will be maintained by periodically adding new mulch. 18 B. The path and fence shall be relatively free of vegetation. Large weeds and 19 climbing vines shall be removed. 20 C. In accordance with the City’s Organics First Program and with concern for the

40 1 nature of the area, organic compounds such as Green-Light with Conserve and 2 Vinegar will be the first choice for fire ant and vegetative control. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

41 1 Parks and Open Space Management Plan Project Evaluation 2 3 Project Title:______4 5 Evaluation Date:______6 7 Project Completion Date:______8 Project Location:______9 Project Description:______10 ______11 ______12 ______13 ______

Planting Specifications Watering Protocol

# of plants planted______Water Gators: Y N # of plants alive at 6 months______DRI-WATER: Y N Hand-watering: Y N % Survival ______Other:______

14 15 Project Notes:______16 ______17 ______18 ______19 Recommendations:______20 ______21 ______22 ______23 Project Evaluator 24 Attach Before and After Photographs 25 26

42 1 Table 1. The Birds of Sunset Valley 2 Identified by Robin Dennis between 2001 and 2004, Cindy Sperry 2004, Carolyn 3 Meredith 2004, Carla and Walt Jenkins 2005, and Plateau Wildlife Management 2006. 4 5 Family Common Name Scientific Name 6 Ardeidae Yellow Crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea 7 Cathartidae Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 8 Black Vulture Coragyps atratus 9 Accipitridae Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus 10 Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 11 Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus 12 Falconidae Merlin Falco columbarius 13 American Kestrel Falco sparverius 14 Phasianidae Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo 15 Charadriidae Kildeer Charadrius vociferus 16 Columbidae Inca Dove Columbina inca 17 White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica 18 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura 19 Cuculidae Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus amercanus 20 Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus 21 Strigidae Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus 22 Caprimulgidae Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor 23 Apodidae Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica 24 Trochilidae Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri 25 Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris 26 Picidae Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens 27 Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus 28 Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris 29 Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 30 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius 31 Tyrannidae Eastern Pheobe Sayornis phoebe 32 Great-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus 33 Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus 34 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus fotficatus 35 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis 36 Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus 37 Laniidae Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus 38 Vireonidae Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarus 39 Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus 40 White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus 41 Corvidae Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata 42 American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos 43 Hirundinidae Purple Martin Progne subis 44 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 45 Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota 46 47

43 1 Family Common Name Scientific Name 2 Paridae Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis 3 Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus 4 Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor 5 Certhiidae Brown Creeper Certhia americana 6 Trglodytidae Bewick’s Wren Thryomanes bewickii 7 Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus 8 Carolina Wren Thyrothorus ludovicianus 9 Regulidae Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula 10 Sylviidae Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 11 Turdidae Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus 12 Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina 13 American Robin Turdus migratorius 14 Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis 15 Mimidae Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis 16 Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos 17 Sturnidae European Starling Sturnus vulgaris 18 Bombyciilidae Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum 19 Parulidae Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata 20 Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina 21 Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla 22 Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia 23 Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata 24 Black and White Warbler Mniotilta varia 25 Black-Throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens 26 Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis 27 Golden-cheeked Warbler Dendroica chrysoparia 28 Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus 29 Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia 30 Mourning Warbler Oporornis tolmiei 31 Common Yellowthroat Geothylpis trichas 32 Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 33 American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla 34 Thraupidae Summer Tanager Piranga rubra 35 Emberizidae Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus 36 Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla 37 Chipping Sparrow Spizella psserina 38 Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida 39 Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata 40 Fox Sparrow Passerella illiaca 41 Lincoln Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii 42 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophyrys 43 White-Throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis 44 45 46 47

44 1 Family Common Name Scientific Name 2 Cardinalidae Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalus 3 Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea 4 Painted Bunting Passerina ciris 5 Icteridae Red-wing Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 6 Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula 7 Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 8 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater 9 Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 10 Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula 11 Fringillidae Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria 12 House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus 13 American Gold Finch Carduelis tristis 14 Passeridae House Sparrow Passer domesticus 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47

45 1 Table 2: Invasive/Exotic Plant List 2 List of invasive, exotic plants requiring control measures 3 4 Common Name Scientific Name 5 Japanese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) 6 Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense) 7 Chinaberry (Melia azedarach) 8 Chinese Tallow (Sapium serbiferum) 9 Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense) 10 King Ranch Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) 11 Beggar’s Lice (Desmodium sp.) 12 Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) 13 Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) 14 Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon) 15 Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) 16 Golden Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) 17 Bastard Cabbage (Rapisum rogustrum) 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

46 1 Table 3. Plants Suitable for Open Space Plantings. Plants considered suitable for 2 planting within the management areas. List is not exhaustive and other plants may be 3 used upon approval. Scientific Name/ Family Common Name

Agavaceae Dasylirion texanum Texas Sotol Anacadiaceae Cotinus obovatus American Smoke Tree Rhus aromatica Aromatic Sumac Rhus lanceolata Flameleaf Sumac Rhus virens Evergreen Sumac Asteraceae Achillea millefolium Yarrow Coreopsis lanceolata Coreopsis Echinacea purpurea Purple Coneflower Helianthus maximiliani Maximillian Sunflower Liatris spp. Gayfeather Melampodium leucanthum Blackfoot Daisy Solidago canadensis Tall Goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Prairie Goldenrod Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan Asclepiadaceae Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly Weed Aquifoliaceae Ilex decidua Possumhaw Ilex vomitoria Yaupon Holly Berberidaceae Berberis (Mahonia)swaseyi Texas Barberry Berberis (Mahonia)trifoliolata Agarita Boraginaceae Ehretia anacua Anaqua Cactaceae Opuntia leptocaulis Pencil Cactus Opuntia lindheimeri Spineless Prickly Pear Commelinaceae Tradescantia spp. Spiderwort

