Free Eco-Tour on the Spring Creek Nature Trail  

Houston, TX – April 30, 2019 – Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC) is excited to announce they have launched a free Eco-Tour on The Spring Creek Nature Trail (SCNT). The SCNT is a 14-mile natural surface, hike/bike trail that runs along Spring Creek, in both Harris & Montgomery County. By simply downloading the free TravelStorys app onto a mobile device, the public can learn about the ecology, history, and biology of the Spring Creek Nature Trail through an exciting brand new tour.

Becky Martinez, the Conservancy’s Conservation Director was instrumental in the development of this tour. “We’re excited to introduce this tour to the public as a way to enhance their outdoor explorations! The tour is very easy to use; it picks up your GPS location and plays automatically”, explains Martinez. “Simply download the app, put your phone in your pocket and let TravelStorys do the rest.”

Martinez goes on to say that the tour includes numerous short, pod-cast style, stories varying from information about local plants, animals, and Native Americans that used these lands. “You’ll learn about the only local source of caffeine native to North America that grows right alongside the trail, who builds nests along the trail, and how wetlands help with flooding. It’s like having a nature expert in your pocket! Since the eco-tour starts at each of the three trailheads, it’s a great way to enjoy the trail wherever you start. Whether you have an hour or an entire day to explore, the tour works with your time.”  According to Martinez, you may even see a beaver!

It’s also a great tool to navigate the trail. There is a map that shows your location as you move along the trail. So you never have to worry about getting turned around. This tour is great for families looking for something different to do on the weekends, and can be experienced on foot or by bike. There are three segments to this tour along the 14-mile, natural surface trail. The segments of this tour begin at Creekside Park West Trailhead, Rob Fleming Trailhead, and Montgomery County Preserve. The tour can be experienced all in one trip or sections can be visited separately. For a map of the trail, and trailhead locations, visit www.bayoulandconservancy.org/spring-creek-nature-trail.

According to Executive Director, Jill Boullion, the BLC Eco-Tour is one of three TravelStory tours available in Houston. “We’re so excited to bring this new, accessible, and free technology to our community. We are really grateful to our partners at Union Pacific for funding this educational tool that is so fun and easy to use.”

For more information and to download the free app visit www.bayoulandconservancy.org/spring-creek-nature-trail.

About Bayou Land Conservancy: Bayou Land Conservancy is a community-sponsored land preservation organization working to permanently protect land in the Houston region since 1996. Bayou Land Conservancy preserves land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. We envision a protected network of green spaces that connect people to nature.

About TravelStorys: TravelStorys is a mobile app with a mission to connect people to place. In 2012 Story Clark, a renowned land conservationist, founded TravelStorys as a tool to showcase the value of open spaces so that we might preserve those places for future generations.  The scope of Travelstorys has expanded to include historic locations, scenic byways, river walks, paddling tours and many more.  As the app grows, the stories evolve, but the heart of the app remains the same. No matter the location, TravelStorys connects people with the places that sustain us all. Because if people connect, they might care. If they care, they might act. For more information please visit https://www.travelstorys.com/

 

On June 1st, National Trails Day, Bayou Land Conservancy launched the BLC Eco-Tour on the Spring Creek Nature Trail in partnership with Union Pacific and The Woodlands Township.

 

BLC’s Conservation Director Suzanne Simpson, and Bill Bass, BLC Ambassador and Board Member stop to admire Spring Creek during one of the many tour’s stories.

Photos taken by Frida Ramirez