Milestone Testimonials
In July of 2023, the 20th anniversary of the Friends of Tandy Hills founding and the 200th issue of Prairie Notes, we solicited comments from these 18 people who have unique perspectives on Tandy Hills. Some of them were involved with Tandy Hills prior to Friends of Tandy Hills, some were with us at the beginning and others are more recent arrivals. They all have have some important connection to Tandy Hills and stories to tell. We are very grateful for their kind words and for taking the time to add a new chapter to the history of this place and our organization.
Tandy Hills memories
Wayne Clark
Wayne Clark has been a naturalist, wildlife biologist, refuge manager, director and consultant for 35 years. Wildlife Science at Texas A&M University, Grad work in Aquatic Biology at University of Texas at Arlington and University of Houston at Clearlake. Associate of Science in Aviation Technology and a certificate of Horticulture at Tarrant Community College. Worked for nonprofits, US government, local government, and private firms. I now concentrate on my hobbies and personal interests.
I first set foot on Tandy Hills thirty six years ago. My presence was requested by the Director (at the time) of the Fort Worth Parks and Recreation Department. A number of local residents had been urging the department to recognize the park as something special and different from a neighborhood park.
Doubtful that anything of natural value existed in that area I made the trip to the park and discovered a small ball park and some trash strewn picnic benches. Noting that much of the ball diamond was covered in Buffalo grass (which meant that the department had not tried to “upgrade the area” I proceeded past the picnic tables and then my perception of Tandy Hills changed forever. I found numerous examples of native grasses and wildflowers that were just about everywhere and also woody plant encroachment that would slowly destroy the special nature of the park. In addition the use of vehicles (by citizens and Fort Worth City employees) where causing destruction and erosion. The park needed help.
Over the next year I made many trips to Tandy Hills, Stratford Park and the adjacent property of Broadcast Hill. I was just amazed at the diversity of plants and the suggestion of a relic Fort Worth prairie community. I wrote two reports in 1988 and 1989. I advised the department that they had something special in their possession and should consider proper protection and management. Sound simple, but it was not and easy and smooth beginning. More citizens were contacting the department asking for protection and proper management. I had the distinct impression that they regretted sending me out there as there was some major resistance in the department. Articles from the Fort Worth Star Telegram and Fort Worth Weekly brought more attention and slowly the city at least addressed the concerns with meetings and verbal commitments. The area was cabled off to prevent vehicle access and in late 1989 the management of the Tandy Hills-Stratford Park was given to the staff of the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge. With little to no funds budgeted for management the long journey to what you see today began.
In spite of all of the natural organisms that were interest to me I learned the value of citizen involvement. Prior to me coming to the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge in the mid 1970's I had been told of citizen involvement in the creation of the Nature Center. It was an inspiring story but I had not witnessed it personally. But with Tandy Hills, I was right in the middle of it all. Citizens and reporters contacted me for information and validation of the park and there were times I felt between a rock and a hard place. I would get calls from department staff asking who's side I was on or did I want the park turned into another Nature Center (like that was a derogatory term). Well, I was on the side of science and professional standards but that only carried a little weight. It was the persistence of individuals like Terry Horton, Don Young, the Friends of Tandy Hills, the Meadowbrook Neighborhood Association and others that made the difference in the wonderful natural area you see today. The acceptance of Tandy Hills as a special natural area also led to land management being accepted and eventually encouraged at the Fort Worth Nature Center.
It's been fifteen years since I retired from the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge and I visit Tandy Hills a few times a year. For me personally it gladdens my heart to seen the acceptance by the city and the work done by the Friends of Tandy Hills to improve the natural area. It gives hope for other natural areas within the city and I am proud to have played a part in the endeavor.
Tandy Hills:
Spring 2023
Kate Morgan
Kate is a 5th generation Texan with roots in the East Texas piney woods. After a career in High Energy Physics research took her around the world, she retired to her home state where the prairies beckoned. Kate considers herself a Prairie Evangelist who wants to convert us all to be prairie advocates. She is the current President of the Fort Worth Chapter of the Native Prairies Association of Texas and a new member of the Friends of Tandy Hills.
On a splendid mid-April morning, I was at Tandy Hills Natural Area listening to Don Young, the founder and president of the Friends of Tandy Hills. He was summarizing the incredible challenges that were overcome to save this piece of prairie. I knew the history of Tandy Hills and I had heard Don speak before, but on this day I really listened, and what struck me was how improbable it was for us to be standing on that spot celebrating the riotous spring wildflowers on a shred of Fort Worth Prairie.
Prairies are globally the most endangered ecosystem. Tall-grass prairies, with sufficient rainfall to suit human needs, disappear fastest, and less than 1% of the original tall-grass prairies in Texas remains. Tandy Hills is an unplowed remnant of an even more exclusive subset of the tall-grass prairies. It lies between the Eastern and Western Cross Timbers on a sliver of limestone substrate running south from the Red River, passing just west of Denton and underneath much of Fort Worth before dying out near the Brazos River. This geological feature is the Fort Worth Prairie. Due to the rainfall, the relatively flat topography and the lack of trees, it was the premier pathway for the cattle drives commemorated by our recent infatuation with all things Chisholm Trail related. It became the prime real estate developed from the late 1800’s to this day. At first it fell victim to overgrazing, then to townships, then cities and now to subdivisions. Trails and roads, highways and tollways carved the land into ever smaller parcels, wreaking havoc on an entire ecosystem. Local governments aided and abetted this income producing growth until almost nothing remains. At 160 acres, Tandy Hills is the last sizeable remnant of what was the predominant landscape upon which our history unfolded. It’s the last place we can stand and imagine the bounty our ancestors saw that made them stay. But we cannot stand still.
