New Species for the Lubbock Area!
Ellen5 was looking at a photo I took of some wildflowers in the Mackenzie Wilds area and wondered whether what I dismissed as Woolly Locoweed was another species altogether. "Fortune favors the prepared mind," as Pasteur said. Ellen's mind was well-prepared while mine was not.
If confirmed, this is the first Lubbock County observation of Oxytropis lambertii, right here in Mackenzie Park Wilds. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13895324 While it was my photo, credit belongs to Ellen5.
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Isn't this a wonderful thing, this iNat thing?
Downside is that the location of that observation turns out to be on a wide caliche ridge where a disk golf hole or tee is under preparation. It is not in a bowl. There has been clearing of small trees and shrubs and the whole ridge was mowed and vehicles driven around. I may have photos of the Oxytropis -- have to decide if that's what it is. I have a photo of an Escobaria clump that was driven over on that ridge.
My inclination is to accuse the Parks & Rec Dept of nuking the crown jewel of the park, which we are coming to realize is the crown jewel of all Lubbock parks. There is a long weekend to research, reflect, and decide what to do. Meanwhile there is all sorts of traffic; as I left, a private pickup drove down on the caliche track leading from that ridge by the horse statues; what they were doing up there I have no idea unless it has to do with preparations for the 4th.
Without an endangered species, and officials who care, i don't see how you can stop them.
Maybe there's a middle way. Maybe if the "woodland" aspect of the course can be used as a selling point for them (an advertisable thing), they'll see the value of it. There's a disk course over on Milwaukee, big flat field, that no visitors will ever play. Visitors (and residents) want to play the courses that wind along streams, up and down slopes, through the trees. The Mackenzie course is a reputable course Because Of Its Natural Setting.
So i'm going to ask you to meditate on working with the course developers to install nature trails together with the disc course. The plant life can be preserved by rearranging it a little bit, create some natural garden zones that the city doesn't have to maintain! You can show them evidence that the basic environment is already in place, and that mowing it all down to scorched earth would fail to attract visitors. But a natural course such as they have at Sipapu is easily doable, and will be much more appealing to a greater number of customers.
What do you think?
Just my thoughts, but i think it might be an achievable compromise, maybe. If the wizard is a wizard who will serve.
Agree. You are the voice of reason. Losing one's temper accomplishes less than nothing. Park authorities have the job of balancing interests. Getting things done means compromise. Tonight I'm going to download and post the photos to see if they are of Oxytropis.
We have a first observation w/i Loop 289 though not in city limits if the ID holds up. Shaggy Dwarf Morning Glory. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13902915
Uploading my photos of May 9, I find 2-3 specimens of Oxytropis lambertii pictured. Two may be specimens photographed May 4. May be looking at 3 specimens altogether.
If my Zizotes Milkweed observation holds up, that would be another first for Lubbock County and the area. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14033562
Also the Spreading Sida if it is not really Beaked Sida. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14033586
This one I have no clue about. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14033535
Or https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14033579
So, I get to work with parks departments a bunch, and I've found that when they recognize a constituency of folks that seek out areas of nature/biodiversity, they can modify management! iNat is a great way to highlight just how much biodiversity exists in an area and how many folks go a place to see it. :)
Thanks Sam! To be frank, this constituency is kinda small, and the South Plains Texas Master Naturalist chapter is, um, more like a squad than a platoon. But we don't have to tell them, right?
But you might talk to these folks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/269419899738666/
Ask them if they wouldn't prefer a natural environment to an artificial "shaven" one
Good point. I have another 150 or pics to sift thru for that location and then am caught up. There, not elsewhere. Then to formulate plan.
Also there could be 5-6 duplicate observations to weed out incl 2 Escorbia. Problem being I cherry-picked from photos and then sat on the rest for weeks. Last upload I forgot to compare with already uploaded pics of that date. Am getting faster at bulk uploading. Already way past my 40 volunteer hours.
I've begun to edit the ones i took last week. Lots of photos and some interesting stuff--a lot of wetland stuff.
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