Water Quality Education03/08/08 – 03/15/08 The City of Austin is seeking volunteers from March 8-March 15 to help with a dog waste campaign at Bull Creek district Park.  Bacteria, particularly that associated with pet feces, has become a problem in Bull Creek.  In order to be able to maintain the off-leash pet area and all uses of the park, including swimming and wading, the city needs your help.Volunteers will help distribute 8educational information (March 8-15).   For more information please contact sara.heilman@ci.austin.tx.us or 974-3540  Dates: March 8th – March 15th, distribute educational information Time:  flexibleContact:  sara.heilman@ci.austin.tx.us or 974-3540  

Race Recycling03/15/2008  On March 15th at 8:00 AM, the Austin Runners Club's will be hosting the Daisy 5K benefiting the Marathon Kids program.  Following the 5K is the TNT 2 mile race to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  It should be a great day of racing, but it will also generate a lot of plastic bottles that we would like to recycle.  Volunteers interested in helping out the recycling effort can register at http://daisy.austinrunners.org/ARCDaisyVolunteer.html  Please list that you’d like to help with recycling in the comment box. Date: March 15th  Time:  8am Location:  http://daisy.austinrunners.org/daisy2008coursemap.pdf (East Austin - 78702)Vol Registration:  http://daisy.austinrunners.org/ARCDaisyVolunteer.html 

REI AUSTIN & WHOLE FOODS MARKET PRESENT…THE SHOAL CREEK TRASH HUNT: Saturday, March 15th 8:00 AM-12:00 PM:  Shoal Creek Greenbelt at 9th St. Can you…spot a cigarette butt from a mile away? decipher aluminum from plastic? pick up trash faster that you can say, "Pollution?"  If you answered, “Yes,” to any of these questions, then you are qualified for the Shoal Creek Trash Hunt!   Join Enviro-Girl, REI Austin's Trail Rangers, and Whole Food Market's Green Team for our March workday along the Shoal Creek Greenbelt.  We'll pick up trash as far north as 12th St. and south to Lady Bird Lake.  Wear sturdy shoes and bring work gloves.  Poison ivy is prevalent along the trail: please dress accordingly.  We'll provide trash claws, trash/recycling bags, water, coffee, and snacks. Meet at the Shoal Creek entrance just south of 9th and Henderson near REI Austin Downtown (6th & Lamar).  To sign up, please contact REI Austin Downtown Customer Service at (512) 482-3357. RAIN PLAN:  In the case of questionable weather/work conditions, workday cancellations will be posted on the REI Downtown events website under the workday listing by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to the clean up.  Date: March 15th Time:  8am-12pmLocation:  Shoal Creek entrance just south of 9th and Henderson (Central Austin – 78701)Contact:  To sign up, please contact REI Austin Downtown Customer Service at (512) 482-3357. 

Brodie Wild Workday03/15/2008 Come help keep Brodie looking wild, natural, and clean too! The Native Plant Society is continuing to restore the native savanna--hopefully this recent rain event will trigger some spring growth and flowers.Volunteers will be moving brush piles closer to the street, so that the City can come haul away some of the stuff that has been cut down lately. The grass can be tall and lush and there aren't many trails, so wear long pants and sturdy shoes. There is a seasonal creek area, so rubber boots are not a bad idea.  Bring your own work gloves and tools like loppers and pruners. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Park in one of the plazas around the corner and take the cross walk to Brodie Wild.Date: March 15th  Time:  9am-11amLocation:  Brodie Wild, SW corner of Slaughter Lane and Brodie Lane (S Austin – 78745)Contact: kirstiharms@att.net or 512-296-9160More Info: http://brodiewild.org/ 

Butterfly Garden Workday03/15/2008 Please join the Austin Butterfly Forum from 9 am - noon to help make sure the Blachly Butterfly Trail at Zilker Botanical Garden Center will be in prime shape for spring butterflies and for the Zilker Garden Festival (http://www.zilkergarden.org/) . After some hands-on work in the flower beds,there will have a short Butterfly Walk at noon to practice butterfly and caterpillar identification skills in the garden. Date: March 15th  Time:  9am-noonLocation:  Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd (Central Austin – 78746)For more information see: http://www.austinbutterflies.org/calendar 

Dig-In03/29/08Join the Green Corn Project (www.greencornproject.org) during the 2008 Spring Dig-In!  Volunteers will build organic vegetable gardens for families, at schools, and in community centers all over town. Dig-In dates this season, March 1st, 2nd, 8th, 29th, and 30th. Volunteers are also needed who are interested in the following opportunities to get more involved with GCP and ensure success in bringing healthy, affordable to food to folks in Austin!*Become a Dig-In Leader (see training requirements below)*Mentor a new gardener (no experience necessary; approximately 4 hrs/month)*Deliver compost, seeds, and starts to garden sites before the Dig-ins (owning a truck is very helpful!)*Help put together garden packets on the Wednesdays before the Dig-insPlease email greencornproject@usa.net with the following information:*Your full name, address, phone number, and preferred email*What opportunities you are interested in*What SPECIFIC dates you are available Dates: March 1st, 2nd, 8th, 29th, and 30th.Time:  9am-2pmContact:  greencornproject@usa.net 

Slaughter Creek Trail Building03/29/2008 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: Saturday, March 29th      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

Ecological Literacy Workday03/29/2008 Combining 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, March 29th   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