Tandy Hills, although “protected” is threatened by invasion from within and without. A prairie is not a park, it cannot just sit there, nicely mowed and waiting for its next visitors. It is a landscape driven by disturbance. Historically fire and grazers provided that disturbance. Cities frown on both, but without disturbance, woody and invasive species are overrunning large parts of Tandy Hills. Foreign species like privet and Johnson grass crowd out natives, disrupting the natural habitat required by native birds, pollinators and animals. Even native species like Cedar Elms and Sumacs shade out the grasses that are the foundation of every prairie. Mowing could reduce these woody encroachments, but it would also kill the grasses and over time most of the flowering plants. And there is an even greater threat from us. The area is being misused and degraded by people who do not understand its unique value. Trash accumulates in drainage areas, horse hooves destroy wet trails, people sleep under makeshift shelters, and photographers lug couches and other props across flowering meadows to get that incredible backdrop of the downtown Fort Worth skyline at sunset for betrothed couples to share electronically.
Restoring balance in this prairie ecosystem will take money and effort. We can choose to be satiated with bronze longhorn statues in city plazas, with streets named for the natural wonders that were once prevalent, and maybe just with images on our screens reminding us of what we once valued. Or we can decide it’s worth preserving the physical land that nurtured us. And for that, we have to get involved. There are many ways to contribute. We must let our civic leaders know we value our heritage and this unique ecosystem more than rampant growth. We can join the Friends of Tandy Hills, we can volunteer to clear invasive species or educate visitors. We must become the stewards of the land that our own Fort Worth Prairie, Tandy Hills, deserves. Or, when this last vestige of a once magnificent landscape is degraded beyond recognition, we can just blame ourselves. We can choose.
Tandy Hills:
A Special Place
Jim Marshall
Jim Marshall grew up in Fort Worth, graduating from Eastern Hills High School in 1967 and earning a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Jim worked a short while for the State of California before returning to Fort Worth where he operated Marshall Grain Company for 31 years. After selling the business in 2005, he served on the City of Fort Worth Parks Board, Fort Worth Botanical Society boards, and serves as treasurer of Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area. In 2007, Jim launched Project Bluebird to help rebuild the bluebird population in Fort Worth. Jim and his wife Jan enjoy traveling and spending time improving her family’s farm near Stephenville.
Fort Worth is extremely fortunate to have Tandy Hills Natural Area, 200 plus acres of undeveloped, natural green space located just minutes from the heart of a large urban city.
Tandy Hills contains more than 1,500 native plant species and provides an example of what this part of North Texas looked like hundreds of years ago before development changed the surrounding areas. The varied topography, trees, wildflowers and other vegetation afford hikers and casual visitors a conveniently located outdoor experience of exploration and interaction with nature often only found in state and national parks that are long distances from large population centers.
The continual preservation and protection of this wonderful natural asset has been spear-headed by the dedication and hard work of Don and Debora Young. Their many contributions and accomplishments include:
Founding Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area to coordinate supporters and provide tax- deductible donation opportunities
Holding festivals and events that provide outdoor entertainment while building awareness of Tandy Hills
Leading cleanup and invasive plant removal crews
Developing on-site education programs
Raising money for trails and improvements
Sending out Tandy Hills updates via 200 monthly Prairie Notes featuring Don’s poetic prose and marvelous photos
Leading efforts and raising funds in 2020 to assist the City of Fort Worth in acquiring the adjacent 53 acres of Broadcast Hill to also be preserved as green space.
I wish to express my gratitude to these two selfless individuals for all they have done to protect this special place that provides so many benefits to the environment and the community. Their steadfast devotion to Tandy Hills is to be commended and applauded. Their efforts provide benefits today and for generations to come. Thank you, Don and Debora.
20 Years of Extraordinary Work
Kim Conrow
Kim Conrow is the Immediate Past President of the Native Plant Society of Texas. She has been president of the North Central Chapter in Fort Worth and is a Texas Master Naturalist-Cross Timbers Chapter 2014. Kim is also a member of the Native Prairie Association of Texas-Fort Worth Chapter. She has worked with the National Wildlife Federation in their Monarch Steward program providing presentations on native plant landscaping and supports their Mayors’ Monarch Pledge through the Fort Worth Pollinator Ambassador partnership. She holds a BS in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Education and an MS in Science Education. Kim taught high school biology and environmental sciences.
Where would we be without Debora and Don Young? Fort Worth and the communities of people who are nourished by experiences at Tandy Hills would be diminished if not for the dedicated and principled work of these amazing people. The eastern entrance to our city has the glorious view of natural beauty that is Tandy Hills, instead of a dystopian run of fracking wells. This is all because of Debora’s and Don’s efforts beginning over twenty years ago.
All through these past years they have led significant efforts at Tandy Hills to support conservation and restoration work, document the flora and fauna, educate and encourage citizens to enjoy the land with respect and restraint, and get the city to recognize and include the Hills as a park and then enforce standards to protect the integrity of the habitats there.
