Friends of Bachman Lake - Greenbelt Edition
- Friends of Bachman Lake
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman
Special Edition
We hope the start to the New Year has been very good to you thus far. We are eager to keep the momentum going as we work to create an incredible green space for all to enjoy. Each quarter, our regular newsletter edition will focus on the Bachman Lake Greenbelt, since the restoration of this section of the park east of the lake, long hidden from many, is a vital part of our mission.
Friends of Bachman Lake is taking the restoration of the Bachman Greenbelt to a whole new level in 2026. Thanks to a very generous donation at the end of last year, we are looking to get all the invasive privet removed by March! This is truly a transformational effort and something that no other nature preserve has been able to do. We really feel like true pioneers!
Considering the Best Options for Privet Removal
Our board has consulted with experts in privet removal, Master Naturalists, biologists with Texas State Parks, Texas A&M Extension Service, Texas A&M Forest Service, the University of North Texas and even Google Gemini’s Deep Research mode to decide on the best approach between forest mulching and excavating. Our goal is to remove the privet without disturbing some of the beautiful and mature trees already thriving in the greenbelt. We want to leave the beautiful topography alone without flattening or destroying it's natural beauty.
These were our findings:
Excavators would be effective, but would also damage the trees (roots for trees intertwine with the tree roots). If we excavate and interfere with tree roots, they could be damaged and die in one to three years, depending on how entangled the tree roots are with nearby privet. Additionally, any mistakes by the operator are more likely to happen with an excavator, especially in tighter spaces.
Excavation would also leave large soil disturbances inhibiting nature returning on its own. While we could repurpose some of the soil for replanting stressed areas, the quantity might be overwhelming.
Forest mulching would not interfere with the trees and not disturb the soil as much, making the return of native plants easier.
Privet can regenerate from root fragments. While excavators could remove more roots than forest mulching, they're not going to completely eradicate them. Those fragments of roots will still sprout back.
Forest mulching is quicker, requiring only mowing through the areas. It's cheaper and would get the project done faster and in time for the birds to start nesting.
Regardless of what approach we take, the experts agree that, while cutting down the privet is key, it's not the end state. We will still need to keep pushing back that privet over next two to three years using a mix of herbicide, old-fashioned hand pulling, and even older-fashioned goats. The excavation vs mulching decison is just the start. The post-removal actions will prove to be even more critical.
The end result of all this work will be a privet-free greenbelt, ready for new native plants and species to thrive as they did before the invasive privet took it over!
Because we are geeks on top of being nature lovers, we put a list of topics and searches together and used the Google Notebook LM (Language Model) to put together an actual conversation on the pros and cons of the privet removal methods. It wraps up like a neat little podcast full of the information we researched. Have a listen.
Where We Go From Here
Our efforts are not stopping at the physical tasks. We actually want to measure the improvements that come from doing a land restoration like this. To this effect, we started last year with our first Bioblitz and soil sampling of three different areas in the Greenbelt including photographs. We think adding this area to the Audubon bird counts would also provide some additional measurements regarding biodiversity changes.
We plan to participate in future state and international citizen science events (like the City Nature Challenge in April), and continue to monitor and track the biodiversity that will return to the area once the invasive privet stops dominating the area. This is just the start, as we bring new walks and talks to the area to showcase the beautiful nature that many people don't even know is present ... yet.
Save the Dates!
1st Quarter:
We have three events already planned for the quarter, so make sure to save the dates so you can join us! We have talked to our friends at Greenspace Dallas and will be doing several combo events with them that not only involves picking up trash but also working on restoration of the Greenbelt. The first of these will be at the end of this month on January 31 at the Blackland Prarie section of the Greenbelt at the end of Cochrane Chapel Road. The next one is scheduled for March 14. Put a pin on those dates as more details will be posted to our website Events section and
our social media channels. Details for the January 31 event can be found here.
We are also happy to announce a bird watching event to show our love of birds on Valentine's Day. We will be walking in the early morning with experts from Texas Master Naturalists and Texas Conservation Alliance and are hoping to catch some winter visitors like Great Egrets, Mallards, and the American Pelican.
Events
Love Field Good Neighbor Program Meeting
January 27 6:00PM - 7:30PM
3448 W. Mockingbird Lane, 2nd Floor
Dallas, TX 75235
This quarterly meeting by the City of Dallas Department of Aviation is an opportunity for the community to learn about projects and statistics affecting the surrounding neighborhoods. It offers a way for the public to ask questions about noise, airport expansion initiatives and how the Master Plan will affect the travelers going to and through Love Field in the coming years.
Meet and Greet Every 4th Wednesday
January 28 5:00PM
Let's meet at On Rotation Brewery and Kitchen to meet over your favorite beverage and get to know each other! This is a purely social event that gives you just a bit more insight about Friends of Bachman Lake and community efforts to make all our lives better. Let's talk! Our Meet and Greet is scheduled for the 4th Wednesday of each month, weather and schedule permitting.
*Note that times/dates are subject to change. We will issue notices if the event changes or is postponed.
Blackland Prairie Clean-up and Seeding
January 31 9:00AM
The Blackland Prairie section of the Greenbelt, just at the end of Cochran Chapel Road, needs some attention and we're inviting you to join Friends of Bachman Lake and Greenspace Dallas for a clean-up and seeding event on January 31 at 9am!
Details can be found here. After the event, feel free to join everyone at On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen on Lemmon Avenue to enjoy your refreshment of choice and have fun socializing!
Bachman Lake Park Clean-Up
February 7 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Bachman Lake Park
Join Laura Cadena, Dallas City Council District 6, and Adam Medrano,
Dallas Park and Recreation Board Member for District 6, at this community event to help with clean-up along the Bachman Lake Creek. Specific meeting location will be provided via our social media channels but be sure to save the date now!
Valentine's Day Bird Walk and Watch
February 14 8:00AM
Friends of Bachman Lake, Audubon Dallas, North Texas Naturalists and the Texas Conservation Alliance invite you to join them for a light hike on Valentine's Day, dedicated to falling in love with the sights and sounds of North Texas birds!
The early birds start walking at 8am and will meet at the Bachman Greenbelt Trail at 3880 W Northwest Highway. Scan the QR code in the image or link here for details.
