Brackenridge Park (SA Zoo, Sunken Garden Theater and Japanese Sunken Gardens)

[Keep-SA-Lame]

As someone who believes trees are quite literally sacred, I'm starting to lose my patience with the opposition groups. It's good that there was some back and forth but this is getting unreasonable. What's worse is they've been deliberately misrepresenting what the plans are. None of the bald cypress trees along the lower bank are slated for removal, but they continue to claim and social media and at these forums that they're going to be cut. And besides the tree drama, the habitat restoration areas are going to be amazing. While I hate to lose even a single tree, on balance this is a great plan and will make the park better.

Also, I think the fact these groups are so obsessed with trees specifically betrays they don't actually know much about ecology. Trees are sexy (and important), but to have a real ecosystem you also need to also have open grasslands and under-story plantings that provide food and cover for wildlife, as well as water filtration and erosion management services. Very few large trees are larval hosts for butterflies and other insects. Etc. I think instead of focusing on the trees, all these groups would have made more positive change had they spent all their hot air advocating for habitat restoration areas in other parts of the park where they've desperately needed. A much better managed ecosystem at the Headwaters is planting a prairie this year, for example.

[kingkirbythe....]

San Antonio Zoo to stage Zoofest music festival in Sunken Garden Theater this fall

The festival at Sunken Garden Theater will feature the Josh Abbott Band, AB Quintanilla and Finding Friday as headliners.

https://www.sacurrent.com/music/san-...-fall-29753321

After years of planning, the San Antonio Zoo will hold its first annual Zoofest 2022 music festival at the historic Sunken Garden Theater this October.

The fundraising concert will feature artists from genres including rock, country and Latin music, including the Josh Abbott Band, AB Quintanilla & Kumbia All Starz and Finding Friday expected to headline, according to zoo officials.

"Country, rock, and Latin music have been mainstays of San Antonio's music scene for decades, and we want to provide them all in a single event," said SA Zoo CEO Tim Morrow said in a written statement. "For over 100 years, San Antonians have been visiting San Antonio Zoo, and since 1926 they've been attending shows at Sunken Garden Theater, and now they can do both for a great cause!"

Tickets are on sale at the zoo's website. They start at $40 for general admission, those looking for an upgraded experience can spring for the King of the Jungle VIP Table, which starts at $2,400. That package includes admission for a party of eight and features cocktail service, an invite to a pre-show party and access to VIP bathrooms.

All tickets include entry to the San Antonio Zoo, with a portion of proceeds going to protecting wildlife.

$40-$2,500, 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, Sunken Garden Theater, 3875 N St Mary's St, sazoo.org/zoofest.

[kingkirbythe....]

Brackenridge Park wants to bring back the massive herd of grazing goats

https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifesty...s-17459240.php

Back in May, you may have noticed the herd of over 150 hungry goats that took over popular local jogging and picnic destination, Brackenridge Park. Now, the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department and the Brackenridge Park Conservancy are trying to bring the scruffy gluttons back to digest the park's ever-growing overgrowth.

The goats, all gainfully employed at the Texas division of Rent-A-Ruminant, are a proposed eco-friendly (and adorable) solution to managing the invasive and overgrown plant species growing at the historic park. The multi-stomach, voracious creatures are billed as an alternative to harmful herbicides, and are better suited for scaling inaccessible areas than your average maintenance worker.

The largest goat grazing service in Texas, Rent-A-Ruminant is led by Caroline and Kyle Carr, who travel the state on a for-hire basis, keeping fields, lawns, and natural areas neat and trim.

The May initiative, the first time the San Antonio organizations had ever endeavored any project of this kind, was made possible largely by donations from the 2021 Big Give SA campaign.

The Brackenridge Park Conservancy is currently calling on supporters to donate to the goat cause once again,"to keep Brackenridge Park safe and healthy" during this year's campaign which begins Thursday, September 22 at 6 p.m. and ends Friday, September 23 at 6 p.m.

Big spenders with cash to burn who donate $500 to the campaign will get a chance to name a goat, according to the park conservancy. All donors will be invited to pet the goats for a special photo opportunity in May 2023.

If they reach their goal, the goats will make a return in the spring time, and remain for several weeks. The last time the goats came to town was not without its drama. A power generator for the electric fence put in place to safe-guard the goats was stolen before safely being returned shortly after.

No goats were harmed, but they did leave San Antonio with their stomach's full.