Don diligently recorded these efforts in his online publication “Prairie Notes”. The Native Plant Society of Texas honored this publication in 2020 with our Digital Media Award. This award recognizes outstanding digital publications featuring Texas native plants. "Prairie Notes” is a delight. Don’s features entertain and enlighten. It is a pleasure to learn a new scientific term or study an interesting natural phenomenon through reading his prose and viewing his outstanding photography. He graciously includes others, making it easy to go beyond his notes with ample links to sources. Debora has been recording the beauty of the plants and animals in her drawings and watercolors. Her artistry is available as a lovely book of flowers in watercolors. Her recent series on the birds of Tandy Hills is stunning. They have so much talent and drive that it would be a long tally to list all they have done.
The Society also awarded Tandy Hills and Debora and Don with the Native Star Award twice! This award is for specific acts of conservation or public service. This recognition in 2014 was for their educational science-based field investigation program “Kids on the Prairie”, and in 2016 for the iNaturalists BioBlitz which at the time had the largest group of participants of any previous BioBlitz in Texas. Their work embodies the spirit of the mission of the Society. I am grateful they are members.
My husband Ray and I stumbled into a FOTHNA board of directors meeting several years ago thinking we we going to a holiday party. Goodness! The meeting place was a home being renovated, the heat was off and the room was freezing! But they carried on doing the hard work of a faithful board. It was impressive! We have also enjoyed trout lily walks, Manly Men and Wild Women day hikes, star gazing, gotten lost in the woods and were present at the dedication of the Broadcast Hill addition. We were able to enjoy all of these because of the Youngs and the people they have inspired to work for the benefit of Tandy Hills and nature.
Twenty years is a milestone. Before you know it another twenty will pass and it will be time for the next generation to pick up the torch. There are some big shoes to fill but, no doubt, the Young’s have a plan to make that happen. Many thanks for y’all’s years of extraordinary work!
An Island of Prairie, An Oasis in the City
MIchael Smith
Michael Smith is a retired Psychological Associate with a lifelong interest in nature. He teaches herpetology for a couple of Master Naturalist chapters and writes at https://livesinnature.substack.com. He has written two books on reptiles and amphibians for Texas A&M University Press and a third book (expected in 2024) is about mindfulness in nature.
When my family moved back to Texas in the early 1960s, the Fort Worth prairie became the place where I belonged. Limestone outcrops and prairie grasses, clear creeks lined with trees – happy places for my eleven-year-old self. Many of those places are gone, but when I discovered Tandy Hills Natural Area many years later, I found an island of what feels like home surrounded by city. There were patches of prairie, limestone ridges, a diversity of flowers beyond my imagining, and small creeks nestled in woodlands.
When I completed a book on mindfulness in Texas natural places (coming next year), Tandy Hills was the location for the epilogue. I wrote:
“I love visiting this place in any season, including winter when the low sun makes the hills glow in shades of amber and straw. Among the prairie grasses, the skeletons of Maximilian sunflower, Leavenworth’s Eryngo and the silvery dry leaves of last year’s White Rosinweed are sculpted reminders of summer’s past glory. All of this makes it easier to overlook the non-native plants that pop up here and there, invaders from the surrounding city. Like other urban preserves, Tandy Hills is a survivor, bearing the wounds from the encircling human population and still maintaining a surprising integrity as a remnant of the Fort Worth Prairie.”
How it has survived and even grown is the legacy of a lot of looking after and a lot of advocacy by the Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area. Any urban preserve persists only so long as there are people willing to fight for it, and we shouldn’t forget that. Development, mineral extraction, and lots of other bad ideas are always poised and waiting for a chance to erase nature. I am thankful for everyone who has removed some privet, educated some kids, run people off (looking at you, Don) when they drive ATVs across the meadow, and helped the city realize how valuable this place is.
The 20th anniversary of Prairie Notes is a good opportunity for us to brave the summer heat and visit this preserve, remembering that saving it has been a labor of love. Visiting can be an act of love and gratitude, too. All it takes is walking the trails (and staying on them, too!), getting to know the community of living things there, and just breathing and being present.
I Only Save One
Amy Martin
A journalist and writer for over 40 years, Amy Martin is the author of Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature Around Dallas-Fort Worth (Wild-DFW.com), Itchy Business: How to Treat the Poison Ivy and Poison Oak Rash, Prevent Exposure and Eradicate the Plant (Itchy.biz), and co-author of Speaking of Mother Earth. She is currently senior features writer for Green Source DFW (GreenSourceDFW.org). Her current project is Ned Fritz Legacy (NedFritz.com), a biographical website of Ned Fritz, Texas' most famous environmentalist. Martin sits on the Dallas County Open Space's Trails and Preserves Program board (DallasCounty.org/parks) and serves as state social media director for Native Prairies Association of Texas (TexasPrairie.org). For twelve years, she managed wildlife habitat rehabilitation on a private nature preserve in northeast Texas, including converting fifteen acres of pasture into tallgrass prairie. She is a certified Texas Master Naturalist with the North Texas chapter (NTMN.org). Find her writings at Moonlady.com
As an environmental reporter who covers North Texas, I’m on a lot of nonprofit group newsletter lists. But I only save one: Prairie Notes. This writing is stimulating and the photos are fantastic. Each newsletter has a great variety of material that keeps it interesting. I can scan through back issues and witness a most remarkable transformation of the organization.
Mother Nature:
Not Just a Resource to Be Exploited
Paul John Roach
Paul John Roach is a longtime Unity minister and writer. A native of Wales and a graduate of Jesus College, Oxford University, he has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English and a postgraduate degree in education from the University of Wales.
