Reconnect a Blackland Prairie remnant corridor near Waxahachie, site 5, a public county road right of way at the DFW southern fringe near Waxahachie, TX 75165, Ellis County (a fragmented Blackland Prairie remnant corridor gap), or a resident's own rural property with the owner's consent (2026-07-31)

The survey above found a fragmented Blackland Prairie remnant corridor gap at the DFW southern fringe near Waxahachie, and a hand planted native corridor would otherwise leave two remnant patches isolated from each other for another season of the area's fast development. Standard: USDA NRCS conservation practice standard 645 upland wildlife habitat management plus standard 550 range planting (Blackland Prairie remnant corridor reconnection), applied here to the fast-developing DFW southern fringe near Waxahachie, TX, Ellis County. SDG 15.1, 15.5, and 11. Proof: owner or right of way consent record plus before after photos plus species and area planted record plus GPS Method (USDA NRCS conservation practice standard 645 upland wildlife habitat management plus standard 550 range planting (Blackland Prairie remnant corridor reconnection), applied here to the fast-developing DFW southern fringe near Waxahachie, TX, Ellis County. SDG 15.1, 15.5, and 11.): 1. 1. Confirm the segment with the property owner, or the county road department if on the right of way, and photograph the bare or fragmented gap before starting. 2. 2. Hand rake the surface only to loosen the top layer of soil, no power equipment, no digging below the surface. 3. 3. Hand broadcast and hand plant a native Blackland Prairie seed and plug mix matched to the two adjoining remnant patches, reconnecting the corridor gap. 4. 4. Photograph the planted corridor from the matching before vantage and record species and area planted. Done when: Written or recorded permission from the property owner, or confirmation the work stayed on the public road right of way; Before photo of the bare or fragmented gap; Confirmation only hand tools were used, surface only, no digging below the surface; Native species and area planted recorded; After photo of the planted corridor segment from the matching vantage

Where

a public county road right of way at the DFW southern fringe near Waxahachie, TX 75165, Ellis County (a fragmented Blackland Prairie remnant corridor gap), or a resident's own rural property with the owner's consent

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

owner or right of way consent record plus before after photos plus species and area planted record plus GPS

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

Level

intermediate

Open until

2026-08-30

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 45–120 minutes. Method of record: Point-count / transect species survey (Breeding Bird Survey + Xerces pollinator-count protocols)

Bring

• binoculars
• field ID guide or app
• GPS phone
• data sheet / recorder
• timer
• camera

Steps

1. 1. Navigate to the first survey point; record GPS; note start time, weather, and wind (surveys pause in rain/high wind).
2. 2. Wait a settling minute, then run a fixed-duration count (e.g., 5 min) within a fixed radius; record every species seen/heard and the count of each.
3. 3. Photograph the habitat and any species you can; note any threatened/target or invasive species.
4. 4. Move to the next point along the transect (keep points >=200 m apart) and repeat the count.
5. 5. Record total effort (points, duration) and observer.
6. 6. Enter the per-point species lists + counts, GPS, weather, effort, and photos into the proof record; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Threatened/at-risk or target species observed -> flag for the land steward (with location) for protection planning.
• Invasive species dominant / native diversity very low -> flag for a management plan.
• Rain or high wind -> pause/reschedule; counts under poor conditions are not valid.

What counts as done

• Per-point species list with counts recorded
• GPS waypoint + fixed count duration/radius recorded per point
• Weather, wind, start time, and total effort recorded
• Habitat photos + any species photos

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.