The Lindheimer Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists is proud of its association with two prominent natural features found in the Texas Hill Country. These are Canyon Lake Gorge (canyongorge.org) and the Friesenhahn Cave (www.concordia.edu/html/Faculty/Meissner/fries_home.htm).
A third signature project has been added in 2009—a 300-acre wildlife territory known as the Mesquite Creek Wildlife Habitat Area (MCWHA), located adjacent to Waste Management’s Mesquite Creek Landfill on Kohlenberg Road. Waste Management's plan is to preserve, enhance, and maintain the area, with the help of a wide array of community volunteers. Members of the Lindheimer Chapter are fortunate for the many different opportunities these three projects are providing, but are always searching for other ways to serve its nature community.

The Canyon Lake Gorge is a beautiful and natural window into the geologic and hydrologic dynamics of the Glen Rose limestone found in the Canyon Lake area. The Gorge was created or “cut” when floodwaters escaped for the first time over the Canyon Lake spillway during the flood event of 2002. Our Lindheimer Chapter works in close association with the Gorge Preservation Society, which is a grassroots organization dedicated to developing long term plans for the Gorge and to protecting the Gorge as it was created. Chapter members have served as guides, docents and administrative leaders. We have also provided trail maintenance and development, helped preserve natural features, as well as helping design educational and tour materials. The Lindheimer Chapter provides the highest number of volunteer hours associated with the Canyon Lake Gorge.

Friesenhahn Cave in San Antonio is considered one of the most important paleontological sites in the United States, second only to the La Brea Tar Pits in California in its yield of the greatest variety of significant Pleistocene vertebrate fossils. From excavations conducted by the University of Texas over 40 years ago to the present, the Friesenhahn Cave has yielded over 4,000 isolated teeth and bones of more than 30 genera of ice age mammals, reptiles and birds. Especially noteworthy are well-preserved specimens of a saber-toothed cat and a long nose peccary, as well as remains of mammoths and mastodons. The Lindheimer Chapter is involved not only with the actual excavation of the cave, but also the sifting of these cave sediments and the cleaning and sorting of the Pleistocene fossil finds. This is an exciting and challenging new relationship for our Chapter and we look forward to expanding our involvement. (www.concordia.edu/html/Faculty/Meissner/fries_home.htm).

We were approached by Waste Management to help them plan and implement a 300 acre Wildlife Territory adjacent to the Mesquite Creek Landfill on Kohlenberg Road in the New Braunfels community. Current inititives underway include nature trail development, a large pollinator garden, and pond enhancement and restoration. Other approved projects include an environmental learning center at the habitat entrance, a native grass/flower garden near the historic cemetery that is on the property and an invasive species management program. Consideration is being given for nesting structures and raptor platforms.