Paul was ordained by Unity in 1988 and served as the senior minister at Unity of Fort Worth, Texas, from 1988 to 2018. He has served the Unity movement on several boards and teams, including the board of Unity World Headquarters, and has written for Unity Magazine and other publications. He was the host of the weekly online show World Spirituality for 14 years. Paul has traveled extensively throughout the world, including extended stays in India and Nepal, and he is currently working on a book about his journey to India in 1976. Unity and World Religions is his first book.
It never ceases to amaze and hearten me when I walk out on to the Tandy Hills prairie and absorb the panoramic view from this natural reserve in the heart of Fort Worth. To the west, the downtown towers seem to rise out of the green, and to the north, the Trinity River bottomlands stretch as far as the grain elevators in the far distance. It’s not difficult to image what it looked like before development. And that’s the point. In the 200 acres or so of Tandy Hills we have an almost intact prairie and woodland preserve with a wealth of native flora and fauna that is an unique asset for all of us. It heartens me to think that such a place still exists, and, thanks to its friends and supporters, thrives here in Funkytown.
Mother Nature is not just a resource to be exploited. The natural world is precious beyond cost and a gift of beauty, diversity and deep soul satisfaction. A place for ceremonies, activities, walks, yes. But also a place where we can reconnect to our deeper values and needs so close to home. A place that reminds us of the intricate order and delightful harmony of the world.
Of course, much work still needs to be done. The removal of invasives is ongoing, and educating folks to sensitively use this gem remains a priority. But at the milestone of 200 editions of Prairie Notes I offer my congratulations to the Friends of the Tandy Hills Natural Area and to the driving force of Tandy Hills preservation, Don Young and his wife Debora. Onward and upward!
Tandy Hills:
A View from Afar
Misti Little
Misti Little is a biologist from Houston with deep ties to DFW. She produces The Garden Path Podcast and writes at On Texas Nature when she's not out adventuring in east Texas. In early 2023 she joined the board of the Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve in Tyler County.
When I first moved back to Texas in 2010 from an 8-year foray in Florida, my dad told me about a place I should visit not far from where he and my mom had grown up in east Fort Worth, a place called Tandy Hills. My husband and I were avid hikers, fresh off the Appalachian Trail, and needed a place to keep our legs active. As we saw the signs for Tandy Hills/Stratford Park on Meadowbrook Drive, I was taken back to my youth and remembered driving by the area often during visits with my grandparents, who at that time still lived nearby. When I finally saw Tandy Hills in its full glory from View Street, I wondered how I’d never been to the park during all of those years visiting my grandparents.
It didn’t take long to see what a gem had been hiding under my nose all of those years, and my husband and I soon set out to explore this unique habitat nestled so close to downtown Fort Worth. We learned how horrible Privet and Nandina were for the ecosystem but marveled at the bluebells and milkweeds that bloomed throughout the park. In February, we anticipated the Trout Lily blooms and walked the trails of the park looking for the perfect habitat that might reveal where they resided. When we did finally find a population tucked under the junipers, we marveled at the blooms and their ability to thrive year after year in what seemed like neglected circumstances.
Soon I found the Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area website and newsletter and signed up to stay informed on what was happening at the park, since in mid-2011 we found ourselves living in Houston. I kept tabs on the blooms and sunrise and sunset views from afar via Don’s writings, and when we came back into Fort Worth to visit my parents we made it a priority to stop by the park for hikes, especially during Trout Lily season! Sometimes we don’t have enough time to venture very far into Tandy Hills, only enough to satisfy the craving of some prairie plants, and other times we meander around the trails, new and old, looking to see what’s changing between the seasons and years.
I had the opportunity to interview Don and Debora several years ago for my podcast, The Garden Path Podcast, to get the full story on their devotion to Tandy Hills. During the hour or so I spent talking to them, it became apparent how easily it is that any one of us can become a steward for a natural area we love. Sometimes we wait around for someone else to do the work needed to be done only to realize that we’re the person who has to do the work. It isn’t always the smoothest ride and there are heartaches along the way. If Don and Debora hadn’t had the foresight to step in 20 years ago and fight oil and gas development, would Tandy Hills even be where it is today? So much has been won and gained because of their work and coordination with the City of Fort Worth to make Tandy Hills better for everyone, including the much lauded Broadcast Hill addition in 2020.
Fort Worth long ago devoured the rest of the contiguous prairie that Tandy Hills contains today. Meanwhile Tarrant county and the rest of the DFW region only continue to grow, swallowing more prairie habitat on its flanks as it does. I can only hope that in the next 20 years we will continue to have the right stewardship at the City of Fort Worth guiding the preservation of this property in the track that Don and Debora Young have so diligently nurtured in these last 20 years, and that we never take that hard work for granted.
Prairie Woman's Love
Bill Neiman
Bill Neiman started his first company in 1974 when he was nineteen. He borrowed a shovel, a rake and lawn mower and advertised offering “total outdoor care.” After fifteen years in the landscape and nursery business, he realized Texas is running out of water and valuable native ecosystems. Native American Seed was formed to help people restore the earth. It’s mission is to grow, harvest, and source high quality native seed and make it available to individuals and conservation groups. He continues to specialize in the harvest and sale of seed harvested entirely from native plants as well as conduct planting projects across the region. Bill is a leader in the movement to conserve natural resources and to restore and maintain the health of the environment. He has served on the board of Hill Country Alliance since 2010 and often serves as a voice for the unique challenges happening in the “hinterlands” of the Hill Country. He is also president of Clear View Alliance, an effort to advocate for the need of extreme care in the placement of high voltage transmission lines being built across the western Hill Country region.
