TheWriter
10-16-2005, 06:04 AM
Government Canyon National Park opened Saturday after 12 years of work into the area.
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Government Canyon ripe for exploring
Web Posted: 10/16/2005 01:07 AM CDT
Anton Caputo
Express-News Staff Writer
Bob Kurtz smeared the oozing reddish-purple pulp on his meaty fingers as it fell to the ground like droplets of blood.
The 20 or so people on the brushy trail huddled around the burly tour guide and leaned closer. Seconds before, Kurtz had scraped the chalky white substance off a prickly pear before crushing it to reveal the colorful mess hidden inside.
"This is cochineal," Kurtz explained. "It's produced by an aphid. During Spanish colonial times, they tell me, it was as valuable as gold. It's a dye. Legend has it that the British Red Coats' uniforms were dyed with cochineal."
This was only one of the tidbits gathered by those who took Kurtz's interpretative hike Saturday when Government Canyon State Natural Area opened to the public. About 10 vehicles lined up at the gate at 8 a.m. for the long-awaited opening, and some 400 cars and trucks had made the trip by 2 p.m. But the mad rush that Texas Parks and Wildlife officials had feared never materialized.
"We were worried about the numbers. But we haven't had a problem with the parking spaces," said natural area Manager Deirdre Hisler. "The important thing is that I'm seeing smiles on the faces of everyone out here."
James Stultz, 8, was all smiles as he proudly presented his father a frog he had just pulled from one of the muddy pools lining the Government Canyon Creek bed.
"This is his favorite part — the exploring," said dad Jim Stultz, 45, as James continued to overturn rocks.
The Stultzes were among hundreds of hikers and mountain bikers who took to the 40 miles of trails Saturday. Many said they had been hearing for years that the 8,600-acre natural area would be opening soon, and were ecstatic to see finally what all the talk was about.
The natural area represents one of the largest natural holdings within a city limit in the country. But it was water, not recreation, that spurred the conservation effort that began 12 years ago and culminated with Saturday's opening. Most of Government Canyon lies over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, and the land has been conserved to help protect the purity of the aquifer that supplies San Antonio's drinking water.
Ironically, it was water, or a lack of it, that presented the only problem of the day. That's because, despite repeated warnings, people hit the trails without water. By the afternoon, park employees and volunteers were pushing bottled water on those who looked as if they might have come empty handed.
The land's relationship with the aquifer is spelled out at educational exhibits in the natural area's uniquely constructed visitors center. Unique, because the very buildings were designed to mimic the way the aquifer collects rainwater. But Saturday, most visitors were simply interested in hitting the trails.
Elizabeth Moreno, 35, made the trip from Houston. The purchasing agent said this was the last four-day weekend she is likely to have for a long time and she thought Government Canyon might be the perfect place to collect her thoughts for a few days.
She wasn't disappointed.
"It's nice and quiet," she said between deep breaths. "And you can't find quiet in Houston."
Link
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/environment/stories/MYSA101605.1B.govtcanyon.3cf18cc.html
KENS 5 Video
http://www2.mysanantonio.com/multimedia/video/VideoPlayer/playvideo.cfm?action=view&skintop=display/dsp_top.cfm&skinbottom=display/dsp_bottom.cfm&type=nod&ids=33313&play=1&format=WMV
Mayor Phil Hardberger speech:
http://mysa.vo.llnwd.net/o2/audio/express-news/101505hardberger.mp3
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Government Canyon ripe for exploring
Web Posted: 10/16/2005 01:07 AM CDT
Anton Caputo
Express-News Staff Writer
Bob Kurtz smeared the oozing reddish-purple pulp on his meaty fingers as it fell to the ground like droplets of blood.
The 20 or so people on the brushy trail huddled around the burly tour guide and leaned closer. Seconds before, Kurtz had scraped the chalky white substance off a prickly pear before crushing it to reveal the colorful mess hidden inside.
"This is cochineal," Kurtz explained. "It's produced by an aphid. During Spanish colonial times, they tell me, it was as valuable as gold. It's a dye. Legend has it that the British Red Coats' uniforms were dyed with cochineal."
This was only one of the tidbits gathered by those who took Kurtz's interpretative hike Saturday when Government Canyon State Natural Area opened to the public. About 10 vehicles lined up at the gate at 8 a.m. for the long-awaited opening, and some 400 cars and trucks had made the trip by 2 p.m. But the mad rush that Texas Parks and Wildlife officials had feared never materialized.
"We were worried about the numbers. But we haven't had a problem with the parking spaces," said natural area Manager Deirdre Hisler. "The important thing is that I'm seeing smiles on the faces of everyone out here."
James Stultz, 8, was all smiles as he proudly presented his father a frog he had just pulled from one of the muddy pools lining the Government Canyon Creek bed.
"This is his favorite part — the exploring," said dad Jim Stultz, 45, as James continued to overturn rocks.
The Stultzes were among hundreds of hikers and mountain bikers who took to the 40 miles of trails Saturday. Many said they had been hearing for years that the 8,600-acre natural area would be opening soon, and were ecstatic to see finally what all the talk was about.
The natural area represents one of the largest natural holdings within a city limit in the country. But it was water, not recreation, that spurred the conservation effort that began 12 years ago and culminated with Saturday's opening. Most of Government Canyon lies over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, and the land has been conserved to help protect the purity of the aquifer that supplies San Antonio's drinking water.
Ironically, it was water, or a lack of it, that presented the only problem of the day. That's because, despite repeated warnings, people hit the trails without water. By the afternoon, park employees and volunteers were pushing bottled water on those who looked as if they might have come empty handed.
The land's relationship with the aquifer is spelled out at educational exhibits in the natural area's uniquely constructed visitors center. Unique, because the very buildings were designed to mimic the way the aquifer collects rainwater. But Saturday, most visitors were simply interested in hitting the trails.
Elizabeth Moreno, 35, made the trip from Houston. The purchasing agent said this was the last four-day weekend she is likely to have for a long time and she thought Government Canyon might be the perfect place to collect her thoughts for a few days.
She wasn't disappointed.
"It's nice and quiet," she said between deep breaths. "And you can't find quiet in Houston."
Link
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/environment/stories/MYSA101605.1B.govtcanyon.3cf18cc.html
KENS 5 Video
http://www2.mysanantonio.com/multimedia/video/VideoPlayer/playvideo.cfm?action=view&skintop=display/dsp_top.cfm&skinbottom=display/dsp_bottom.cfm&type=nod&ids=33313&play=1&format=WMV
Mayor Phil Hardberger speech:
http://mysa.vo.llnwd.net/o2/audio/express-news/101505hardberger.mp3