The pale morning sun slanted through the trees, highlighting the field of frost. It was below average cold, starting out in the 30s. We\u2019d had to look for mittens and woolly stuff.<\/p>\n
Trails Not Trails. Laws Not Laws. Whoops! What\u2019s this? We stopped. Our path into the woods was blocked. Wire-fenced off and a big green sign posted in English and Spanish: “This is Not a trail. Do not enter! Destroying public property is a prohibited by Title 19, Chapter 191, of the Government Code of Texas.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sign and fence on an “unofficial” trail in Memorial Park, Dec. 19, 2019<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Hmm. Well, it turns out this is Not a law either. More about that later.<\/p>\n To continue, we continued. The clanking, grinding sounds of heavy machinery rang through the wintry woods. Next we found that the soaring loblolly pine snag, long dead, had been cut down. It had been standing tall for years, slowly decaying, providing habitat and sustenance for wildlife<\/a>. We counted the rings. At least 70-80 years old. The massive felled log lay across the trail that was Not a trail, blocking our path. The name \u201cJesus\u201d carved into its side years ago was still faintly visible. We went around.<\/p>\n Jim took up his position. We were on a high bank looking down at the slow-flowing water below. (Red arrow shows the spot on this 1922 topographic map<\/a> of the bayou flowing past what is now the Arboretum, Memorial Park, and the River Oaks Country Club.) We could see up and down the meandering stream. The view was disturbing. Across the way, on the River Oaks Country Club\u2019s golf course, a couple of backhoes like some prehistoric monsters ate at the mound of excavated dirt that was piled up there. In the distance Areas 1 and 2 of the club\u2019s massive three-part \u201crepair\u201d project<\/a> had now transformed the bank into what looked like the side of a parking garage. Huge trucks roared back and forth, throwing up dirt, on the upper bank where trees had been removed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking upstream at Area 1 of the River Oaks Country Club’s bank “repair” project, Buffalo Bayou. Photo by Jim Olive, Dec . 19, 2019<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n But all around us the yaupon holly berries were bright red and cheerful.<\/p>\n Yaupon holly. Photo by Jim O., Dec. 19, 2019<\/p><\/div>\n Jim focused his camera, waiting for the perfect angle of light. His assistant wandered around dispiritedly, drifting down to stare at the sandy creek that is the main tributary stream trickling from deep inside the park, emptying into the bayou. A rope swing, fixed with a small handle made of a short wooden branch, hung over the water. Lodged in the bushes high on the opposite slope were the wooden remains of someone\u2019s platform\/observation deck\/tree house.<\/p>\n Jim took his beautiful photographs. We packed up and headed for some warm breakfast tacos.<\/p>\n On the way out, taking a different path, we encountered another sign warning us against \u201cdestroying public property.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Explanation. And A Puzzle: Non-Existent Law We contacted the Memorial Park Conservancy,\u00a0as well as the director of the Parks and Recreation Department and the City Attorney, about the signs and fencing. Carolyn White, the Conservancy\u2019s conservation director, formerly a project manager with the Harris County Flood Control District, explained in an email that in fact these \u201cunofficial\u201d trails on the southeast side of the park near the bayou have been closed for years. It\u2019s just that the Conservancy is putting up new fencing and new signs.<\/p>\n The \u201cofficial\u201d color-coded trails in the park<\/a>, those open to the public, she pointed out, were decided years ago through an agreement between the Conservancy, the Parks Department, and the Greater Houston Off-Road Biking Association (GHORBA)<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, hikers and runners, who were not consulted, have continued to use (and maintain) these \u201cunofficial\u201d dirt paths, as they have for decades. But the Conservancy believes that \u201cuse of these unsanctioned trails compromises the stability of this terrain and results in land loss for Memorial Park and damages to public property,\u201d wrote White. Furthermore, she noted, the \u201cextremely steep terrain … is unsafe for passage.\u201d<\/p>\n White pointed out that the same signs are \u201cposted throughout Memorial Park \u2026 which allows for misuse of park assets to be treated as destruction of city property.\u201d<\/p>\n We are obliged to note, however, that\u00a0the law cited in the warning signs, \u201cTitle 19, Chapter 191, of the Government Code of Texas,\u201d does not exist.<\/a> We will follow up for clarification.<\/p>\n The Future<\/strong><\/p>\n Under the Conservancy\u2019s 2015 Master Plan,<\/a> eventually there will be 5.4 miles of natural surface trails, 2-3 feet wide, exclusively for the use of hikers, through this and surrounding areas. (p. 78)<\/a> This does not include the 12-foot wide Southern Arc crushed-stone multi-use trail (p. 77)<\/a> looping from east to west through this southern section of the park.<\/p>\n The plan includes 7.4 miles of biking-only trails through the woods and planned prairies of the south side of the park. (p. 79)<\/a><\/p>\n SC<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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