Clear woody encroachment and reseed a pitcher plant wet savanna opening at the Hickory Creek Savannah Unit, opening 3, Hickory Creek Savannah Unit, Big Thicket National Preserve, Tyler County, TX (Sundew Trail boardwalk, public national preserve) (2026-07-28)

A wetland pine savanna opening along this unit's Sundew Trail is losing sunlight to woody sapling encroachment from decades of fire suppression, shading out the pitcher plant and sundew groundcover this fire-dependent savanna depends on. Standard: USDA NRCS Soil Health assessment and restoration practice (infiltration, aggregate stability, organic matter, native root structure), applied here to the fire-suppressed wetland pine savanna groundcover at Big Thicket National Preserve's Hickory Creek Savannah Unit, Tyler County, Texas. SDG 15.1 and 15.5. Proof: before/after photos plus area-cleared record plus seed-mix/area record plus GPS Method (USDA NRCS Soil Health assessment and restoration practice (infiltration, aggregate stability, organic matter, native root structure), applied here to the fire-suppressed wetland pine savanna groundcover at Big Thicket National Preserve's Hickory Creek Savannah Unit, Tyler County, Texas. SDG 15.1 and 15.5.): 1. 1. Confirm the treatment opening with National Preserve staff and photograph the woody-encroached wet savanna opening beside the boardwalk before starting. 2. 2. Working from the boardwalk edge or a preserve-approved access point only, hand-clear encroaching woody saplings shading the pitcher plant and sundew groundcover, hand tools only, no power equipment, never touching or collecting any carnivorous plant. 3. 3. Hand-broadcast a preserve-approved native wet savanna herbaceous seed mix across the newly opened ground at the labeled application rate. 4. 4. Photograph the finished opening from the matching before vantage, recording the seed mix and area treated. Done when: before/after photos plus area-cleared record plus seed-mix/area record plus GPS

Where

Hickory Creek Savannah Unit, Big Thicket National Preserve, Tyler County, TX (Sundew Trail boardwalk, public national preserve)

Pay

$195 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

before/after photos plus area-cleared record plus seed-mix/area record plus GPS

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

advanced

Open until

2026-08-27

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 45–90 minutes. Method of record: USDA-NRCS soil-health in-situ assessment

Bring

• soil auger or trowel
• infiltration ring + measured water + timer
• penetrometer (if compaction in scope)
• clean bucket
• sample bags + labels
• gloves
• GPS phone
• camera

Steps

1. 1. Navigate to the plot; record GPS; sketch the sampling layout.
2. 2. Photograph each sampling station.
3. 3. Run the infiltration ring; record time to infiltrate 1 inch.
4. 4. Assess aggregate stability and note visible organic matter, roots, and biology.
5. 5. If compaction is in scope, record penetrometer resistance by depth.
6. 6. Collect 0-15 cm cores if a lab subsample is specified; bag, label, complete COC.
7. 7. Enter all measurements with units + depth, GPS, photos into the proof record; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Infiltration > 30 min/inch or high penetrometer resistance -> flag compaction; recommend cover crop / reduced traffic.
• Very low organic matter / no visible biology -> flag degraded; recommend amendment plan.

What counts as done

• Infiltration time recorded
• Aggregate stability + organic-matter observation recorded
• Each in-scope measurement recorded with units and depth
• GPS waypoint + station photos + site sketch

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.