Restore a sandy Lost Pines savanna understory at Buescher State Park, plot 5, Buescher State Park, 100 Park Road 1E, Smithville, TX 78957 (public Texas state park) (2026-07-29)

This sandy post oak and loblolly pine savanna understory at Buescher State Park is losing its native ground cover to invasive plants and woody encroachment, structure this isolated Lost Pines outlier's ground nesting wildlife depends on. Standard: USDA NRCS Soil Health assessment plus native savanna understory restoration practice, applied here to the sandy post oak and loblolly pine savanna understory at Buescher State Park, Smithville, Bastrop County, Texas, the isolated Lost Pines outlier of the East Texas pine belt. SDG 15.1 and 15.3. Proof: before after photos plus area cleared record plus species and count record plus GPS Method (USDA NRCS Soil Health assessment plus native savanna understory restoration practice, applied here to the sandy post oak and loblolly pine savanna understory at Buescher State Park, Smithville, Bastrop County, Texas, the isolated Lost Pines outlier of the East Texas pine belt. SDG 15.1 and 15.3.): 1. 1. Confirm the understory segment with Texas Parks and Wildlife staff and photograph the invasive choked or bare sandy savanna understory before starting. 2. 2. Hand clear invasive plants and woody encroachment from the understory with hand tools only, no power equipment. 3. 3. Hand plant native bunchgrasses and wildflower plugs at the design spacing to restore the sandy savanna's open understory structure. 4. 4. Photograph the restored understory 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

$160 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: 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.