Restore a Houston toad ephemeral pond margin at Buescher State Park, pond 7, Buescher State Park, 100 Park Road 1E, Smithville, TX 78957 (public Texas state park) (2026-07-29)

This ephemeral breeding pond's margin at Buescher State Park is losing native cover to invasive plants, shading and shelter migrating Houston toads otherwise depend on to reach the water. Standard: US EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment rapid method plus US Fish and Wildlife Service Houston toad recovery habitat practice, applied here to Houston toad ephemeral breeding pond habitat at Buescher State Park, Smithville, Bastrop County, Texas. SDG 6.6 and 15.1 wetland ecosystems, SDG 15.5 biodiversity. Proof: before after photos plus area cleared record plus species and count record plus GPS Method (US EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment rapid method plus US Fish and Wildlife Service Houston toad recovery habitat practice, applied here to Houston toad ephemeral breeding pond habitat at Buescher State Park, Smithville, Bastrop County, Texas. SDG 6.6 and 15.1 wetland ecosystems, SDG 15.5 biodiversity.): 1. 1. Confirm the pond margin segment with Texas Parks and Wildlife staff and photograph the bare or invasive choked edge before starting. 2. 2. Hand clear invasive plants from the dry pond margin with hand tools only, no power equipment, staying above the waterline. 3. 3. Hand plant native sandyland grasses and forbs at the design spacing along the cleared margin to restore shading and cover. 4. 4. Photograph the restored margin from the matching before vantage and record species and count. Done when: before after photos plus area cleared record plus species and count record plus GPS

Where

Buescher State Park, 100 Park Road 1E, Smithville, TX 78957 (public Texas state park)

Pay

$175 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 species and count record plus GPS

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

Level

intermediate

Open until

2026-08-28

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: EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment (rapid method)

Bring

• GPS phone
• quadrat frame
• invasive-species ID reference
• boots
• insect protection
• camera

Steps

1. 1. Navigate to the wetland edge; record GPS; stay on stable ground.
2. 2. Photograph 3 quadrat stations.
3. 3. At each station, estimate percent cover native vs invasive; identify the dominant invasive.
4. 4. Note hydrology / water level and any disturbance.
5. 5. Enter cover percentages, invasive ID, hydrology, GPS, photos into the proof record; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Standing water + wildlife (snakes/alligators) -> maintain distance; never sample alone.
• High invasive cover -> flag for a management/removal plan.

What counts as done

• Percent cover native vs invasive recorded at 3 stations
• Dominant invasive species identified
• Hydrology / water-level note recorded
• GPS waypoints + quadrat photos

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.