It’s good to celebrate now and again. We often get so darn hung up in our narrow focused rat chasin'. It does the soul good to slow down and reflect … sometimes. We’d all do ourselves, and the planet a big favor, to take a deeper look at how we’re spending precious time. It is all that remains.
When it comes to Prairie, there is no time. There is only space. Wide open spaces of time. Prairie has got to be one of the hardest things to measure, in time. If enough of it unfolds, and you pay close enough attention … one eventually arrives at an intersection. A place best described as nothing more than a mutual understanding with yourself and Prairie.
Most of us on the people-side can’t really say we know much about time, in comparison to Prairie. One obviously undeniable thing stands big and tall, glaring at you in this intersection of space. It is that a man’s life is a wee bit short to really get his arms around Prairie.
Oh, but if you ever do slow down from that never ending rat race, that roaring river of humanity, she will speak to you.
Yes, Prairie will speak. And when she does, you always yearn for more time together with her. Taking her words seriously, you slowly learn from the softness that comes in breathing with her over years.
She will color the ways you see the world … forevermore. It is only then, when we get the faintest glimpse of her long, long time here at this place we call home.
"Let it be known, I’ve been here since your first walking people ever set foot upon me. There was no torrent of humans then. Your steps were so much softer. You came in small groups and walked single file. Your curiosity, reverence and respectful reciprocity for all beings was greatly appreciated back then.
It’s not like I can’t handle rolling thunder or pounding buffalo hooves. I am very resilient, up to a point. But so many of you no longer walk on me like you once did. So few are walking at all now.
I will not speak nor make noise over the ways Prairie has been mistreated over these years and years.
Instead, I will continue being. Into eternity. There are not many good words to bring, nor any reason or rhyme to the past. Instead, we should go now. Onwards toward the future."
Together, we’ll meet again at that sacred place called Prairie. She is our only home. To care for her is our only hope.
a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens
Suzanne tuttle
Suzanne Tuttle is a plant ecologist who retired in 2016 as Manager of the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge after a 23-year career at the park. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from UT Arlington and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Horticulture from Tarrant County Junior College (now TCC).
From 1999-2021 Suzanne taught training classes for various North Texas chapters of the Texas Master Naturalist program. She currently serves as an instructor for Native Plant Society of Texas’ Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP) and was one of the developers of the Level 4 NLCP class.
She is a chapter officer for the Fort Worth Chapter of the Native Prairies Association of Texas and is responsible for coordinating the Prairie Seekers training workshops for the chapter. She is also in her second term on the board of directors for the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center in Combine, TX.
Wow, 200 issues of Prairie Notes! And each issue is such a jewel of creativity and Tandy Hills prairie love. Since I'm not able to visit as often as I did when I oversaw the park's stewardship for the City of Fort Worth, it's a special treat when the link to a new issue arrives each month. I'm not exaggerating when I say that initiatives by the Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area, led by Don and Debora Young, saved the park for all of us. Prairie Notes is a perfect example of their effective use of combining beauty with grass roots activism. As a government employee who was often restricted from sharing my true opinions and recommendations for the park, I'll forever be grateful to the Friends and especially to the Youngs for becoming my voice to protect Tandy Hills. I think Margaret Mead's famous quote is appropriate to share here:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
Congratulations to the Friends of Tandy Hills and especially to the Youngs!
Looking Ahead
Greg Hughes
Greg Hughes is a thirty-six-year resident of Fort Worth who currently serves as Vice-President of the Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area. His past community service includes four years as a Member of the Executive Committee of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T), and Chair of the University West Neighborhood Association.
Greg’s current activities include Production Stage Manager for the Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival at University Christian Church, and Driving Instructor for The Drivers Edge High Performance Driving School. He is an active member of the West Meadowbrook Neighborhood Association, CommUnity Frontline, and Native Prairies Association of Texas.
Greg and Mary Kay just celebrated 35 years of marriage. They have three children and two grandchildren.
The wild space in the middle of a city, Tandy Hills, is an interesting treasure. To its inhabitants, it is a whole world. To its visitors, it is a place of rest and sustenance, an oasis in the urban desert of concrete. For human visitors specifically, Tandy Hills can also be a place of wonder, a place to appreciate a part of the earth that remains, mostly, as it has been for millennia.
A small group of citizens has assumed the burden of protecting Tandy Hills from invasive species and from destructive visitors. The Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area (FOTHNA) has worked to raise awareness of the unique space so it will be treasured and protected by the many people who have come to know it. That is an ongoing mission, but it can also be pointed to as a successful effort so far. FOTHNA has also improved access into the area by funding construction of professionally designed trails, while also protecting the land from erosion by closing selected “organic” trails. FOTHNA coordinates projects and activities with the city’s Parks and Recreation organization through an ongoing contractual relationship.
Historically, FOTHNA has sponsored Prairie Fest, a BioBlitz, and Kids on the Prairie. Partners along the way have included Texas Wesleyan University, Cross Timbers Master Naturalists, the Fort Worth ISD, and others. Several times a year FOTHNA also sponsors guided hikes.
