Smith Creek Clean Up01/21/08The 4-H Capital Americorps Project has decided to do a creek clean-up in the seasonal creek that runs parallel to Smith Rd.  This creek feeds into Boggy Creek and is some serious need of attention.  This project is aimed at reducing potential mosquito populations, facilitating water flow into Boggy Creek, and cleaning any trash or pollution that may be found in the area.  Several other Smith Creek neighbor businesses have joined forces with the 4-H Capital Americorps Project.  All volunteers are encouraged to come out and take part in this MLK day of service! Light breakfast refreshments will be provided.Date: 1/21/08Time:  9AM to 3PMLocation:  1406 thru 1600B Smith Rd, Austin, TXParking: All along Smith RdContact:  Nora  Frank, EEFrank@ag.tamu.edu Phone number-Texas Cooperative Extension, 854-9600

Allan Elementary School Garden Workday01/26/2008Help spruce up the gardens at Allan Elementary School. KAB in partnership with Rhizome Collective will be weeding, turning over the soil, and adding soil to Allan’s 12 raised beds. We will also be building a compost bin. Teachers and students will be using the garden beds as a teaching opportunity this spring – join us to kick start their efforts. Date: Saturday, January 26thTime:  9:00am-12:00pmLocation:  Allan Elementary School Gardens along Shady Lane, 4900 Gonzales (East Austin-78702)  Contact:  Monica Magee: Monica@keepaustinbeautiful.org or 512-391-0619.Note: bring water bottle and gardening gloves. All tools, sunscreen, water, and some work gloves provided.

Join the South Lamar Neighborhood Association for a cleanup!  Supplies and snacks will be provided. When:  Saturday, January 26th  9am-11amWhere:  Intersection of Doolin Dr. and Clawson Rd (Central Austin – 78704)Contact:  Link Davidson, osouthaustin@aol.com

Ecological Literacy Workday01/26/2008Combining volunteer work with learning about local ecology, the Ecological Literacy Day at Hornsby Bend begins with several hours of outdoor work - ranging from trail maintenance to habitat restoration to work in the native plant nursery - and ends with at least an hour of learning about local ecology - birds, bugs, and more! Wear boots and work clothing, and be sure to bring your binoculars.When:  Saturday, January 26th  9am-1pmWhere:  Hornsby Bend, 2210 South FM 973 (SE Austin – 78725)Contact:  Kevin Anderson at Kevin.Anderson@ci.austin.tx.us or 512-972-1960 

Invasive Plant Removal @ Emma Long01/27/2008 Pull up, rip out, and otherwise destroy invasive plant species along Turkey Creek’s riparian area in Emma Long park.  These invasive plants can spread into the preserve, crowd out native vegetation, and otherwise degrade the natural community.  When:  Sunday, January 27th  1pm-4:30pmWhere:  Emma Long Park’s Turkey Creek in northwest Austin.  Directions will be sent upon registration.Contact:  daniel.dietz@ci.austin.tx.us or call 263-6443 

 Build Raised Beds 02/02/2008 Linder Elementary School's parents & teachers are asking for volunteer help during their workday. Everyone will work together to build several raised vegetable gardens so that kids will have an outdoor learning space. Wear work clothes and bring a water bottle!   Date: February 2nd Time: 9am-12pm Location: Linder Elementary School, 2800 Metcalfe Rd (SE Austin-78741) Contact:  Claudia Grimes 841-7719 (wk) / 786-0376 (cell)

Plant Trees in Patterson Park 02/02/2008 Join Tree Folks for a tree planting at Patterson Park.  Trees, tools and refreshments will be provided.  All you need to bring is yourself (and maybe some friends?) in comfortable clothes and, especially, closed-toe shoes.  Please arrive in time to be signed in by 9:00AM.  Send questions or RSVP to admin@treefolks.org.   Date: February 2nd Time: 9am-noon Location: Patterson Park, 4200 Brookview Road (East Austin – 78722) Contact:  admin@treefolks.org  

Plant Trees @ Onion Creek02/02/2008Help restore a riparian woodland along Onion Creek.  There are still about 70 trees to plant along Onion Creek.  Help finish this project for this year!  Date: February 2ndTime: 9am-1pmLocation: Onion Creek tract in central Hays county between Buda and Driftwood on FM 967.  Directions will be sent upon registration.Contact:  daniel.dietz@ci.austin.tx.us or call 263-6443. 

