Mapping Amarillo’s Commonwealth has really shown me how this town has grown in the past 20 years; these local organizations mentioned below are providing more public opportunity to those that show an interest in the biology of the Texas panhandle as well as educating others about gardening and sustainability. Recently, I connected with an high school alumni named Braden Clark who has served this community for twenty years and is currently working on setting up an organization called Square Mile Community Development that will provide medical care, a food co-op and farmers market to the San Jacinto area. The foremost concept behind this organization is to invest in our community’s dietary health and mind set to develop a solid model for others to follow. For example the 7th St Garden of Hope, located at the cross street of Rusk, is a thriving community garden who’s goal is to feed and educate a neighborhood in decline. Outside the city limits, Wildcat Bluff Nature Center is a non profit organization that provides educational classes specializing in local conservation and biology awareness with a flare for local art and culture activities. In early August I attended a workshop led by Timothy Ingalls, showcasing numerous attributes and uses of the mesquite tree. In addition to what this tree can provide, I learned how ranchers see this plant as a nuisance and how we can educate the land owners on how to coexist and prosper with the challenges of our natural landscape without decimating this plant.
