It wasn’t long ago I realized developers often name the streets after what they systematically destroy in the process of development. In this case, it’s at least possible that this area was a high meadow or bluff with an elevation of over 100ft higher than the nearby Elm Fork of the Trinity River to the west.
Long gone are the beautiful prairie plants native to the area. In their place, oaks, pines, crepe myrtles, honeysuckle (the introduced variety), and seemingly endless islands of cultivated turf-grass separated by concrete.
The supposed mesas, meadows and bluffs of a by-gone era now exist as a relatively peaceful neighborhood right next to an extremely massive freeway, a freeway that didn’t exist anywhere close to its current form when this neighborhood was initially developed.
I’d love to see a selection of prairie plants native to this Blackland Prairie ecoregion of Texas to return. What if a majority of the St. Augustine grass was simply replaced with short grasses such as Bouteloua dactyloides (Buffalograss), Bouteloua gracilis (Blue Grama) and Hilaria belangeri (Curly Mesquite)? This alone would drastically reduce the amount of supplemental watering, fertilizer usage and mowing required. I think that would be a wonderful thing.
What is a thing or two you would like to see improved in your own neighborhood? Something you can control? And maybe even something you can potentially positively influence?
