There, right in the middle of one of the fastest growing areas in the nation, is Austin’s Barton Creek Greenbelt. The Greenbelt is an eight-mile public hiking trail enjoyed by the diverse population of Austin. Many might not otherwise get the chance to hike, swim, bike and rock climb, and many youth are first exposed to this wealth of outdoor recreation at the park. And it’s not just a park for people. The karst limestone landscape that surrounds the park is a major groundwater contributor and the health of this landscape is directly tied to local water quality. In fact, just blocks from bustling downtown, the Barton Creek Greenbelt ends (or begins!) at one of the largest springs in Texas, where local swimmers and endangered salamanders co-exist. Austin and its people know the importance of having such an oasis hidden in the middle of its highways and skyscrapers, and turn out to support it. Voters have repeatedly passed bond measures that support the acquisition of additional lands to protect the springs. In 2011, a group of area nonprofits including Impact Austin, the Austin Parks Foundation and the Hill Country Conservancy came together to sponsor an American Youth Works crew of AmeriCorps members. Known as the Barton Creek Trail Crew(BCTC), these seven young adults embarked upon a year long project as the environmental stewards of this landscape that is central to the city’s identity.
For a year the crew helped maintain the Greenbelt, they performed invasive species removal projects, removing non native trees and helping to create more desirable habitat for two other Austin endangered species, the Black-Capped Vireo and Golden-Cheeked Warbler. They also installed retaining walls, armored drains, and dug swales to help fight erosion and make for a more stable and healthier landscape. The crews also organized volunteer days and worked alongside volunteers both young and old, to help pick up trash, remove brush from trails, and move mountains of rocks, all under the hot Texas sun.
The BCTC referred to the Greenbelt as the “Trail of Compliments” because the city’s trail users were so grateful when sharing their feedback about the work the crew was performing. The crew was an arm of American YouthWorks (AYW), a non-profit charter high school that integrates service learning into every aspect of its curriculum. Many of the students enrolled at the charter high school are from disadvantaged populations, and work on Environmental Corps student crews alongside the young adults from the BCTC. These youths became introduced to this stretch of land through their interaction with the BCTC. For many of these students, it was their first real introduction to the outdoors, and one that has made an impact in their own education and future career choices. The crews worked together learning the best practices for trail work, environmental restoration, and how to be sustainable stewards in their own community. The Barton Creek Trail Crew completed more than 100 successful projects and led more than 1,000 volunteers in this service to their community.