Hispanic Heritage Month starts today and Pease Park Conservancy is honored to have cultivated a team with such rich and diverse backgrounds!
Representation matters and thanks to these incredible individuals, we have been able to broaden our community offerings and how we serve Spanish speakers through bilingual communications, programming, and our Ecologist School Field Trips. Join us in celebrating the value and leadership they bring to the organization and its mission by getting to know them!
As Latino Conservation Week comes to an end, we want to reflect on the many different ways in which Latinos are playing a role in conservation. From organizing events for groups to spend time in nature like Latino Outdoors’ initiative does, to working in land management, parks departments, and leading research across various topics concerning conservation - the work doesn’t end here! We hope you’ll stay connected with this initiative led by the Hispanic Access Foundation!
Thank you for your feedback and concerns regarding the splash pad at Pease Park.
At this time, public safety remains our top priority. We cannot reopen the water feature until we are absolutely certain it is safe to do so. The sophisticated controller equipment that continuously monitors water quality, dispenses the chemicals, and automatically shuts off the splash pad when water quality is out of balance must be operating properly to ensure that it is safe for play. Unhealthy water quality can cause illness and death.We want to assure you that we are working diligently to diagnose the problem and make the necessary repairs. We are working with GPSI, the firm that designed and built the splash pad, as well as IPS, the manufacturer of the controller equipment.
For the past 10 years, the week of July 15 through July 23rd has been recognized as Latino Conservation Week - An initiative led by the Hispanic Access Foundation to further amplify the presence of Latinos in the outdoors. During this time organizations and community groups across the country have gathered and participated in various events to promote conservation efforts in their local environments.
In honor of Latino Conservation Week, we spoke to Josie (San Antonio Regional Coordinator) and Bianca (Program Coordinator) of Latino Outdoors about the history of Latino Outdoors, the work that they do and why it’s important to build an inclusive outdoors:
One of February’s long celebrated moments of remembrance. Since 1976 we have made it an American practice to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” — Pease Park Conservancy is working to center narratives, prioritize experiences, and most importantly to restructuralize how public land is cultivated and shared.
Impact. Many of us want to have a positive impact on the world, on other people, on the environment, and on future generations. At times we feel powerless, discouraged, or that our ability to control the way things are moving is limited. So, it helps to stop and take stock of how you have and how you will impact the world around you, in ways that are unique to you, with your specific set of talents, passions, and influence. As Sharon McMahon (aka America’s Government Teacher) points out in her book, The Small and Mighty, everyday people who are not in the history books have helped shape the course of history and they can serve as inspiration to us all.
At Pease Park Conservancy, our sphere of influence as a team is on a beautiful 84-acre urban green space. It’s easy to imagine the amount of development that would be in Pease Park’s place if it weren’t protected and cared for. We want to share the recent impacts that our team of 12 has had on this park and the community around it, by using our unique talents, knowledge, and drive.
The cycle of life is now evident in Pease Park, as we have recently learned that five Cedar Elms in Kingsbury Commons have reached a point where they need to come down. Each of these trees has experienced loss of major limbs and canopy repair, and while some parts of the trees are still alive, they pose a danger to park visitors and must be removed. They have provided parkgoers with shade and beauty, and birds, squirrels, and bugs with shelter and nourishment. We are sad to see them go.
Fall is officially here and Halloween is just around the corner!
We know all too well how difficult it can be to find a costume that expresses your wit, interests, and unique individuality. As a cherished Pease Park Conservancy volunteer we want to ease your worries and give you some park-inspired Halloween costume ideas!
The catch? Well we would love to see you at the park volunteering in your park-personified costumes - just make sure you can still move around and volunteer in your look!
Read on for upcoming volunteer events, news and blogposts from the 84 acres, and featured programming events.
The Shoal Creek Trail through Pease park has been blocked by debris from two major landslides that occurred in 2018 and 2019. After years of advocacy with the City of Austin from Shoal Creek Conservancy (SCC) and Pease Park Conservancy (PPC), the debris and trail closure remain. Though this is a complex issue, PPC, SCC, and Pemberton Heights Neighborhood Association (PHNA) agree that it remains an important priority to work with the City to provide a safe, accessible restoration of this area of the park and the trail that serves it.
This month we invite you to celebrate Latino Conservation Week and Hispanic Heritage Month at Pease Park - Austin’s first and oldest greenspace! Spending time outdoors is linked to improved mental, physical, and cognitive wellness.
Pease Park Conservancy works to make Pease Park an equitable and sustainable greenspace for all of Austin to enjoy.
Read on for upcoming opportunities and ways to build community.
This summer I had the opportunity to intern at Pease Park Conservancy. Although I mostly interacted with adults, the most memorable conversations were with the kids.
I’ve chosen my final project to focus on interviewing children on their thoughts about spending time outdoors and in the park. Listening to them was a delightful experience, and I hope you enjoy it too.
What draws you to a park? What might prevent you from going to a park? Pease Park Conservancy is reaching out to the Austin community for input on Pease Park and our local green spaces. Your feedback will play a crucial role in shaping our efforts to preserve and enhance Pease Park for everyone’s enjoyment, including your own!
Please complete our short survey for a chance to win a free reservation at the Tudor Cottage and Terrace! In late September, we will randomly select a survey respondent who completed the survey in full for this prize.
Pease Park Conservancy continues to care for, conserve, and program Austin’s first and oldest greenspace.
As we approach the third anniversary of the reopening of Kingsbury Commons we are excited to share all of the things we have been able to accomplish in 2023. Check out our impact report below to learn more!
The month of June offers us the opportunity to celebrate, pause and reflect. For students, it is a chance to contemplate the successes of the school year. For several communities it is a time to honor change and champion continued progress.
As we enter the summer season Pease Park Conservancy continues to praise the shade trees offer us among their many other benefits. After last week’s storms, Pease Park has lost much-needed shade, but the Conservancy’s Park Operations Team has been working diligently to collect debris and assess damaged structures.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. After celebrating Earth and all of its wonder, we are left thinking about the way our planet’s health and our individual wellbeing are intrinsically connected.
No matter your motivation, we invite you to join one of our recurring Pease Corps Volunteer Events this Mental Health Awareness month as we steward wellness through our natural spaces.
For many of us, May is one of the most hectic months of the year. It brings finals, deadlines, gatherings, and transitions. Taking care of your mental health can fall by the wayside when you have a lot going on; but without some intentional self-care, our health, relationships, and productivity can suffer.
Dr. Curtis Eckerman, Department Chair of Biology at Austin Community College, is a friend of Pease Park and an expert in moths. Each semester he leads his students in moth studies in Kingsbury Commons and wishes to share this passion with others.
As our featured April blogpost in our series (Conversations in Conservation), he has given us a sneak peek into the magic of mothing.
This spring Dr. Eckerman has graciously extended the invitation for all Austinites to join him and his students in a moth expedition. Click here to join!
Curious about the materials used to build the Pease Park troll?
More than 80% of Malin’s Fountain is made from recycled, repurposed, or found materials. A local sawmill with the mission of giving new life to Austin’s fallen trees, Harvest Lumber Co. recovered materials from a research test tank at The University of Texas JJ Pickle Research Center and custom-milled it to be used for Malin’s Fountain’s exterior cladding. Here are some more specifics.
