This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Model airport








Approximately six months ago, I asked for help with our prairie restoration
project, primarily with eradication of Johnson grass.  Now we need help of a
different type.  The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Corp of
Engineers, the Native Prairies Association of Texas and the Native Plant
Society of Texas are jointly working on a tallgrass prairie restoration in
Cedar Hill State Park near Dallas.  The site is an 87 acre former cotton
farm which is overgrown with Johnson grass.  The restoration project is well
underway and proceeding nicely.  So, what's the problem?  The problem is a
group wants to pave part of the prairie restoration and make a model
airplane
airport.

Texas State Representative Kent Grusendorf and a private citizen (Jerry
Tuttle) reportedly want TPWD to allow them to install a model
airplane airport, parking lot and shade shelters where we are working to
restore native tallgrass prairie.  There is a gate that allows
access to the park off of Mansfield Rd.  They want the park to install a
lock with a combination so that they can have their own access to the
airstrip.  They have said that they will pay the appropriate fees to allow
them access to the park, so revenue is not the issue.

The park is against the idea of a model airplane airport for the following
reasons...

1. Allowing one special interest group "private" entrance to the park will
set the precedent for any group to demand the same.  Mountain bikers,
hikers,
frisbee golfers, etc. would then expect "special" entrances and areas for
them.  This would create management difficulties and make it
difficult to maintain security at the park.

2.  The park does not have the personnel to monitor the entrance.  Not
having
someone to man the entrance will make it impossible to prevent individuals
whohave not paid from entering and using the park.  This results in a loss
of
revenue for the park.

3.  Most importantly, the area in question is a prairie restoration site.
At one time, Texas had approximately 12 million acres of tallgrass prairie.
I am told that the most optimistic estimate is 1200 acres of the 12 million
acres remain.  Tallgrass prairie is the most endangered ecosystem in our
nation.  We are trying to restore some of that priceless habitat.  The
restoration project
has been going on since the planning session in 1996.  Numerous people,
including the general public, members of NPSOT, NPAT, TPWD and COE,
studentsfrom a high school in Irving and a high school in Cedar Hill and
communityservice youth from the Dallas County Juvenile Detention Center have
donated many hours, primarily collecting and preparing seed, for the
project.  After mowing, a seed drill was used to plant approximately 15
acres in grasses and forbs in the spring of 1998.  Restoration is well
underway.  More seed is
being collected and prepared for planting this fall.

So, if the park is against the idea, then why is it an issue?  The answer is
politics.   If this makes you angry, then please take it upon
yourself to let people know about it.  Many have already begun writing
letters to the representative voicing opposition to this airport.  In
addition
to writing the representative, please write or copy the leaders of TPWD.

>Tx. Parks and Wildlife Dept.
>Attn: Mr. Andrew Sansom, Executive Director
>4200 Smith School Rd.
>Austin, Tx. 78744

>Tx. Parks and Wildlife Dept.
>Attn: Mr. Robert L. Cook, Chief Operating Officer
>4200 Smith School Rd.
>Austin, Tx. 78744

>Tx. Parks and Wildlife Dept.
>Attn: Mr. Bill Palmer, Director of State Parks
>4200 Smith School Rd.
>Austin, Tx. 78744

To contact Mr. Grusendorf, you can simply click on the blue text (if you are
online), or you can find his web page at the URL listed below the blue text.
<A HREF="http://www.house.state.tx.us/house/dist94/dist94.htm">State
Representative Kent Grusendorf - Inform...</A>
>http://www.house.state.tx.us/house/dist94/dist94.htm

Or you may contact him directly at...

>Capitol Address: Room GN.07, Capitol Building
                             Austin, TX 78701
                             (512) 463-0624

>District Address: 1221 West Nathan Lowe Road
                             Arlington, TX 76017
                             (817) 465-9411

Thank you very much for your help.

Ridlon J. Kiphart, M.D.

10423 Shadow Bend Dr
Dallas Tx 75230-4265
214 361 0085

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PRAIRIE
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index