See the adjacent photo of cactus blossoms on the Conservancy’s Silva tract, right next to the gate. For some reason, there is exception color on this very old cactus plant on the preserve this year. I’ve heard people say that there is nothing but green and brown color on the preserves during the summer. This standout cactus puts an accent on that!
One Against Many?
The Conservancy uses a variety of tools to manage vegetation on its preserves, guided by a strategy known as “the soft path first.” One of those tools is grazing. Over the years, the Conservancy has used large grazing animals to manage marsh and adjacent upland vegetation, including Hereford, Black Angus, …

