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Stahlman Park
It
Can be Dune!
Many
people ask why sand dunes should be preserved; "they are
just piles of sand devoid of plants and animals."
Nothing could be further from the truth. Of all the
earth's natural phenomena, sand dunes are one of the
most beautiful and fascinating. The complex geological
factors resulting in the formation of dunes and their
subsequent colonization by plants and animals are
absolutely amazing. Sand dunes, often reveal many
mysteries about the geologic history and weather
patterns of a region. To stand before a gleaming white
sand dune and realize that all of this was once an
ancient lake bed or coastal plain is quite astonishing.
The incredible roaring sounds of distant dunes is an
unforgettable experience, particularly during the quiet
hours of darkness and daybreak. Starting with the wind
and tumbling particles of sand and culminating in
picturesque drifts of rippled sand with an entire,
dynamic, living community of plants and animals; this is
one of nature's most remarkable cycles, and it is truly
a phenomenon of wind....
Sand Dune Restoration
Saturday,
January 20th Brazoria County residents have the
opportunity to help with the Sand Dune Restoration
project by placing recycled Christmas trees at the foot
of the sand dunes and staking them down to catch
windblown sand.
Volunteers
can gather at 9 a.m. Saturday at Stahlman Park (Surfside
Beach) or the Brazoria County Park at Quintana Beach.
There they can get stakes and twine - please bring your
own hammer and gloves - and dress appropriately for the
weather. Who knows? Your effort in capturing the sand on
the beaches, may reduce the amount of sand plugging our
river's mouth.
It takes
about 1,000 trees to cover a mile of beach - and there
are 21 miles of beach in Brazoria County. The effort of
recycling the Christmas trees does 2 things. It reduces
the amount of items in our landfill AND it really does
help reduce the beach erosion Brazoria County is
experiencing. So, if you can help out, go down to the
beach and help replant the Christmas trees at the
existing dunes base and think - it can be DUNE!
For more
details, please read Rich Tillman's article from The
Facts, January 16, 2007:
Brazoria County Day 2007
The next planning
meeting for Brazoria County Day 2007 is
scheduled for TODAY
Wednesday, January 17th at 3:00. The meeting will be
held at the Brazosport Chamber of Commerce office at 3:00
p.m. Abner Jackson Parkway, Lake Jackson. The meeting is
open to anyone wanting to learn more about Brazoria County
Day. The actual event is on March 20th, in Austin. Several
F.O.R. members plan to attend this event, to represent
Friends Of the River.
F.O.R. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY - GET
INVOLVED !
Your
Wish is - Grant-ed
Friends
Of the River San Bernard (F.O.R.) has accomplished
many things in our short existence thanks to the
support of the local community and our dedicated
officers, members, and volunteers. Occasionally, we
appeal to the general membership and community at
large when an opportunity arises. We now have this
opportunity.
Few
things in life are free and it takes money and
reserves to run our organization and realize
objectives such as opening the river mouth. Many
sources of funding are available through government
and non-governmental grants. However, to tap into
these funds requires being able to find them and
then make the proper application for them. Grant
writing is a discipline and a science of its
own. There are set protocols that need to be met
and proper ways to address and articulate our
needs. Brazosport College
is offering a non-credit course in grant writing as
part of their career advancement program. This five
week course covers the basic components that
comprise a competitive grant application. A brief
overview of the program can bee seen at: http://www.brazosport.edu/Sched_SP07_online.pdf
The course starts on January
22, 2007 and runs through February 19 on Monday
evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The classes
are held at the Lake
Jackson Learning Center at 120 Circle
Way in the Four Corners shopping center.
F.O.R.
San Bernard will pay the tuition for 3 qualified
volunteers who wish to attend and assist the
organization in writing grant applications.
Time is short as classes start in just
another week.
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