Great Trinity Forest
The Great Trinity Forest is a forested urban park located on the southern outskirts of the heavily urbanized area of southern Dallas, Texas, and it is recognized as one of the largest urban forests{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/08/06/429911914/one-of-the-nations-biggest-urban-forests-isnt-where-youd-expect|title=One Of The Nation's Biggest Urban Forests Isn't Where You'd Expect|website=NPR |date=2019-08-20}} in the United States.
Description
The park is part of the larger Trinity River Project, which when complete will be one of the largest urban parks in the world at {{convert|10000|acre|km2}} in size.
The Great Trinity Forest portion of the project consists of {{convert|6000|acre|km2}},{{cite web|url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-wants-to-be-a-green-city-so-why-not-save-some-trees-6408028|title=Dallas Wants to be a Green City, So Why Not Save Some Trees?|date=2009-03-19}} primarily in the area of the Trinity River as it traverses Dallas County just south of Downtown Dallas. In 1983, the Texas Legislature designated 900 acres of the area to be the Trinity River State Park, however, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department later said the department had no funding to own and operate such a park.{{Cite web |date=2019-05-24 |title=Dallas vows, again, to protect the Great Trinity Forest, but what does that even mean? |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/05/24/dallas-vows-again-to-protect-the-great-trinity-forest-but-what-does-that-even-mean/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Dallas News |language=en}} In 1997, the Dallas City Council adopted the Great Trinity Forest Management Plan. In 2019, the City Council adopted a resolution protecting the forest and its some 6,000 acres; the resolution states Dallas' Park and Recreation Department should play a role in conserving and managing the area.{{Cite web |date=2019-05-24 |title=Dallas vows, again, to protect the Great Trinity Forest, but what does that even mean? |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/05/24/dallas-vows-again-to-protect-the-great-trinity-forest-but-what-does-that-even-mean/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}
Nature
The Great Trinity Forest urban park is located within the Texas Blackland Prairies ecoregion. Habitats within it include bottomland hardwood forests, riparian zones, wetlands, open water ponds, grasslands, and the Trinity River itself. The area includes old growth hardwoods, as well as invasive trees like the Chinese privet.{{Cite web |last=Schutze |first=Jim |title=The Great Trinity Forest Ain't So Great |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/the-great-trinity-forest-aint-so-great-6374563 |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=Dallas Observer |language=en}} Documented wildlife include swamp rabbit, feral hog, barred owl, coyote, white-tailed deer, striped skunk, armadillo, yellow-crowned night heron, wild turkey, bobcat and Cooper's hawk.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-16 |title=This Place in the Woods – The Great Trinity Forest |url=https://dfwurbanwildlife.com/2023/02/16/featured-article/this-place-in-the-woods-the-great-trinity-forest/ |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=DFW Urban Wildlife |language=en-US}}
The southeast portion of a 50-mile hike-and-bike loop around Dallas — known as The Loop — runs through the Great Trinity Forest. The loop project joins 11 separate trails for form a loop around the city and is expected to be fully completed by 2027.{{Cite news |last=Lamster |first=Mark |date=June 29, 2023 |title=The 50-mile Dallas Loop trail aims to transform the city. It's getting there |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/architecture/2023/06/29/the-50-mile-dallas-loop-trail-aims-to-transform-the-city-its-getting-there/ |access-date=June 29, 2023 |work=Dallas Morning News}} The Trinity River Trail links the Trinity River Audubon Center, Texas Horse Park, Trinity Forest Golf Club and Joppa Preserve.{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Amy |title=Paved Trinity Forest Trail connects natural landmarks |url=https://greensourcedfw.org/articles/paved-trinity-forest-trail-connects-natural-landmarks |website=Green Source DFW|date=13 May 2020 }}
Features
The Great Trinity Forest includes the remnants of a lock and dam system at McCommas Bluff. The structure was built in 1909 as part of an overarching plan to make the Trinity River navigable by steamboat from the Gulf of Mexico.{{Cite web |last=Goodman |first=Matt |date=2023-09-11 |title=A Strange Piece of Early Dallas History in the Great Trinity Forest Went Up In Flames |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2023/09/a-strange-piece-of-early-dallas-history-in-the-great-trinity-forest-went-up-in-flames/ |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=D Magazine |language=en-US}} An abandoned structure known as the Lock Keeper's House sat at the site and was recognized as a Texas Historic Landmark but was destroyed by fire in 2023.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website}}
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Category:Trinity River (Texas)
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