Fight Invasive Plants at Laguna Gloria02/02/2008 Volunteers needed to help eradicate Elephant Ear invasion in the lagoon at AMOA's Laguna Gloria at the end of west 35th St. Lake Austin has been lowered through February 8th giving a great opportunity to remove these invasive alien plants that are crowding out native plants and the lagoon.  Bring a sharp shooter or spade shovel. Conditions are muddy but not too sticky as the plants are close to the shore where there is a good layer of decomposing plant material. Be prepared with rubber boots or extrashoes, gloves, and towels.  Snacks and warm drinks will be provided.  If you are unsure about conditions, feel free to visit the grounds (access is free to the public). The areawhere we will be working is at the shoreline on the edge of the amphitheatre. When facing the villa, this area is downhill on the left. Date: February 2ndTime: 9am-4pm (volunteers welcome for any amount of time)Location: Laguna Gloria, 3809 West 35th Street (West Austin – 78703)Contact:  Ginger Hudson, ginarama@yahoo.com 

 Like to get dirty, work hard, and have fun? Then join us for trail maintenance, invasive plant removal, revegetation, erosion control, and other land management projects on the second Saturday of each month.  Date: 2nd Saturday of every month, February 9th Time:  8:30am-12:00pmLocation:  Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, 805 N. Capitol of TX Hwy (West Austin-78746)  Contact:  For more details, email hike@wildbasin.org or call 512-327-7622, ext 17.Note: Wear hiking boots or sturdy shoes and long pants with a long-sleeved shirt; bring bottled water and gloves, plus a day/fanny pack to carry personal items. You need your hands free! Dress for the weather: hat & sunscreen for solar protection; raincoat/light jacket if it's chilly or raining lightly. We don't go out in thunderstorm conditions.Website: www.wildbasin.org

Red Bud Isle Sand Bagging02/09/2008 Friends of Red Bud Isle are having a workday this Saturday the 9th from 9am – 1pm to fill and stack sandbags in preparation for the shoreline erosion and dog water access improvement project to be done later this month by Environmental Corps.  They would like to do this work now rather than as originally anticipated later this month because we can take advantage of the lowered water levels.  LCRA is scheduled to refill the lake to normal levels starting this weekend, but it will take a few days to rise to the work area.  Work will entail filling large sand bags and stacking them along the shoreline.   You do not have to be a hulk to participate, as filling sand bags is part of the work, which requires little more than basic shovel talent. Date: February 9th    Time: 9am-1pmLocation: Red Bud Isle Park, 3401 Red Bud Trail, Austin TxParking:  Parking lot at entranceContact:  Bern Abplanalp at berna@austin.rr.com to volunteer.Note: Bring work gloves and sturdy shoes.  We will be working on the far end of the park at a water access point.  Follow either nature trail to the end of the island and look for the people playing with sand. 

   The Greenbelt Guardians are planning another work day on the Barton Creek greenbelt on Saturday, February 9, from 9:00 – 1:00. We will be working on two different trails: Gus Fruh trail, at 2642 Barton Hills Drive, and Homedale trail, at 2010 Homedale Drive.   For those interested in trail repair and maintenance, please come help at the Gus Fruh trail. We will be resurfacing eroded portions of the switchback trail with a new, longer-lasting surface consisting of granite mixed with a polymer hardening agent. We will need  lots of strong hands and backs to haul the materials down the trail and spread, grade, and pack it. We anticipate this new surface will last many years without rutting or eroding. Come prepared with work shoes and gloves, and if you have a wheelbarrow to share, we need extra ones. Otherwise, we provide all of the work tools.   For those interested in invasive species removal and revegetation planting and seeding, we need your help at the Homedale trail. We will also be removing some old barbed wire fencing that snakes through our newly Ligustrum-cleared area. The wire is a remnant of Texas ranch history, there so long that it is growing through the middle of a large tree. Bring your  work gloves and wear work shoes for scrambling in vine-tangled areas. We will provide all of the other tools and supplies.   Please RSVP so we can be properly prepared. When you RSVP, indicate which trail you want to work on. There will be sign-in tables at both trail heads, and team leaders to provide guidance. Let’s all think “clear and sunny” for the work day!  IF we have a rainy, cold day on February 9, our back-up work day will be Saturday, February 16. We look forward to working with you.   Date: February 9, 2008 Time:  9am-1pm Location:  2642 Barton Hills Drive & 2010 Homedale Drive (Central Austin – 78704) Contact:  Glee Ingram – Greenbelt Guardian Coordinator, gleeful@earthlink.net 

Garden @ Mayfield02/09/2008Enjoy beautiful Mayfield park and help keep the gardens in tip-top shape.  Bring a trowel, garden gloves, and clippers if you have them.  Date: February 9th    Time: 10amLocation: Mayfield Park & Preserve, 3505 West 35th Street (West Austin- 78703)Contact:  Contact Barbara Watt at 477-6031 or prskid3@aol.com if you have any questions. 

