Milestones made possible by volunteers, supporters

Milestones made possible by volunteers, supporters

The Cibolo Center for Conservation has blossomed from a local initiative into a flourishing beacon of environmental stewardship and education. While we often speak of the original Circle of Friends and the growth of the Cibolo Nature Center, we are equally proud of the work of countless other volunteers and the many successes achieved here and throughout our region over the past 35 years.

Here are a few big moments from Cibolo history, only made possible through the dedication and care of a community like ours.

• In 1990, Friends of the Cibolo Wilderness set out to restore the marsh and build a new boardwalk to give visitors the chance to experience the wildlife of that ecosystem. Volunteers showed up in droves to complete the work.

The plants and animals of a once destroyed marsh began to return.

We were also part of the first Native Plant Sale held at the Kendall County Fairgrounds.

• 1992 saw a community- wide effort to relocate a building on Main Street to 140 City Park Road to become our visitor center. We are grateful for all the neighbors who came out to watch and help with the fiasco.

• In 1993, the city of Boerne agreed to build a fence around the Cibolo Spring at the fairgrounds, publicly showing their interest in protecting the area’s natural resources.

• In 1995, a small group began the Monarch Monitoring Program. Thanks to continual involvement of volunteers, it is now the longest running monarch and milkweed monitoring project in the country.

As time went on, neighbors began to see the Cibolo Nature Center as a meaningful community space.

• In 1997, it was announced that the Ku Klux Klan would march through Boerne. In response, Cibolo held a Diversity Day potluck lunch in front of the Visitor Center for everyone to attend, instead of the march.

• In 1999, we received funding for the Tree of Life Arboretum, a trail of trees planted in honor of lost loved ones that families can visit. Volunteers planted 100 trees that first year.

• In 2000, we held our first Songs and Stories (Moondance) event, where visitors could enjoy live music and dance under the sunset.

Having established ourselves in the community, it was time to look beyond our gates and create a bigger impact.

• At the end of 2000, we collaborated with the city of Boerne on an application for a $100,000 grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to convert the city’s abandoned railroad into a hike and bike trail.

• In 2004, with the help of other organizations and individuals, we spearheaded Proposition One, receiving $5 million for Kendall County parks and natural areas. This allowed for the funding of James Kiehle Park (Kendall County’s first established park), Kreutzberg Canyon Natural Area, and Joshua Springs Park.

Because of the relentless help of volunteers and generous donations, we have upkept educational programs like the Nature Boxes, Deep Roots, The Nest Nature School, fieldtrip funding, and more which benefit children all over the Hill Country area. We’ve also acquired properties throughout the Cibolo Conservation Corridor, allowing us to protect land and water in these environmentally critical areas.

• Most recently, in 2022, our county passed Proposition A, granting $20 million to the protection of creeks, rivers, and springs to maintain water quality, to give access to land for public use, and for the conservation of wildlife habitat.

The evolution of our organization -- and the overwhelming support from the community over the years -- mirrors the growing awareness and urgency surrounding environmental conservation in our world.

All these are just a few of the milestones and successes of The Cibolo. If you have ever attended one of our events or donated your time, money, land, or services toward any of our causes, you have been a part of our story.

Thank you for supporting 35 years of The Cibolo! We will be celebrating with our Cibolo Gala on October 7. If you are interested in joining, please visit www. Cibolo.org/gala to purchase your tickets.

AT THE TRAIL