To honor a collaboration between the Hays County Master Naturalists and the Wimberley Valley Museum, Master Naturalists presented a plaque to museum board members last week.
The informal ceremony was the result of a 2022 proposal made to the Wimberley Valley Museum by Hays County Master Naturalists to work together on a project involving the museum grounds. The proposal put forward the idea of transitioning the museum grounds into native and water-wise landscaping, with the care, restoration and maintenance provided by the Master Naturalists. It envisioned educational programs inside the museum and outside on the grounds that told the history of the community as well as the natural history of the land.
The location of the museum in the heart of Wimberley made it a prime property for showcasing natural area landscape design, pocket prairies with trails and a water-wise demonstration garden of native plants. The property could serve as a prototype for landscaping that conserves water, attracts wildlife and creates a beautiful environment for visitors and Wimberley citizens.
The proposal also provided a much-needed opportunity for master naturalists seeking recertification to have an opportunity to vol- unteer within the Wimberley city limits.
HAYS COUNTY MASTER NATURALISTS PRESENT A PLAQUE TO WIMBERLEY VALLEY MUSEUM BOARD MEMBERS TO MARK A MODEL COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS. ON EITHER SIDE OF HAYS COUNTY MASTER NATURALISTS SUSAN NEILL, LARRY CALVERT, BETH RAMEY, SUZANNE DAVIS AND ALICIA DEDMAN, ARE WIMBERLEY VALLEY MUSEUM BOARD MEMBERS TOM AND DEBRA BILLUPS. PHOTO BY TERESA KENDRICK
Once accepted by both entities, co-project leaders Suzanne Davis and Alicia Dedman went to work. Grants and donations for the project provided wildflower seeds for the meadow, a water catchment system and funding for landscape plants. Help came from the Ladybird Wildflower Center, the Natural Gardener, the Native Plant Society, Keep Wimberley Beautiful, the Wimberley Civic Club and the Lions Club.
This model of cooperation has given Master Naturalists a place in Wimberley to provide hours of service and, in turn, enables the museum to focus time, energy and funds on the museum building and its ongoing care.
While the Hays County Master Naturalists are involved in county-wide projects, their ongoing projects in Wimberley include Patsy Glenn Refuge; Cypress Creek Nature Preserve; Emily Ann Theatre and Gardens; Jacob’s Well Natural Area; Blue Hole Regional Park; Blanco Watershed Water Quality Monitoring; John Knox Ranch; Wimberley Village Library Nature Garden and the City of Woodcreek.
