Saturday, May 27, 2023
Camp Leroy Shuman, a campground for boys and girls, opened in 1920 and was closed in 2009. The property is owned by the City of Fort Worth and is accessible through permission. It is one of the first scout camps in Fort Worth. Today, the flagpole and the remains of the mess hall are still there. There are plenty of old trails here, although some are slightly overgrown. Numerous deer graze on the grasses near dark.
The camp is predominately a Post Oak/Blackjack woodland, with scattered open patches of sandy, Western Cross Timbers prairie. Typical woody species are Post Oak (Quercus stellata), Blackjack Oak (Quercus marilandica), Possumhaw (Ilex decidua), Carolina Buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana) and Rusty Blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum). Various grasses and forbs exist in the understory and in the scattered patches of sandy prairie.
We will be focusing on providing valuable data for management using iNaturalist observations. There is an existing iNaturalist project page titled “Camp Leroy Shuman” here: www.inaturalist.org/observations?project_id=148841
*This tour is offered by donations. Suggested donation amount is $10; but please donate any amount you believe this special tour is worth. Donations benefit Native Prairies Association of Texas (conservation & land trust organization). Donations are non-refundable.
Fort Worth Chapter of the Native Prairies Association of Texas 