HELM Begins Its Tenth Season
Habitat Enhancing Land Management
Photo courtesy Tina Adkins
“Nature is an open book for those who care to read it. Each grass-covered hillside is a page on which is written the history of the past, the conditions of the present and the predictions of the future.”- John E. Weaver, Prairie Ecologist
Christine Middleton
The HELM (Habitat Enhancing Land Management) project provides a vehicle for Hays County Master Naturalists to engage with landowners and talk about land stewardship. We work in two seasons—spring and fall. This September, we will kick off our 10th season and are seeking property owners with more than two acres to visit.
Planning for the HELM project began in the fall of 2020. Yes, that was during COVID—so mostly over Zoom! Back when the Hays County chapter was still young, two pioneering couples—LaRay and Ginger Geist, and Dell and Gerin Hood—visited properties referred to them by the AgriLife agent at that time. So we soon discovered there was an existing project that had gone fallow.
LaRay and Ginger graciously helped us through the process of revitalizing the original project. Our first live (albeit masked) gathering was at the Geists’ property. There, LaRay taught us how to “read the land”—an essential step before developing a land management plan. Sometime afterward, we honed our skills and worked out final details by visiting HELM team member properties.
In the spring of 2021, after all of our team members had been vaccinated, we were ready to officially launch the HELM program.
Photo courtesy Lance Jones
Our very first visit was to Geno Baiamonte’s property. That was before Geno became a Hays County Master Naturalist (HCMN) and a valued member of the HELM team. Since then, several other property owners we’ve visited have also joined our ranks, including two more new HCMNs who became HELM team members: DeAnna Creighton and Debra Kennemar.
So, what happens when we visit a property owner? First, we come armed with a variety of maps—contours, ecosystems, soils, and more. One of our favorites is an aerial view of the property created from photographs taken in the 1950s. Two maps we added in later years show the property in relation to water—where it sits in the watershed and which rivers and streams it influences. Dick McBride is our mapmaker extraordinaire!
Map image courtesy Dick McBride
Two to four members of the HELM team participate in each visit. After introducing ourselves, we spend some time chatting with the landowner. What do we talk about? Generally, the conversation revolves around the maps, the history of the property, and particular concerns the landowner would like us to address. After that, the team spends two to three hours walking the property with the landowner and anyone else they invite to join us. Along the way, we identify native plants and point out invasive ones. We discuss common problems like erosion and oak wilt. We talk about the wildlife that shares the property and how to better meet their needs—and much more.
And we don’t stop there. We send a follow-up report detailing much of what we discussed, along with links to additional resources.
Photo courtesy Geno Baiamonte
The team is constantly working to hone its knowledge of land management, including attending two workshops per year. This September, we will be visiting the Native American Seed Company in Junction.
So far, the team has visited a total of 140 properties, representing just under 2,000 acres. And we are excited about visiting many more this fall. So please help us spread the word! If you or someone you know is interested in a visit, simply fill out this request form, and we will be in touch to schedule.
Photo courtesy Lance Jones