Blanco State Park

Transcription

Being a small park, we're not intimidating to folks. They're not going to come out on a hike and get lost. [music] We're having fun! Well this is really interesting. We're an easy start-up park for people who are just getting used to being outside. [music] Blanco State Park is about an hour from both San Antonio and Austin. Its big draw is the Blanco River, and on a typical weekend all sorts of visitors flock to its banks from families to the occasional church group. We're with Gateway Church in San Antonio, Texas. "...the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost..." We're here to baptize some church members. For Pastor Willie, today is a special day. I never dreamed I would be baptizing my grandson and my oldest granddaughter. It is really a blessing to do that. It's a blessing that Pastor Willie has truly immersed himself in. Oh, yes. I'm all wet. Piece of cake. At the other end of the park, superintendent Michael Young is showing these scouts how to promote the growth of native plants … [grunts] …by clearing away non-native vegetation. Today I'm helping my friend Wes Stoltz on his Eagle Scout project. We're clearing out the Waxleaf Ligustrum. an invasive plant species Mr. Muscle, come on! because it's being detrimental to the native species in this area, not allowing them to grow. And we're just trying to give everything that's actually from here a chance. But all this physical work does have its benefits both for the scouts ... It gets my muscles big. ...and the park. Now there's another trail to explore and learn on. An insulator? What does an insulator do? Mary Alice Partain is the park interpreter. That's exactly right. I think the interpreter can be that bridge between people coming and visiting, and the natural and cultural resources that we have. It's got these bars that go across... It makes that experience, that visit, so much deeper, so much richer, Look at this beautiful one. This is a great one. Let's put this in there. The more we're able to instill in them an excitement about being outdoors an excitement about animals and the benefits that they provide to us, Okay, let's find some more! then we can be assured that in the future, we still have these wonderful places to come to. [music] The park itself is very, very clean. Family, oh, it’s beautiful for families. It is a beautiful place. [music]