Restore a refuge edge coastal prairie buffer segment, site 4, a public county road right of way in the coastal prairie bordering the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, between Austwell and Tivoli, TX, Refugio County (2026-07-30)

The survey above found a bare or thinned coastal prairie buffer segment bordering the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, and hand cleared, hand seeded native prairie cover would otherwise close that gap and hold the refuge edge against wind and rain erosion. Standard: USDA NRCS Soil Health prairie establishment practice (native coastal prairie planting), applied here to a refuge edge coastal prairie buffer along the public county road right of way between Austwell and Tivoli, TX, Refugio County, bordering the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. SDG 15.1 and 15.3. Proof: before after photos plus seed mix and area seeded record plus GPS Method (USDA NRCS Soil Health prairie establishment practice (native coastal prairie planting), applied here to a refuge edge coastal prairie buffer along the public county road right of way between Austwell and Tivoli, TX, Refugio County, bordering the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. SDG 15.1 and 15.3.): 1. 1. Confirm the buffer segment with county road staff and photograph the bare or thinned segment before starting. 2. 2. Hand clear non-native growth from the segment with hand tools only, no power equipment. 3. 3. Hand broadcast a native coastal prairie grass and forb seed mix across the cleared ground at the labeled application rate and rake it in. 4. 4. Photograph the finished prairie segment from the matching before vantage and record the seed mix and area seeded. Done when: before after photos plus seed mix and area seeded record plus GPS

Where

a public county road right of way in the coastal prairie bordering the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, between Austwell and Tivoli, TX, Refugio County

Pay

$165 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 seed mix and area seeded record plus GPS

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

Level

intermediate

Open until

2026-08-29

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.