Historic Stagecoach Park

Annual Conservation Fair

Photos courtesy Betsy Cross

Martha Sanders

It was a beautiful spring day for the 2nd Annual Stagecoach Park Conservation Fair, held May 2 at Historic Stagecoach Park in Buda. The Hays County Master Naturalists chapter of Texas Master Naturalist™ served as the primary host in partnership with the City of Buda. Ninety-three participants attended the event, with 27 HCMN volunteers and 15 additional community volunteers helping to staff a variety of educational and interactive family-centered booths focused on conservation, sustainability, and environmental stewardship.

Visitors enjoyed guided hikes through the park led by Master Naturalists Tina Adkins and Darlene Starr. Families explored hands-on activities designed to inspire curiosity and appreciation for the natural world, including rock painting, learning about nesting birds and migrating monarchs, creating eco-pots and nature-inspired art, and much more.

Representatives from the Texas Master Gardeners, River Rangers, and the Texas A&M Forest Service also shared their expertise, making the event an enjoyable and educational experience for all who attended.

Katie Peltier, Charlie Franks, Kathy Franks, and Pauly Littrell greeted attendees at the HCMN information booth.

Throughout the day, attendees stopped to ask questions, examine specimens and educational materials, and learn more about the work being done across the region to protect and restore native habitats. The fair created opportunities for community members of all ages to connect directly with local conservation efforts and the people behind them.

Art Arizpe, Stephanie Bowers, and Betsy Cross (not pictured) coordinated the Birds Galore booth.

At the Monarch migration station, Clover Clamons spoke with visitors about the monarch migration and the butterfly’s fascinating life cycle.

Visitors received hands-on guidance using the iNaturalist app from Carolyn and Bobby Langlinais.

JoAnn DePenning, Paula Glover, Robin Perry, and Cindy Johnson (not pictured) shared information about the Nature Superstars program.

At the Nature Art booth, Katrina Martin-Valenta and Melissa Fealty shared their enthusiasm for creativity inspired by the natural world.

Hays County Master Gardeners encouraged visitors to explore the many advantages of adding native plants to their landscapes

Diane Carruth, Susan Sellers, and Sarah Carlisle guided visitors through hands-on seedling propagation and transplanting activities using easily constructed Eco-pots.

At the Rock Art Projects booth, Maudie Roberts and Amanda Rainey provided rocks and painting supplies for visitors to create their own nature-inspired art.

Filling in for Ginny Lindzey, Master Naturalist Sylvia Sanders welcomed visitors at the Wild Birds Unlimited booth.

At the San Marcos River Foundation and River Rangers station, Rachel Sanborn shared information about river conservation and stewardship.

At the Inspired Minds Art Center of Buda exhibit, Joy Bliss encouraged visitors to explore their creativity through hands-on art activities.

Elizabeth Nyawo represented the Texas A&M Forest Service at the conservation fair.

Jess Baird and Martha Sanders welcomed visitors to the Buda Library Group booth.

Children’s books about nature and the environment were featured by the Buda Library Group.

HCMN Cindy Johnson, posing as a giant inflatable honey bee, added a playful touch as visitors created watercolor paintings at the Monarch station hosted by Clover Clamons.

At her exhibit, Carolyn Langlinais encouraged visitors to explore the differences between native and invasive plant species.

Volunteers supporting the Conservation Fair enjoyed a buffet lunch provided by the City of Buda.

Riding the inflatable hummingbird from booth to booth, Ginny Lindzey of Wild Birds Unlimited delighted fair attendees throughout the day.

And at the end of the day, Park Manager Juan Mosqueda sent the following message of thanks:

To all our HCMN volunteers and 2026 Conservation Fair Participants:

Having spent May 2 with all of you, it was one of the best days of this year by far. The day turned out with wonderful weather and what I thought was an excellent amount of participation from the community for the 2nd Annual Conservation Fair. I always enjoy hearing what everyone is doing, and all the hands-on activities were amazing, as usual.

I wanted to say that every event that you do allows it to be better and more exciting every time. Please keep doing what you are doing, as this type of programming will be so important in the future for each and every person in Texas.

A special shout-out goes to Martha and Russell [Sanders], as they are the organizers of this great event; Charlie and Kathy Franks for being the wonderful volunteers they are; and to the Venkatesh family for arriving early that morning to help with booth setup. Of course, I can't forget the Buda Park Staff, who help me keep everything looking good and running smoothly. Buda's Police Department, which helps us stay safe, is also appreciated.

Once again, I appreciate each and every one of you for coming to Buda's Stagecoach Park and being part of a great programming and educational event! I hope to see you all soon, and I will be planning our Texas Arbor Day event once I can secure a date with a school. With all respect and admiration, I thank you! I look forward to seeing the blow-up hummingbird and honeybee in the future and will work on getting a taco truck there next year!

Respectfully,
Juan