47

Scientific Name/ Family Common Name Cornaceae Garrya lindheimeri Lindheimer silktassel Ebenaceae Diospyros texana Texas Persimmon Fabaceae Bauhinia lunarioides Anacacho Orchid Tree Cercis canadensis Redbud Dalea frutescens Black Dalea Eysenhardtia texana Kidneywood Leucaena retresa Goldenball Lead-tree Mimosa borealis Fragrant Mimosa Sophora affinis Eve's Necklace Sophora secundiflora Texas Mountain Laurel Wisteria frutescens Texas Wisteria Fagaceae Quercus fusiformis Live Oak Quercus glaucoides Lacey Oak Quercus muhlenbergii Chinquapin Oak Quercus stellata Post Oak Hippocastanaceae Aesculus pavia Red Buckeye Aesculus pavia var. flavescens Yellow Buckeye Lamiaceae Monarda spp. Bee Balm Physostegia angustifolia Spring Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana Fall Obedient Plant Salvia coccinea Scarlet Sage Salvia farinacea Mealy Blue Sage Salvia greggii Cherry Sage Liliaceae Nolina texana Sacahuista, Bear Grass Yucca spp. Yucca Malvaceae Malvaviscus arboreus Turk's Cap Pavonia lasiopetela Rock Rose

48

Scientific Name/ Family Common Name Oleaceae Foresteria pubescens Elbow Bush Onagraceae Guara lindheimeri Pink Guara Platanaceae Platanus occidentalis Texas Sycamore Poaceae Andropogon gerardii Big Bluestem Andropogon glomeratus Bushy Bluestem Buchloe dactyloides Buffalo Grass Bouteloua curtipendula Side Oats Gramma Bouteloua gracilis Blue Grama Chasmanthium latifolium Inland Sea Oats Hilaria belangeri Common Curly Mesquite Muhlenbergia spp. Muhly Grass Panicum virgatum Switchgrass Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem Sorghastrum nutans Indiangrass Ranunculaceae Aquilegia chrysantha Columbine Clematis drummondii Old Man's Beard Delphinium spp. Larkspur Rhamnaceae Rhamnus caroliniana Carolina Buckthorn Rosaeceae Prunus mexicana Mexican Plum Prunus serotina Escarpment Cherry Rubiaceae Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush Sapindaceae Ungnadia speciosa Mexican Buckeye Scropuhulariaceae Penstemon spp. Penstemon Ulmaceae Ulmus americana American Elm Ulmus crassifolia Cedar Elm

49

Scientific Name/ Family Common Name

Verbenaceae Callicarpa americana American Beautyberry Lantana horrida Texas Lantana Verbena spp. Perennial Verbena Vitaceae Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia Creeper 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

50 1 Consumer Product Safety Commission

2 Public Playground Safety Checklist

3 CPSC Document #327 4 5 Is your public playground a safe place to play? 6 7 Each year, more than 200,000 children go to U.S. hospital emergency rooms with injuries 8 associated with playground equipment. Most injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment 9 onto the ground. 10 11 Use this simple checklist to help make sure your local community or school playground is a safe 12 place to play.

13 Public Playground Safety Checklist

14 1. Make sure surfaces around playground equipment have at least 12 inches of wood chips, 15 mulch, sand, or pea gravel, or area mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like 16 materials.

17 2. Check that protective surfacing extends at least 6 feet in all directions from play 18 equipment. For swings, be sure surfacing extends, in back and front, twice the height of 19 the suspending bar.

20 3. Make sure play structures more than 30 inches high are spaced at least 9 feet apart.

21 4. Check for dangerous hardware, like open "S" hooks or protruding bolt ends.

22 5. Make sure spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between 23 ladder rungs, measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.

24 6. Check for sharp points or edges in equipment.

25 7. Look out for tripping hazards, like exposed concrete footings, tree stumps, and rocks.

26 8. Make sure elevated surfaces, like platforms and ramps, have guardrails to prevent falls.

27 9. Check playgrounds regularly to see that equipment and surfacing are in good condition.

28 10. Carefully supervise children on playgrounds to make sure they're safe. 29 30 This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced without change in part or whole by an individual or 31 organization without permission. If it is reproduced, however, the Commission would appreciate knowing how it is used. 32 Write the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Information and Public Affairs, 4330 East West Highway, 33 Bethesda, MD 20814 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged 34 with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer 35 products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the 36 nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that 37 pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of 38 consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed 39 significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 30 years. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's 41 teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription 42 list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web 43 site at www.cpsc.gov.

51 1 References

2

3 Dixon, J.R. and J.E. Werler. 2005. Texas snakes: a field guide. University of Texas 4 Press. Austin, Texas.

5 Druid Environmental. 1999. Botanical and ecological inventory of the Sunset Valley 6 creekbelts, preserves, and conservation areas. Druid Environmental. Sunset 7 Valley, Texas.

8 Garner, L.E. and K.P. Young. 1976. Environmental geology of the Austin area: an aid to 9 urban planning. University of Texas Press. Austin, Texas.

10 Gould, F. 1998. Common Texas grasses: an illustrated guide. Texas A&M University 11 Press. College Station, Texas.

12 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. April 20, 2006. “Texas Invasives” 13 http://www.texasinvasives.org/index.html.

14 Lynch, D. 1999. Native and naturalized woody plants of Austin and the Hill Country. 15 Saint Edward’s University Publishing. Austin, Texas.

16 National Geographic Society. 1999. Field guide to the birds of North America. National 17 Geographic Society. Washington, D.C.

18 United States Department of Agriculture. 1974. Soil survey of Travis County. U.S. 19 Government Printing Office. Washington, D.C.

52