Just 20 minutes from Downtown Dallas is vast oasis of green space. The Oak Cliff Nature Preserve contains over eight miles of multi-use trails, and is home to a variety of species including foxes, native bees, and even hummingbirds.
KERA's Yfat Yossifor, visual journalist and "unofficially official" nature correspondent, joined NTX Now's Miranda Suarez and Ron Corning to explain what makes this nature preserve so special.
These interview highlights have been edited for length and clarity. To hear the full conversation, click the 'listen' button above.
About the nature preserve
Yossifor says the preserve is mostly wooded, with trails weaving in and out of prairies.
"This is a little gemstone of what Dallas used to look like," she said.
Yossifor spoke with Jack Cearley, North Texas program director of the Texas Land Conservancy, which takes care of the preserve. He says this resource is unique to a city like Dallas.
"It's not your typical city park with the mowed grass and all the picnic tables," he said. "It gives people the opportunity to feel like they're out of the city and really enjoy nature."
Hiking, biking, and taking it all in
With the amount of trails at the nature preserve, there are no shortage of hikers and bikers. Yossifor tends to go to there with other plans in mind.
"Oak Cliff Nature Preserve for me is my therapy session," she said. "I go there when I need somewhere close by my home, but I need to get out and see some nature and just detox."
The preserve is set up where hikers walk the trail clockwise, and bikers ride the trail counterclockwise, so everyone can enjoy the preserve in harmony. While the trails are narrow, Yossifor says hikers are always polite and step off the trail for those on bikes.
Volunteering
Like many public outdoor spaces, the land at the Oak Cliff Nature Preserve is tended to by volunteers.
Cearley says volunteer work days are vital to keeping the preserve up standard.
"These work days are such a huge help for us because creating those hours that we can't make up with that volunteer help is the only reason we can operate this place the way we do," he said.
One task for volunteers is helping to get rid of privet, an invasive shrub that has taken over many of the shaded spots on the trails.
At the nature preserve, controlled burns aren't allowed, so Yossifor says volunteer days make a huge difference in making room for the native plants.
Miranda Suarez and Ron Corning are the hosts of KERA's NTX Now. Got a tip? Email Miranda at msuarez@kera.org or Ron at rcorning@kera.org.
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