JUNE 2014 SUNRAYS | 33
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
Locally, LNT is partnered byWilliamson
County through the Williamson County
Conservation Foundation (WCCF). Indi-
viduals who attend a 90-minute “LNT
For Williamson County Preserves” class
are instructed not only in the LNT prin-
ciples, but also are issued a permit al-
lowing them access to trails within the
county’s protected preserves, includ-
ing Twin Springs Preserve near Lake
Georgetown’s north shore. This 170-acre
tract, purchased by Williamson County
in 2009, is habitat for rare cave bugs,
threatened Georgetown salamanders
and endangered Golden-cheeked War-
blers, which migrate from Mexico each
year to Central Texas nesting grounds.
Twin Springs Preserve is also home to
wild turkey, fox, deer and raccoon.
Williamson County also administers
several other preserves, including two
that are located adjacent to Sun City and
which are scheduled to be available to
the public in the not-too-distant future.
Both preserves are designated as KFAs
(Karst Fauna Areas) and provide habitat
for rare species which live in karst areas
(porous limestone sinkholes, formations
or caves).
LNT Training
Gary Boyd, Executive Director of the
WCCF, first presented LNT classes to
Sun City’s Hiking Club members in
2013. Due to the popularity of the class,
Mr. Boyd generously agreed to train six
club volunteers to become LNT present-
ers; that team has offered two classes
to other club members thus far in 2014.
In fact, of the approximately 500 indi-
viduals who hold LNT permits for the
county’s protected preserves, 132 are
members of the Sun City Texas Hik-
ing Club. Mr. Boyd also conducts LNT
classes for the general public at REI
Braving January temperatures in the low 20s, Tom Duffe, Paul Mack, Cathy Cor-
bell, Robert Crane and Doug Steinke collect unsightly “traces” left by previous
users along the Granger Lake trail system.
A Brief History
of Conservation
• U.S. conservation efforts date
back to the late 19th century
with organizations such as
The Appalachian Mountain
Club (est. 1876) and the
Audubon Society (est. 1886)
paving the way for others.
• During the 1940s, 1950s and
1960s, U.S. Forest Service
(USFS) radio, television
and print media campaigns
urged the American public
to safeguard the nation’s
threatened and dwindling
natural resources. (Remem-
ber Smokey Bear?)
• The landmarkWilderness Act
was passed in 1964. Since its
enactment, 110 million acres
of federal wildlands have
been designated as official
wilderness areas.
• On April 22, 1970, 20 mil-
lion Americans gathered at
various locations across the
country for the very first
Earth Day.
• In December 1970, the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agen-
cy was created.
• By 1973, the Endangered
Species Act was passed.
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