Update!

The Mayor of Gulfport's staff is researching the property around Clower Thornton to see if any of the property around CTNA belongs to the City of Gulfport. That will take a month or so and we will have a better idea of the size of the mountain we will have to climb.

CTNA is still closed until we remove the dangers that the City uncovered in their cleanup.

Latest Update

This letter was sent to our President. We have hit a few dangers that need to be addressed. I am temporarily asking CTNA to close because we found some hidden dangers once more debris was removed. Also some of the trails and the entire parking area is on private property that was not legally deeded to us or the City. We have to resolve all these issues so that the City of Gulfport and we can proceed. Please see my letter.

October 30, 2009

October 29th I met with Ed Salloum with Gulfport Leisure Services at CTNA. He requested the meeting initially because he was concerned some of the trails (2) were located on property that was not GCM's or City of Gulfport's. The City of Gulfport at my request had begun clearing the trails so that we could proceed to mark invasive species and have a work day next month. One of the trails leads to a raised portion that was once constructed of wood and it is in horrible condition and only has a small hand painted note stating keep out. Before clearing the debris, it had been hidden. Hence the "new" dangers, I am proposing this.

I feel that this is a hazard that may be a liability, that I was unaware of previously, and I am asking for us to temporarily put the signs back up closing CTNA until we can:

1. Determine our boundaries

2. Ask a Landscape Architect to look at a survey and redraw where the trails should be relocated so that the existing trail can be modified so that it is on our property or the property of the City.

3. Removed or repair the raised portion (some is off our property...so that will have to be resolved)

4. Remove some more of the tree hazards that are now present since the trail is closed.

I can place the signs at the north and south entrances, if that is what I am instructed to do. I know people may continue to use it and I am unsure how to handle that.

I still think CTNA is so worth saving. We know that the level of damage it sustained and some of the things done previously will cause us to be on a twisted path and one that we will eventually master. I respectfully ask that it remained closed, that we have it surveyed if Gulfport can not produce one, and ask a Landscape Architect to review the boundaries and the existing trails and modify them with the Sea Bees.

Anything beyond that I would recommend a conservation easement given to the LandTrust of the MS Coastal Plain. Ms Steckler is the Executive Director and I volunteer with her organization. I would not give my time to an organization unless I supported it 150%.
She has more resources and may partner with us. I believe in the LTMCP mission and want to conserve as much green space as we can.

If you can come please send me some dates. Thanks. I wish they had never found the dangers, however I am committed to GCM and I see this as a liability to us financially (if someone sues us because they have gotten hurt).

Respectfully submitted,

Renee Brooks

CTNA

Progress

Monday, I am meeting with Ed Salloum of Gulfport Leisure Services to discuss trail restoration. We are exploring applying for a grant to be used on the CTNA property. We have been given permission to apply for the grant by the membership and the executive.

I will be adding photos after my Monday visit. Stay tuned!

Clower Thornton unveils new blog!

Clower Thornton Nature Area is a beautiful 12 acre sea of green within the urban setting of Gulfport, Mississippi that is owned by the Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc.

This area was utterly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina but is undergoing a revival with the help of a lot of Friends and Partners.

Stay tuned to this blog for historical information, pictures, and up to date information.

Questions about our Clower- Thornton Nature Area please call Renee Brooks 228-452-9152.

This park will be open to the public soon for birding, nature hikes as well as an educational tool for scouts, school and homeschool groups and many other organizations.