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Dripping Springs wins three-year Bird City Texas recertification after habitat, outreach projects
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Summary
City staff told council Dripping Springs regained Bird City Texas certification for three years, citing native-plantings, reclaimed-water irrigation projects, dark‑sky monitoring and expanded outreach led by the parks and naturalist volunteers.
Dripping Springs city staff announced the city has been recertified as a Bird City Texas community, a designation the city will hold for three years.
Jona Krantz, the city’s community events coordinator, told the City Council the program — run in partnership with Texas Audubon and Texas Parks and Wildlife — recognizes communities that increase bird habitat, reduce threats to birds, and expand outreach and sustainability efforts. “A bird city is a community that’s been designated for its hard work to increase bird habitat, to reduce threats to birds, to just engage people and promote sustainability,” Krantz said.
Krantz summarized projects the city cited in its application: a 2023 Apache Tree planting grant that added 65 native plants across roughly 1.5 acres at Ranch Park; a 2024 tree preservation and landscape ordinance promoting native species and water-conservation practices; and reclaimed wastewater now used to irrigate athletic fields at Sports and Rec Park and Founders Memorial Park. She said the Rathgeber Natural Resource Park acquisition and a new parks master plan strengthened the city’s application.
The presentation also highlighted community partnerships and volunteer efforts. Krantz credited the Hays County Master Naturalists and Wild Birds Unlimited for leading plantings and maintaining demonstration gardens, and described volunteer projects — including an Eagle Scout cleanup and Mercer Street garden replacements — that the staff said show native-plant landscaping can succeed in local conditions.
Krantz said the city also supports dark‑sky initiatives and participates in Lights Out Texas. The city installed permanent dark-sky monitoring stations at Ranch Park and Charro and is collaborating with the Hays County Friends of the Night Sky; the monitoring data are reported to the Globe at Night citizen‑science project.
Council members asked clarifying questions about outreach materials and logo production. Krantz closed by offering magnets to remind residents of the Lights Out program and said staff will provide annual updates to the Bird City partners; the next recertification will be in 2028.
Ending: Krantz thanked council and partners and the presentation concluded with no council action required.
