Thin brush and restore native grass on a Palo Duro Canyon slope, site 6, the public Palo Duro Canyon State Park, a canyon-slope segment near Canyon, TX 79015, Randall County, observed from a public park trail or overlook (2026-08-04)

The survey above found a canyon-slope segment inside Palo Duro Canyon State Park choked with juniper and mesquite brush, and a credentialed hand-tool thinning and native grass restoration would otherwise leave this slope losing its remaining grass cover to encroachment for another season. Standard: USDA NRCS conservation practice standard 314 brush management plus standard 550 range planting (juniper and mesquite canyon-slope encroachment thinning and native grass restoration), applied here to a public canyon-slope segment inside Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Canyon, TX, Randall County. SDG 15.1 and 15.3. Proof: before after photos plus brush volume and area seeded record plus GPS Method (USDA NRCS conservation practice standard 314 brush management plus standard 550 range planting (juniper and mesquite canyon-slope encroachment thinning and native grass restoration), applied here to a public canyon-slope segment inside Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Canyon, TX, Randall County. SDG 15.1 and 15.3.): 1. 1. Confirm the segment with the state park office and photograph the encroached slope before starting, staying roped and anchored on the steep terrain per crew protocol. 2. 2. Hand thin encroaching juniper and mesquite brush with hand tools only, no power equipment, no chemical spray, working in a two person buddy system on the steep canyon slope. 3. 3. Hand broadcast a native mixed grass seed mix suited to the canyon slope (sideoats grama, little bluestem, sand dropseed) across the thinned segment. 4. 4. Hand mulch the seeded segment with cut brush and photograph the treated slope from the matching before vantage, recording brush volume thinned and area seeded. Done when: Before photo of the encroached slope segment; Confirmation only hand tools were used, no power equipment, no chemical spray, two person buddy system maintained; Brush volume thinned and area seeded recorded; After photo of the thinned and seeded segment from the matching vantage

Where

the public Palo Duro Canyon State Park, a canyon-slope segment near Canyon, TX 79015, Randall County, observed from a public park trail or overlook

Pay

$210 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 brush volume and area seeded record plus GPS

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

Level

advanced

Open until

2026-09-03

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

• Before photo of the encroached slope segment
• Confirmation only hand tools were used, no power equipment, no chemical spray, two person buddy system maintained
• Brush volume thinned and area seeded recorded
• After photo of the thinned and seeded segment from the matching vantage

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.