The Linda S. Castro Nature Sanctuary in Fulton is now restored to the condition it was in before Hurricane Harvey hit thanks to the work of volunteers over the weekend.
“We just want to thank all of the groups and all of the volunteers that come to help us,” Deanna Spruce with Aransas County Long Term Recovery said. “We couldn’t do it without them.”
Harvey littered nature trails at the preserve with debris and damaged fences and signs. Volunteers, including more than a dozen students from Texas State University who drove in from San Marcos, fixed those problems and also helped remove overgrown vegetation.
“They cleaned up this whole area, and this will give us an opportunity to come back in with native plants,” Texas Master Naturalist, an expert on nature, Melanie Konarik said.
Konarik took part in Saturday’s clean-up which was highlighted by the release of an owl. Firefighters found a nest in a burning barn in September. Two of them hatched at Wings Rescue of Rockport. One owl survived and grew up at another rescue and the Texas State Aquarium. Then at the clean-up, he was released into the wild. If he ends up residing at the nature preserve, he’ll be yet another attraction for bird enthusiasts at that park.
“Bird watchers from all over the world come to see these birds,” Spruce said.
“A lot of people will come here with their binoculars and just do birding,” Konarik said.
If you would like to volunteer during Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts in Aransas County, visit this website or send an email to pio@aransascounty.org