The continued engagement of FOTHNA, and/or other citizen-led organizations, is critical for the long-term health of Tandy Hills. Over-use and carelessness by people visiting the property threatens to damage some of the fragile and rare species found there. Occasionally there are camps set up, leading to litter and fire hazards. And eradicating invasive species is a never-ending task. FOTHNA has acted as an advocate for the area to police, Parks and Recreation and City Council to address those issues, but that will be an ongoing need.
Looking ahead, FOTHNA will need to see some new participation to ensure continuity for years to come. So, for those who are regular readers of Prairie Notes, those who visit and love the land, consider adding “volunteer with FOTHNA” to the ways you give to the community. It’s rewarding and informative, and it makes Fort Wort a better place to live. We’d love to have you.
Big Ideas
Julie Thibodeaux
Julie Thibodeaux is the editor for Green Source DFW, an award-winning online publication covering environmental news in North Texas. Based in Fort Worth, she is a former editor and writer for the Star-Telegram’s Special Features Department.
Like Thoreau’s Walden, Don’s Prairie Notes demonstrates how one small natural area can inspire a thoughtful person as well as a whole community to big ideas. But Don’s relationship to Tandy Hills is much more than musings on walks in the wildflowers. For the past 20 years, he and his wife Debora have been caretakers, catalogers and crusaders for this botanical gem. It’s because of their vision and ability to communicate that vision, that Tandy Hills thrives and serves as a respite for so many others.
Stewardship in Action
John MacFarlane
John is a lifelong outdoorsman and environmentalist. He graduated with a degree in Environmental Science from Stephen F. Austin State University. He has worked for the US. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, Texas Parks and Wildlife, the EPA and now the FAA as an environmental specialist. He is currently the chair of the Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club where he advocates for clean water, clean air, climate action, environmental education, & environmental justice. He is a loving husband and father of two and in his spare time, he collects vinyl, likes to camp and of course, he likes to hike Tandy Hills.
Tandy Hills Natural Area, in the heart of Fort Worth, is an important native prairie that must survive and grow in perpetuity. As a naturalist and environmentalist, I enjoy hiking, birdwatching, and attending the Trout Lily Walk. When I think of Tandy Hills, I also think of the Friends of Tandy Hills, because without this very involved and active group, the natural area would not be what it is today. The Friends constantly advocate for the natural area by fundraising, clearing brush and trees and applying for (and winning) grants to build trails and educational features. One of their greatest accomplishments is when they advocated for and raised matching funds to grow the natural area by 50 acres when the City purchased Broadcast Hill. Their untiring efforts are to be praised. As chair of the Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club, myself and my executive committee believe in their mission by donating to their outdoor education programs. In this time where children are inside and hooked on their phones, we believe outdoor education is key to the future of environmental activism and conservation. Thank you to the Friends of Tandy Hills for what you do!
If you treasure something you must fight for it.
Wanda Conlin
Wanda celebrated her 94th birthday in 2023 and is still going strong because there are more windmills for tilting. She retired from City of Fort Worth Zoning Commission after 13 years of volunteer service as an appointed commissioner. Before that there was a 9 year stint as a City of Fort Worth Planning Commission member. Seven of those years she served as Chairman of the Commission. A combined Total of 22 years as an appointed commissioner. She was twice President of East Fort Worth Business Association (FWBA) and has been a board member for 31 years.
Wanda was an avid, competitive, runner for two decades and has lots of trophies to prove it.
She is married to, Don Boren, owner of Kwik Kopy Printing on Handley Drive. They are still very much engaged in all issues concerning East Fort Worth. Don serves as the Chairman of the City of Fort Worth Planning Commission. We kept this job in the family.
When choosing a place to call home a lot of factors come into play. More than 60 years ago when I chose Martel Avenue in the West Meadowbrook neighborhood as a place to put down roots and raise a family I looked carefully before making that decision. Proximity to schools, shopping on East Lancaster, easy access to all of Fort Worth were important, but more important were the trees overhanging the street and the large open spaces.
Being a small town native Texan, the acres of unspoiled tall grass prairieland spoke to my soul. I wanted my children to have the joy of roaming where the original Texans had hunted deer and buffalo. That natural area was sitting here quietly unnoticed five minutes from downtown Fort Worth. Tandy Hills sold me on my first house in West Meadowbrook.
Living in two different houses on Martel Avenue has taught me one thing. If you treasure something you sometimes must fight for it. That fight for preservation has been ongoing for those of us who love the beauty and diversity of this natural area. When Tandy Hills was designated as a natural area instead of a park, this changed the rules for unwanted uses which destroy native plants. This was a huge win.
I’m not good with years, but one of the first good things that happened for us years ago was being able to gain the interest of Wayne Clark who was a part of Fort Worth Park and Recreation Department. Cindy Arrick and I were adamant that the wildflowers be protected and persuaded him to do a survey of the plants in the park. That was an eyeopener. Clark and his group of students identified flora in the area which grows nowhere else in Texas. As a native Texas that means to me, nowhere else in the world.
We got a small survey booklet from Clark’s survey group and this is where Don Young comes on the scene. With Don came passion and the will to save this precious treasure at all costs. His group had festivals attracting hundreds of people who had no idea that this area existed, and he has worked diligently with city staff to maintain the integrity of the trails.
Over the years it has been a process of educating new management of the television station, which was once on Broadcast Hill, and of the importance of not mowing the wildflowers. Over and over as new people came in there would be a time when I’d have to be on the phone or in front of the mowers to keep from losing acres of beautiful flowers.
