The leaves providing dappled shade are new, the breeze is cool and there is an occasional flash of color as plants begin to bloom.
The nature center’s beginning was not so auspicious.
The area had been used as a dumping ground for trash and a playground for off-road vehicles before a group of community leaders in the late 1980s saw the area’s potential.
Located below Lake Belton dam, the nature center is made up of 266 acres with three canyons that open into prairies banked by 25 acres of wetlands.
During its inception the goal was to make the fewest changes to the property as possible - natural paths, minimal access and minimal impact on the land, said Mary Ann Smith, former Miller Springs Alliance president.
“We tried to respect what was there … providing a natural environment,” she said.
The alliance formed, bylaws were written, the group got its not-for-profit status, a contract with the Army Corps of Engineers was signed and grants were awarded.
“We all had the same vision of what the center could become,” Mrs. Smith said.
During presentations to students at Miller Springs, Mrs. Smith said she would explain to the youngsters they were in the deer’s living room and the students were guests.
The springs part of the name came from the water that seeped from several small fissures in a cliff at Tennessee Valley, a settlement engulfed by the waters of Lake Belton.
Though the alliance has for the most part dissolved, activity continues at Miller Springs. Last year 102,246 people visited the park, said Murray McCarley, park ranger.
It continues to serve as an outdoor classroom for county school districts.
An ongoing project at Miller Springs is the work force made up of young offenders, The Youth Network.
Arty Johnson and four other adults work with youngsters who have been charged with a Class C misdemeanors and have been given the opportunity to spend four or five Saturdays working at the park rather than paying a fine.
The youth spend most of their time repairing bridges, developing trails and picking up trash, Johnson said.
“The adults do mentor the children, discussing values and making wise choices and the importance of education,” he said.
Being outdoors is a plus because some of the youngsters have never been in a wooded environment, Johnson said, noting it is a new and positive experience.
Early on, researchers at the Texas Agriculture Experiment Station identified hundreds of native vegetation within the confines of the park.
But Mother Nature is fickle and the park continuously changes, with drought, rainfall and any number of factors influencing what grows and what blooms during any given year.
“It’s always changing,” Mrs. Smith said.
The park is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers, with the alliance holding a 25-year lease.
Ongoing work includes trail maintenance, McCarley said.