Prune Plants/Cleanup Neighborhood Green02/10/2008 Bruning Green is a neighbor-maintained green space that was established in 2001 and has been developed into a beautiful little public space with a butterfly bed, path, stone seating walls, and bench. It is very precious to the neighborhood and needs regular maintenance to keep it in top condition.  Please bring work gloves, a pitchfork if you have one, and bottled water for yourself. Contact keeper@northfieldna.org to sign up for one of the work days Date: February 10th    Time:  4pm-5pmLocation:  Bruning Green @ 52nd, Evans, and Bruning Avenue (N. Central Austin - 78751)Parking:  along neighborhood streets, please be courteous of neighbors and do not block drivewaysContact:  keeper@northfieldna.org to volunteerNote:  Please bring work gloves, a pitchfork if you have one, and bottled water for yourself. 

Black-capped Vireo Habitat Maintenance (juniper lopping)02/16/2008 The endangered black-capped vireo does not like juniper encroaching into its habitat, so we will remove them (the juniper, not the birds) with loppers and handsaws.  For more information and/or to volunteer, contact daniel.dietz@ci.austin.tx.us or call 263-6443. Date: Saturday, February 16th Time:  9am-12:30pmLocation:  Cortana tract, near the intersection of RR 620 and FM 2222.  Directions will be sent upon registration.Contact: daniel.dietz@ci.austin.tx.us or call 263-6443 

Plant 45 Trees02/16/2008 Come help Tree Folks plant 45 trees at Stacey Park and Mabel Davis Park!  Planting will start at Stacey.  Trees, tools and refreshments will be provided.  All you need to bring is yourself (and maybe some friends?) in comfortable clothes and, especially, closed-toe shoes.  Please arrive in time to be signed in by 9:00AM.  Send questions or RSVP to admin@treefolks.org. Date: February 16thTime: 9am-noonLocation: Stacey Park, 700 East Live Oak Street (Central Austin – 78704)Contact:  admin@treefolks.org 

St. John Neighborhood Clean-Up02/16/2008  POSTPONED due to weather forecast, information on the new date will be posted as soon as it is available The St. John Neighborhood in east Austin has been working hard to clean-up over the past three years by sponsoring quarterly neighborhood clean-ups. The neighborhood has many low-income and elderly residents, and a group effort really helps! On Feb. 16, the neighborhood association will be focusing on our newly adopted St. John's Avenue, as well as Buttermilk Creek behind Pickle Elementary and some hot spots along the side streets. Come join us at 10 am and then stick around for a neighborhood block party from 12:30 to 3 pm. Both the clean-up and party are very kid friendly . . . Pickle Elementary will be working with parents along Buttermilk Creek. If you have a gas-powered trimmer or rake, bring them along. Date: Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008 - POSTPONEDTime:  10 am - 12 pm with block party from 12:30-3 pmLocation:  St. John Community Center, 7500 Blessing Ave., (NE Austin - 78752) Parking:  Plenty of parkingContact:  aweeks@austin.rr.com    512-653-4935Note: Please let Allen Weeks know if you have a group of volunteers coming so that they can plan for food. Thanks! 

Slaughter Creek Trail Building02/17/2008 Hosted by the Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club (This Event Is Eligible For Pay Dirt Hours).  The proposed target date for completing and opening the Slaughter Creek Trail is March /April 2008, so come on out and lend a hand.   Date: Sunday, February 17th Time:  9am-1:00pmLocation:  9901 Camp Ben McCullough Rd. (aka: FM1826) at Slaughter Creek, (SW Austin-78737) What to Bring: sturdy shoes or boots, sun block, bug repellent, work gloves, eye protection, WATER, & food (i.e., energy bars and/or sandwich).  Directions:

• From Austin, go to the Y in Oak Hill.  Continue west on Hwy 290 and turn left onto  Camp Ben McCullough Rd./FM1826 (third traffic light after the Y). Drive approximately 2 miles, cross the low water bridge over Slaughter Creek and the property/gate entrance will be on your left.  Drive up the driveway to the parking lot.
• From Circle C and other areas in South Austin, take Slaughter Lane to Camp Ben McCullough Rd./FM1826. Turn left on Camp Ben/1826. Drive approximately 1 mile. Cross the low water bridge over Slaughter Creek and the property/gate entrance will be on your left.  Drive up the driveway to the parking lot.

Contact: Britt Jones at bikejones2426@yahoo.com or call 512-423-0889