The Grounds
The Grounds - Written by Van Johnson
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The two acres that comprise Western Heights Cemetery are on a pocket of sandy soil in an area otherwise known for its heavy clay. There is a slight slope to the south with the northern end being 9 ft higher than the southern end.
Unlike most of West Dallas which lies in the Trinity River floodplain, the cemetery is elevated by the Austin Chalk limestone formation overlooking the Trinity and downtown Dallas. Ecologically the surrounding area belongs to the Texas Blackland Prairies ecoregion.
Mature trees include live oaks, cedar elms, junipers, and hackberries. Hackberries are frequently cited as both the number one bird tree and the number one butterfly tree. There are numerous walking trails crisscrossing the cemetery, as well as bird feeders, bird houses, and benches under shade trees to enhance the park-like aspect of the property. Common bird species seen and heard include Northern mockingbird, cardinal, house finch, blue jay, white winged dove, and house sparrow, attracted by seed and berry plants.
Through the Constellation of Living Memorials a $5,000 matching grant was secured in Autumn 2023 from the Texas Historical Foundation to plant native plants to create a habitat for birds and pollinators and to help connect migratory pathways.
A condition of the grant was a two year mowing hiatus on 50% of the land to let the dormant wildflower seed bank emerge. We discovered colonies of Engelmann daisy, sedge, wild petunia, pigeonberry, and silvertip bluestem along with smaller populations of snake herb, baby slippers, prickly poppy, and other species.
The main species added from the initial planting from the Texas Historical Foundation grant and gifts from local gardeners include: switchgrass, side oats grama, little bluestem, inland sea oats, Maximilian sunflower, frostweed, Gregg's mistflower, Monarda fistulosa, sand bracted sedge, Webberville sedge, fall aster, juncus, yarrow, pokeberry, American germander, Copper Canyon daisy, fragrant white fall mistflower and spiderwort.
Invasive species targeted for removal include Chinaberry, privet, and paper mulberry and good progress has been made with these species. Hedge parsley and Johnson grass are also on the list for eradication. Poison ivy, although native, is being removed for the safety of visitors and volunteers. This plant along with the wildflower seeding program are good reasons to stay on the mulched or mowed walking paths.
A good firefly population exists, especially for an urban parcel. They are seen in the greatest numbers in the half hour after sunset in late May and early June.
This land restoration project supports plants and wildlife of the scant remaining and rapidly dwindling Blackland Prairie ecosystem. Through this effort, water absorption and carbon sink are enhanced while providing public space to enjoy the outdoors, benefiting human wellness. Western Heights Cemetery celebrates cultural history and natural history together to create a truly Living Memorial.
Arts Advisory Council for the Western Heights Cemetery Association. Our Living Biographies series was a big success. We are working on an upcoming poetry walk offering -- The Peripatetic Poets Society -- where we will walk through the cemetery reading the best pre-selected epitaphs on the themes of life, death, and nature as well as pausing at various other locations along the way to share additional selections from famous authors on these topics. We also have plans for visual art installations including a 175 ft mural, and more ideas for the performing arts, particularly storytelling, theatre, and non-amplified music.