Great Springs Project proposes to partner alongside local government with equity in mind

The Environmental Commission passed a motion at its regular meeting on Sept. 18, recommending local government establish a partnership with Great Springs Project to “serve the City’s interest with respect to connectivity, transportation, conservation, and watershed protection outcomes.”

Trails and transportation planner Mikey Goralnik presented an overview of Great Springs Project’s mission and future plans to the commission. The nonprofit organization is working to create a greenway of protected lands between Austin and San Antonio over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, connecting this corridor with a network of spring-to-spring trails.

“Access to outdoor environments … are necessary parts of healthy, resilient and vibrant communities,” Goralnik said. “Trails are important because they facilitate active transportation connections in our communities, provide opportunities for recreational use, generate jobs (and) support a healthy economy.” 

Project efforts span four counties and 10 cities. More specifically, the project’s plan is to link the four iconic springs of Central Texas: Barton Springs, San Marcos Springs, Comal Springs and San Antonio Springs. Additionally, its overarching goals are “Conserving land specifically to support aquifer recharge (and) to promote habitat for native species,” Goralnik said. 

However, this project does not belong solely to one organization.

“These are everybody’s plans, everybody’s conservation priorities,” Goralnik said. Great Springs Project unifies existing local efforts to address the water, land, wildlife and public health challenges facing the Central Texas region. The project collaborates with local governments and other nonprofits to amplify and implement  these priorities. 

Land transactions are a large part of the project. Since people are often hesitant to grant the government rights to their privately owned land, Great Springs Project staff serve as a “buffer between landowner and local governments” when right-of-way and fee simple acquisitions are being made, Goralnik said.

Ana Aguirre, president of Austin Neighborhoods Council and Go! Austin/Vamos! Austin, asked for a postponement of the motion during the public comment period. Aguirre expressed concern upon hearing the project’s plan, requesting time to inform community members of what is being proposed. She highlighted issues regarding the effects of natural disasters around heavily cemented areas – specifically, the 2013 flooding of Onion Creek, which resulted in five deaths and 1,200 homes being damaged in lower-income communities of color where residents were more susceptible to flash flood risks.

“Communities of color should not be an afterthought when plans like this are being thought of,” Aguirre said.

Great Springs Project is intended to address equity concerns in its plans and online platforms.

“Exposure to the risks of a changing climate (heat, flooding, drought) and access to outdoor experiences in Central Texas are not equitably distributed,” said Goralnik, who said he was open to implementing measures to ensure that these concerns are addressed.

In response, the Environmental Commission voted to amend the motion to include language recognizing the interests of communities of color. The resulting final clause read that the commission “emphasizes a need to include communities of color as part of the process to provide feedback and facilitate open communications along every part of the project to ensure those communities are not under-served as has been the case in our history.”

The final motion will encourage the Parks and Recreation Department, Watershed Protection Department, Transportation and Public Works Department and others as necessary to partner and collaborate with the Great Springs Project with equity in mind.

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