What we do
FAUNA
Friends of Arlington’s Unique Natural Areas — the coalition of friends-of-the-park groups working together for the city’s wild places.
A coalition
Stronger for Arlington’s natural areas, together
Friends of Arlington’s Unique Natural Areas (FAUNA) was established in September 2019 by the Arlington Conservation Council. It brings together the volunteers and friends-of-the-park groups who care for Arlington’s natural areas so they can share common issues, coordinate plans, and speak with one voice for the city’s wild places.
Across Arlington, separate groups of volunteers were doing the same work, running into the same problems, and planning for the same future. Ball fields and pavilions generate revenue for the parks department; natural areas beautify the city without producing income, so the many hours volunteers give them often go unsupported. FAUNA exists to change that.
Explore the areas
Arlington’s unique natural areas
Ten parks and preserves cared for by FAUNA friends groups. Visit any area’s page for its highlights, upcoming events, and how to join its friends group.
Bob Findlay Linear Park
900 Findlay Dr., Arlington, TX 76012
Cared for by Friends of Bob Findlay Linear Park
A shaded creekside corridor in west Arlington where a walking trail follows the water beneath mature trees.
Visit this area →Crystal Canyon Natural Area
1000 Brown Blvd., Arlington, TX 76011
Cared for by Friends of Crystal Canyon Natural Area
An unexpected pocket of rugged canyon terrain in north Arlington, with exposed limestone, fossils, and native plants adapted to its thin rocky soils.
Visit this area →On iNaturalist
Fish Creek Linear Park
5706 New York Ave., Arlington, TX 76018
Cared for by Friends of Fish Creek Linear Park
A creek corridor in southeast Arlington near the Blackland Prairie, where volunteers work to keep the waterway and its banks healthy.
Visit this area →Julia Burgen on the Greenway
1008 Ruby St., Arlington, TX 76010
Cared for by Friends of Julia Burgen on the Greenway
An urban forest along Johnson Creek near downtown Arlington, named for a champion of the city's green spaces.
Visit this area →On iNaturalist
O.S. Gray Natural Area
2021 W. Abram St., Arlington, TX 76013
Cared for by Friends of O.S. Gray Natural Area
A quiet woodland and pond tucked off Abram Street — a small refuge for birds and the people who watch them.
Visit this area →On iNaturalist
Randol Mill Park
1901 W. Randol Mill Rd., Arlington, TX 76012
Cared for by Friends of Randol Mill Park
A large west Arlington park whose wooded areas and creek bottoms hold more nature than its ballfields let on.
Visit this area →On iNaturalist
River Legacy Park and Nature Center
701 NW Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington, TX 76006
Cared for by River Legacy Foundation
Hundreds of acres of bottomland forest along the Trinity River, with paved trails and a science center that introduces thousands of children to nature every year.
Visit this area →On iNaturalist
Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve
5201 S. Bowman Springs Rd., Arlington, TX 76017
Cared for by Friends of Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve
A southwest Arlington preserve of ponds and upland habitat, cared for by one of the city's most active friends groups.
Visit this area →On iNaturalist
The Molly Hollar Wildscape
2866 Spanish Trail, Arlington, TX 76016
Cared for by The Molly Hollar Wildscape
A demonstration garden of Texas native plants in Veterans Park, showing what yards and parks can look like when they are planted for pollinators and wildlife.
Visit this area →On iNaturalist
Village Creek Historical Area
2605 Dottie Lynn Pkwy, Arlington, TX 76012
Cared for by Friends of Village Creek Historical Area
Wooded trails along Village Creek at a site layered with history, connecting neighborhoods to the creek and to each other.
Visit this area →On iNaturalist
Common ground
Issues we work on together
Every friends group meets the same challenges. Pooling effort and knowledge is how we make headway on all of them.
Invasive plants
Removing privet, ligustrum, and giant mustard (Rapistrum rugosum) — and keeping them under control through constant vigilance.
More volunteers
Recruiting and retaining the helping hands every park needs, so the work doesn’t fall to a small core of regulars.
Erosion control
Protecting creeks and floodplains from erosion driven by heavier rains and upstream development.
Smarter mowing
Mowing height and timing that protects native vegetation instead of cutting it so low it dies.
Water & growing space
Getting water to native plants and finding space to grow plants for the parks and for fundraising sales.
Shared data & signs
A common database for the city and developers, plus durable, user-friendly signage across the parks.
What we’re asking for
A fair partnership with the city
- An APRD resource manager — a single contact person friends groups can reach about park issues.
- A city privet-control plan that accounts for the cost and lost plant diversity of inaction.
- Follow-through on plans, so volunteer effort isn’t wasted.
- A way to quantify the value of natural areas to the city — and a standing coalition that can advocate for them together.
Bring your group to the table
If your group volunteers in an Arlington park or natural area, FAUNA is your table. Come to a meeting, and find work days and volunteer opportunities on our calendar.