David Touchon, The Cibolo Land Manager
We all have bias towards certain things. Does Pineapple belong on Pizza? Do scented candles belong on a dinner table? Bias fills our daily life and “less said is best said” unless asked about land management practices. Fear not! Be Bold and Courageous since a little bit of Loraxian logic and creativity can go a very long way towards the health of the land!
Who do we turn to when we have questions about best management practices within the burgeoning Urban Interface? Much of the advice that we receive comes from family, friends, co-workers and proximal professional associations. Many times we go to the well of advice that has gone dry long ago or act with retrograde “new ideas”.
Fresh eyes! I come from the world of residential camping and entertaining outside guests/visitors who have “Fresh Eyes” is fantastically helpful. We get used to seeing everything within our daily routine and our eyes might become a little “stale”. Fresh eyes bring new perspectives that can draw our attention to large or small details that we might overlook. Many times, another set of bright inquisitive eyes provide insight toward simple modifications that lead to large dividends.
Leave some green or brown on the ground and observe! SELECT HARVESTING is a very useful tool depending on the time of the year and might become a precautionary tale. A close-up personal view of the land can reveal small capris of nature that can be left alone to flourish instead of the broad strokes of clearing. Wildland systems are incredibly complex and all you need to do is to step out of your vehicle. The mosaic approach is quite handy in this case!
The Texas Hill Country is an incredibly diverse place for Flora and Fauna, but we need understand what works best with given limitations. Much of the native flora within the Hill Country can be best described as demure due to rainfall limitations. Certain areas within the clefts and valleys of the Hill Country can have a more pronounced floral presence due to aspect and soil moisture content.
Many times, we find ourselves swimming upstream with corrective actions upon the land. “Raw” native land provides an incredible opportunity to work with the land and establish working baselines of a solid management plan (BPM). Most often, land falls into the categories of Improved, Overused and Neglected. Recreating a natural aesthetic can be a consuming effort that is festooned with a mine field of bias and compromise.
With all that said, Spring is nigh! Cruise your land, note your Blue Bonnets. Cage your young woody vegetation from the mouths that munch. Wrap up your cut/spray pruning operations. Prepare your beds, berms and swales for the longer photo period. Clean and maintenance your nesting boxes for your feathered visitors.
The dark season is ending, so let your land stand upright and face the light of growth. Never forget to phone a friend for help and I will see you in the woods!