One other battle which drew national interest was a battle we fought with the off roaders who were clearing their own trails with chain saws. We got the city and local media involved to put a stop to this. An interesting side bar was that I got a call from a guy in California who warned me to be very careful because the off roaders had put me on a hit list with their members because I was the catalyst for preventing this destruction. Our police officers have always been our partners in keeping West Meadowbrook wonderful and were diligent in their efforts to apprehend any perpetrators of illegal activity in the area.
Two years ago I was approached by a developer with his “Vision” for Broadcast Hill. This told me that we needed to get busy to bring that area owned by Chesapeake Energy (Now known as, Total) into the Natural Area. I sent a heads up to all our East Fort Worth advocates. Carol Peters, current President of West meadowbrook Neighborhood Association, sent an email to our Councilwoman, Kelly Allen Gray, who was in a council meeting and they were discussing the city owning open spaces. Gray spoke up and said “I have one”. Meantime, Don Young and Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area were working to raise money for buying the property. This told the city that people were serious about preserving this piece of the prairie. The property was bought with funds from the drilling money and the donation from Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area, and is now a living legacy for those who come after us.
My gratitude and love go to all who have shared the passion for our piece of the prairie for these years. We have much to be thankful for. There are special places in my heart for Cindy Arrick (WMNA past-President) and her love for the wildflowers, for Don Young and his relentless protection of the whole area, for Carol Peters (WMNA past-President) for sending the critical email at just the right time, and for Jim Marshall and his work on raising the money for the Broadcast Hill purchase.
My 60 years of memories would fill a book and Don Young told me I was somewhat limited in space, so no book. I hope that the newcomers will share the passion for the prairie that those of us who have worked to preserve it have. We have learned that we must be on guard at all times.
One Word: Refuge
Sam Kieschnick
Sam Kieschnick, is an Urban Wildlife Biologist in Dallas/Fort Worth with Texas Parks and Wildlife. He’s a graduate of Tarleton State University with a master degree in genetics of pocket gophers. He worked at Weatherford College as a professor of general biology, zoology, and botany. After that, he worked at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas in the herbarium and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History as a science interpreter, as a naturalist at the Fort Worth Nature Center, and the City of Mansfield in the Parks and Recreation Department as a nature educator. Sam is also an iNaturalist superstar and has led the Trout Lily Walk at Tandy Hills since 2014.
There is one word that I think of when I imagine Tandy Hills: Refuge.
Tandy Hills is a refuge for so many species, and this is not anecdotal, this is empirical. We’ve been collecting evidence through photovouchers on iNaturalist, and we’ve documented literally nearly two thousand unique taxa. That’s not just a large number, that is a thought exercise: how many species can you name from memory? It may take a while to think of two thousand! Almost every time I get to go out to Tandy Hills, I’ll see something new that I’d not seen before. Tandy Hills is a refuge for so many organisms – it is the place they retreat to in the midst of urbanization.
Tandy Hills is a refuge for me as well. When I go out to Tandy Hills, I reconnect and engage with nature. This is essential for my well-being. It’s a shelter and a protection from the omnipresent bad news and things to be discouraged and disheartened by. I escape from these things and unite with nature when I step foot in Tandy Hills. My biophilia comes to surface as I am serenaded with the calls of the birds and cicadas, amazed at the choreography of the pollinators, bewildered by the mimicry of flies, stupefied by the patience of a crab spider.
Nature is resilient, no doubt, but this refuge can be fragile -- it demands stewardship and protection by the dedicated folks of the Friends of Tandy Hills. From picking up trash, detering off-trail photography, eliminating non-native species, and many other things, these are the individuals who prioritize the health and well-being of this refuge.
I seek out Tandy Hills as my refuge just as so many other urban organisms do. It’s one of the most precious and important places in Fort Worth.
Pay Attention.
Be Astonished. Tell About It.
Jan Miller
Jan Miller is a volunteer at Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve, a long-time (native) plant nerd, Master Naturalist, and iNaturalist enthusiast, who appreciates native prairies and Cross Timbers woodlands.
Congrats, Don Young, on issue #200! Newsletters do not write themselves (at least not yet), so tremendous thanks to you for the inspiration, fortitude and insight to share the story of this special place called Tandy Hills Natural Area (THNA). Don seems to follow poet Mary Oliver’s “Instructions for Living a Life”: “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” (which he’s quoted in “Prairie Notes”). He’s witnessed & been astonished by the natural miracles of THNA, then shared them with readers through words and photos. The intricacies of flora and fauna, the mysteries of light and shadow, the often obscure relationships of insect and plant, predator and prey. And so many human celebrations and observations, large and small over the last almost 20 years: bioblitzes, field trips for fun and/or science, Manly Men & Wild Women re-staking claim each new year, so many introduced to nature with Kids on the Prairie, so many introduced to the dark with Star Parties. Especially the magnificent Prairie Fests nestled on that ancient prairie each spring, mingling art, science, food, music, dancing, good times and good fun for kids of all ages. And, solitary relaxation, calming of mind and spirit, watching the ever-changing seasons of flora and fauna, no two ever quite the same.
Times haven’t always been idyllic: the Tandy Hills were almost ravaged by gas drilling, but Don wasn’t quiet and became the “Defender of the Prairie”. Visibility brought some who selfishly (ab)use the prairie with trash, tramping native plants and damaging habitat. Invasive species, with trees and brush unchecked without historic prairie fires, gradually overtaking the rare prairie ecosystem. Don alerted the public and city staff about the ingresses. On the defense, Prairie Posse workdays were organized to beat back trees and brush….the reward seen as day-lighted wildflowers and grasses reclaim their space.
