Commons Ford PRO is one of three organizations selected to participate in Patagonia's Voice Your Choice Program. Each organization will present information about its project in the Patagonia Store located at 316 N. Congress. Individuals visiting the store location between March 10 and March 31 will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite project. Grants will be awarded based upon number of votes. Commons Ford PRO will staff a table on Saturday, March 26. We hope that you will drop by for a visit, but most importantly we hope that you will vote in the Patagonia store anytime from March 10 to March 31 (10:00 AM to 7:00 PM).

Virtually all bird and wildlife species that depend on tall grass prairies are in decline. Unless we act, these prairies and species will become but a distant memory. Where the opportunity exists, we must make every effort to restore and protect this important remnant of our national heritage. This challenge is the driving force behind Commons Ford PRO and the Commons Ford Prairie Restoration Project which will make a small but important dent in this decline by restoring a native prairie habitat west of Austin.

Please take the time to support this important project with your vote. For more information about the Commons Ford Prairie Restoration Project visit our website at www.commonsfordpro.blogspot.com . To join the organization send a note to commonsfordpro@gmail.com. Thanks for your consideration and support.

Patagonia Environmental Grant

Ed Fair accepts a $1,000 check from Patagonia representative Justine Beech. The grant was awarded through the Austin store as part of the Patagonia Environmental Grants program.

The Commons Ford Prairie Restoration Organization has the opportunity to receive additional grant funds from Patagonia. Commons Ford PRO is one of three organizations participating in the Voice Your Choice program which runs from March 10 - March 26. Grants of between $1,000-$2,500 are awarded depending upon which organization receives the most votes. Representatives from Commons Ford PRO will be in the Patagonia Austin store located at 316 N. Congress on Saturday, March 26. Come by and visit us that day and cast your vote or visit the store and vote anytime during the March 10 - 26 time period. Voting online should be possible beginning March 10. More details coming soon.

Pre-Restoration Prairie Bird Surveys Completed

Pre-restoration prairie bird surveys were completed on the 40 acre tract on Saturday, February 19. The protocol for the surveys was developed by biologists from Balcones Canyonlands Preserve and was very similar to the protocol used by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in connection with Project Prairie Birds. The surveys are conducted three times over a four week period. This is a transect survey in that three straight line transects of 100 meters each are used. The survey team carries two 30 meter PVC pipes (see photos) and walks each transect using the pipe to flush any birds.

Interestingly, the surveys turning up only a SINGLE bird. A Sedge Wren was flushed during the second of the three surveys.

The paucity of birds existing in the future prairie tract underscores the significance of the restoration project. In fact, the data is essentially what we expected. Invasive plants equals no prairie birds. Prairie birds should be in this field and it is with full expectation that we will see a significant increase once the prairie is established.

Thanks to our volunteers we completed our winter pre-restoration plan surveys on Saturday, January 23. We also completed the first of three prairie bird surveys and expect to complete the additional two by the end of February.

We are also pleased to announce that we have received a $1,000 grant from Patagonia through its retail store in Austin. We also have the chance to receive between $1,000 - $2,500 in additional grant funds through Patagonia's Voice Your Vote Program. We are one of three organizations selected to staff a table at the Patagonia store located at 314 N. Congress Ave. in Austin. We will be in the store on Saturday, March 26. The grants are determined by votes received in the store beginning on Saturday, March 12. Please drop by the store any time (and particularly on March 26) and vote for our organization.

Big Day in the Park

Our Big Day in the Park fundraiser on October 2 was a tremendous success! We had more than 100 people visit the park on that day. Our bird walk teams notched a total of 67 species and we exceeding our fund-raising goal by pulling in just over $5,000. This will allow us to move forward to complete Phase One of the project. Phase One includes engaging Native Prairies Association of Texas to prepare the written prairie restoration plan.

Contributions to the project are still very important. Visit our Donate Now page for more details.