One thing that hasn’t been suspended, called off, delayed or ”socially distanced” is the change of seasons. You can’t ask Mother Nature to send a Zoom link for Spring, and nowhere is the incessant march of time more evident than in our city’s public green spaces. Pease Park is no exception.
With more than 400 different species of plant and animal life thriving within the iconic green space along Lamar Boulevard between 15th and 31st Streets, the 84 acres of Pease Park are among the city’s most biodiverse. This complex ecology is even more remarkable, given that it is bound up so tightly within Austin’s central urban core.
From the very beginning of our existence 12 years ago, Pease Park Conservancy has been committed to the careful stewardship of this beloved forested oasis.
The passionate volunteer workforce that supports the Conservancy’s mission has always been the beating heart of our organization. In fact, there is no way the Conservancy could have succeeded in our first and most important project (the project that inspired our very creation), without the free muscle provided by our standing army of nearly 1,200 active volunteers. You see, 12 years ago, Pease Park was dying. That’s right, the resources being focused on Austin’s most treasured and historic public green space were simply not enough to address its most basic ecological needs. And I am proud to say that “Project Save Pease Park,” that is to say, Pease Park Conservancy itself, has been an overwhelming success. And we will continue to succeed, even through challenging times like what we are all experiencing now.
The ebb and flow of ecology in a biosystem like Pease Park is a great and complex beast, full of beauty, wonder, and yes, frustration. Things like the removal of invasive species; responsibly protecting riparian zones from mowing; erosion control; planting native species that will compete with invasives naturally and work in tandem with our removal efforts; educating the public about how to exist in the space in harmony with these efforts and with nature herself...these are long-term endeavors, and again, in the long game that is ecological restoration, we are winning. And by ”we,” I mean “you.”
The Conservancy recently adopted the motto, “We serve the park, so the park can serve you.” Through good times and times of fear and uncertainty, the Conservancy will always exist to serve the park. While paradigm-shifting events like the COVID crisis are tragic, they challenge us to persevere and innovate in the execution of our work in programming, ecological restoration, volunteer management and other areas. We will continue to restore, enhance, and maintain this 84-acre public green space for the sustainable use and enjoyment of all. Thanks to the Conservancy’s work, Pease Park will continue to be known as an accessible urban green space for play, adventure and connectivity, where land stewardship, environmental innovation and inclusive programming embrace this community's history and inspire its future.