Recently, exciting times: Broadcast Hill acres have been added to THNA, large scale management by Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department (FWPARD) is reclaiming more of the rare prairie-covered hills, funding has provided contract services for new and improved trails, and now, FWPARD hosts young interns with their first experience in public outreach and restoration management at THNA and other FW natural areas. THNA sets a regional example, regarded as a unique urban prairie wilderness.
What future challenges, miracles, and wonders await those willing to observe the prairie hills? And for those who do, please don’t stop at observing…”Tell about it.”!. Prairies, woods and wildlife don’t save themselves. Thank you Don, Debora & Friends…can’t wait for the next edition!
Where the sky and land meet in an explosion of color and peace
Tiara Chapman
Tiara Chapman (she/her) is a bonafide Nature Nerd who inspires her community to run, jump, play, and explore in greenspaces throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. She knows that personal connections to nature can bring about healing, strengthen relationships, and improve one's health and wellness. In recognizing the intersectionality of this work, she's built partnerships on a local, state, and federal level to ensure folx have equitable access to the outdoors. She firmly believes that everyone should be able to access nature from wherever they are, be it a thousand-acre nature preserve or from their living room couches. This is why she is dedicated to utilizing the tools of the 21st Century to create compelling stories, advocate for inclusion, and smooth down barriers to outdoor recreation.
In her free time, Tiara consumes books like happy meals, curates a bangin' indoor and outdoor garden, and unsuccessfully tries to nuzzle Twila, her husband's 18-year-old cat. Follow her adventures and more on TikTok @NDzTreez
I found Tandy Hills at the most perfect time in my life. It was 2016, I was scouting out new areas for the Outdoor Afro - Dallas network to hike and Jo Ann Collins had just fired me up about how incredible prairies are to North Texas. I was so excited to explore! I can't remember the exact date I was there but I will never forget the colors. The little bluestem glowed electric blue, Arkansas yucca dotted the hills with white spires, and I reveled in my first time ever seeing purple paintbrush and penstemon. From that day on I was hooked on prairies and Tandy was always my first choice place to relax and soak in a good nature break. Anytime I had friends and family come in from out of town, I made it a point to show them the Fort Worth cityscape from Tandy Hills. Both of my most memorable Outdoor Afro events have been at the park. Did you know there's a spot on the westside loop that's so tucked in that if you sit down, you are so absolutely emerged in gaillardia, coreopsis, antelope horn milkweed, and echinacea that you can pretend that the city doesn't exist for a little while? So much has changed, not only in my life but also in the park. What hasn't changed is the warm feeling that washes over me when I'm out there. There's nothing like seeing how the sky and land meet in that explosion of color and peace. I'm going to stop typing and start lacing up my hiking boots now.
Advocacy &
Sweat Equity
Michelle Villafranca
Michelle Villafranca is a Park Operations & Natural Resource Planner position in Park Operations where she reviews plans, makes policy recommendations, & advises on natural resource management planning. She serves on the City’s Open Space Conservation Program planning committee & is currently co-managing a $150,000 grant for Tandy Hills/Broadcast Hill that includes forestry mulching, invasive species management, interpretive signage, trail construction, & an intern program. Prior to this, she served 11 years as the Natural Resource Specialist for the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge. In that role, she was responsible for the Restoration Greenhouse & Seed Collection Program, which incorporated volunteers to produce native plant material for restoration, landscaping, & public programming. She coordinated the Native Neighborhoods program, which provided native plants to Fort Worth residents. Michelle also kick-started the Refuge’s Fire Effects Monitoring Program by establishing biological surveys & photo points to determine baseline data to monitor habitat restoration activities; especially prescribed burning. Michelle started with the City of Fort Worth in 2004 as a Forester where she organized tree-planting events and coordinated volunteer projects. Before the City, she worked for various conservation & land management agencies in Texas & beyond.
I've been involved with Tandy Hills planning since 2005 when the Park Department commissioned the master plan for the park. Prior to that Wayne Clark, and later Suzanne Tuttle of the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge (FWNCR) set the path for recognizing the park for its natural features. In 1987, the public urged the City to establish Tandy Hills and Stratford Natural Areas for special designation. Wayne undertook the initial Environmental Assessment and surveyed the flora and fauna. This formed the baseline of the adopted Tandy Hills/Stratford Park Strategic Master Plan (2008).
My first introduction to the park and the Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area (FOTHNA) was while working on the Master Plan. By 2009, the FWNCR and Park Department were collaborating with FOTHNA to treat privet on 14 acres through annual Brush Bash events. We also worked on trail construction, volunteer and special events, and many other natural resource projects.
This work is now culminating in a $150,000 Park/Open Space grant funded through the Conservation and Environment Fund of the North Texas Community Foundation. Through this grant, the City has been able to address up to 50 acres of privet through mulching and targeted herbicide, construct two additional miles of trails, hire three interns, and develop interpretive signage across Tandy Hills, Stratford and Broadcast Hill Open Space.
None of this work could have been done without the integral advocacy, coordination, and sweat equity of the Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area. Under the leadership of Don and Debora Young, the Friends organization has provided decades of improvements and protection of the imperiled Fort Worth Prairie habitat at this special place. Thank you for everything you and the Friends have done!