Stewardship Challenge

Age / Group: Ages 12+; youth groups, service organizations, community volunteers

Duration: 90–120 minutes (plus optional follow-up visit)

Objectives

• Complete at least one assigned stewardship task at Maxdale Park or a designated Heritage Ring node

• Document before-and-after site conditions with photographs and written observations

• Reflect on the connection between individual volunteer action and long-term community and ecological resilience

• Contribute a completed stewardship log to MNCA's ongoing IA-SHS stewardship program record

Materials Needed

• Work gloves (provided by MNCA or personal — required for all tasks)

• Trash bags (provided by MNCA)

• Invasive species ID card (provided at check-in)

• Tally sheet for litter audit or plant removal log (provided at check-in)

• Camera or smartphone for before/after documentation

• Water bottle (at least 24 oz — this is active work)

• Closed-toe shoes — required, no exceptions

• Sunscreen and hat — strongly recommended for warm-weather sessions

Step-by-Step Activity

1. Check in with the MNCA site coordinator. Receive your task assignment, site map, and safety briefing. Ask about any specific hazards in your assigned area (uneven terrain, fire ant mounds, poison ivy). Sign in on the volunteer roster.

2. Photograph the "before" condition of your assigned site area from at least two angles. These images will anchor your stewardship log and document the impact of your work.

3. Review your task instruction sheet or invasive species ID card before beginning work. Confirm you can correctly identify the target species or litter types before removing anything.

4. Complete your assigned stewardship task — select one of the following, or rotate through multiple tasks as directed by the MNCA coordinator:

Task — Description Key — Action(A): Litter Audit & Removal

Survey a designated 50-meter zone; tally litter by category (plastic, glass, metal, organic, hazardous); remove and bagFill tally sheet by category; bag and tag litter for coordinator pickup(B) Invasive Species RemovalIdentify, remove by hand or tool, and bag invasive plants per MNCA protocol and the species ID cardRecord species, quantity, and GPS point or map location for each removal(C) Native Planting SupportAssist MNCA coordinator with planting or mulching native species at designated restoration zonesFollow planting depth and spacing instructions; water each plant after installation(D) Trail Condition SurveyWalk an assigned trail segment; identify and flag erosion points, drainage blockages, or safety hazards on the provided mapMark hazards on map with flag color code; photograph each flagged point

5. Photograph the "after" condition of your site area from the same angles used for the "before" photos. Note any areas that need follow-up work on your log.

6. Complete the MNCA stewardship log sheet in full: date, task type, site area, team member names, volunteer hours, and a brief summary of conditions observed.

7. Debrief as a group. Each participant answers: What did you accomplish? What still needs attention? What will you tell someone else about this place?

8. Submit your completed log sheet and tally data to the MNCA coordinator. This record contributes directly to the IA-SHS program stewardship database and may inform future maintenance planning at Maxdale Park.

💬 Discussion / Reflection Questions

1. What condition was your site in when you arrived — and what do you think caused that condition? What human behaviors, natural processes, or lack of maintenance were involved?

2. How does the work your group did today connect to the long-term health of the Lampasas River Corridor and the Heritage Ring as a whole?

3. What would happen to Maxdale Park over the next 10 years if no stewardship activities were carried out? Who bears responsibility for preventing that outcome?

4. What is one specific thing you can do in your daily life — not here, but at home or school — to reduce your impact on places like the Heritage Ring?

Learning Outcomes

Participants complete a documented stewardship action that directly contributes to MNCA's IA-SHS program record and to the measurable condition of Maxdale Park.

Participants articulate the relationship between community action and ecological and heritage health, connecting their specific task to the broader Heritage Ring mission.

Participants demonstrate responsible site behavior and service-learning skills — following coordinator instructions, documenting their work, and reflecting critically on outcomes.

Leave No Trace / Stewardship Reminder

• Always follow MNCA coordinator instructions — do not begin or expand any task without authorization.

• Never remove native plants or disturb wildlife habitat — if in doubt, stop and ask.

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling soil, plant material, or litter.

• Dispose of bagged waste only in designated MNCA collection points — do not leave bags on-site.