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Learn more about his legacy and commitment to Barton Springs  Former Save Our Springs Board Chair and Austin conservation leader Mark Tschurr concluded a wonderful life last week. Mark's obituary is posted here. It highlights how much he loved and worked to protect Barton Springs and the environment of his Austin home. A memorial service has not yet been scheduled. In the 1992 campaign to win voter approval of the citizen-initiated Save Our Springs ordinance, Mark jumped in to lead the Austin Business Leaders for the Environment (ABLE) PAC. He worked closely with other SOS champions from across the political spectrum to win a landslide vote to "save our springs" in August 1992. From then until his final days Mark challenged those around him to make community service and protecting the environment a part of their personal lives. Mark was a true friend of Barton Springs, Austin, the Hill Country, and Mother Earth. Mark lived the idea that doing the right thing was more important than taking credit for the results. And that if things didn't work out, the door stayed open to try again. Mark's advocacy and connections in the tech world helped steer several corporate expansions and relocations towards downtown and north Austin, away from our vulnerable Hill Country watersheds.  As a small business owner in Austin's emerging tech world, Mark took real risks in telling the Chamber of Commerce they were wrong in arguing that protecting Barton Springs by passing the SOS ordinance was bad for our economy. He ruffled feathers in opposing corporate subsidies, insisting that businesses should pay their fair share of taxes, and speaking up in social settings on the side of protecting the environment when others remained silent.
When Mark joined the SOS Board as Chair, he opened doors and sought compromise but rejected doing deals that pitted good government against watershed protection. He championed public funding to buy critical watershed protection lands -- and challenged landowners to donate or sell at a discount conservation easements that would protect our Hill Country watersheds forever. Mark's efforts helped protect thousands of acres in the Barton Springs and Colorado River watersheds. He also played a key role in securing permanent protection of land at Jacob's Well, part of which is now Hays County's Jacob's Well Preserve. Mark lived his life dedicated to his wife Betsy, daughter Helen, son Henry, and to the Austin community. He was close friends with SOS Executive Director Bill Bunch, SOS founding board chair Helen Ballew, ABLE co-founders Deborah Morin and John Mackey, and many other SOS supporters. Austin and SOS were blessed by Mark's wisdom and love for our fair city and for Barton Springs. We thank you Mark and will continue to be inspired and guided by your leadership. Our sympathies go out to Betsy, Helen, Henry and the Tschurr family. SOS Alliance Photos: Mark and Betsy Tschurr taking the Polar Bear plunge at Barton Springs on New Year's Day, 2023.  Join us in urging the City Council to reject irresponsible code amendments, conduct a full audit of the Trail Conservancy's dealings, and prioritize the restoration of our trails and Critical Water Quality Zones. Austinites love our Lady Bird Lake and the Butler Trail encircling the lake. Everyday thousands of people -- mostly walkers and joggers-- enjoy the tree lined, lakeside trail. It's an escape to nature and community, in the heart of the City we love. Imagine converting the Butler Trail into a much larger trail, with more pavement, less shade, designed for high speed ebike and scooter traffic, and servicing expanded commercial concessions along the trail. This new "trail," or lakeside transportation project along with commercial ventures on the shoreline , would require cutting down lots more trees and destroying native vegetation, which would also dramatically increase erosion along the banks. Our City Council is poised to approve this coming Thursday, March 7th, revisions to code provisions that would permit expansion of hard surface trails (greater than 12 feet) within the Critical Water Quality Zone and eliminate requirements for restoration of these areas caused by these expansions. We are shocked and disappointed that The Trail Conservancy would be pushing hard to eliminate water quality protections and City Council oversight of their actions. This is our public park land. Most trail users want more shade trees, not fewer; a more natural trail corridor, not more pavement and commerce, and a walk, run, jog or recreational bike ride on the lake shore with less heat, noise, erosion, and pollution. In short, The Trail Conservancy is trying to obtain a “carte blanche” from the City to do whatever they want with our Trail. Oversight from PARD is inadequate and the pressure on Watershed Protection staff is alarming.  Our City's Climate Equity Plan as well as our citywide Parks Plan calls for more nature -- rewilding -- of our parks and public lands. We need our Parks Department planting more trees, not cutting them down, removing pavement that's not needed, and cleaning up Lady Bird Lake for more recreational enjoyment and escape from the worsening urban heat island. We've seen the giant erosion slumps on the Butler Trail, above Barton Creek, that have sat exposed for 6 years or more. The Parks Department and The Trail Conservancy only point fingers at each other for having done nothing to shore up these erosion zones. They will still be pointing at each other when the next flash flood downpour causes much large chunks of the trail to slide into the lake. Please join in telling the City Council to oppose these harmful amendments, to launch a full audit of the Trail Conservancy's relationship with the City, and to prioritize stewardship and restoration along the trail.
Watch for more details early next week and mark your calendars for more fun at City Hall on Thursday, March 7th. Many Thanks, SOS Alliance |
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