When the Texas Buckeye Trail was re-named the Ned & Genie Fritz Texas Buckeye Trail, the adjacent Bonton and Ideal communities were puzzled. Who were these people? Why not name it for someone from the community? There was some tension.
Kristi Kerr Leonard realized the true success of her trail restoration efforts depended on forging ties with the community. Together with fellow North Texas Master Naturalists Rebecca Posten and Shelby Smith, they connected with Sherri Mixon and T.R. Hoover Community Development Center.
The team developed an outreach program that won an award at the Texas Master Naturalist ’22 state conference. During EarthX at Fair Park this April, the team presented Environmental Conservation and Justice: A Community & Conservationist Partnership Story.
If you didn’t make it, check out a Zoomcast the team conducted recently for the Dallas Public Library: Texas Master Naturalists & Environmental Justice. “Master Naturalists Present…” is a monthly series featuring presentations from local nature experts of the nonprofit North Texas Master Naturalists. The presentation shares a case study of how the group worked in the historically under-resourced community in the Ideal+Bonton neighborhood to enrich community relationships.
