Park Board talks grazing, stargazing

The Hill County Park Board held lengthy discussions Monday night concerning a new idea for Beaver Creek Park and grazing monitoring.

Robbie Lucke, a board member, discussed his idea of incorporating a new amenity at Beaver Creek Park — a “Night Skies Park.”

“If we were to start a Night Skies Park, which would be great for stargazing and things like this, I’m kind of hoping there will be a group that will come along and say that they’d like to do this and start some activities out there so that we really knew that it was going to be utilized if we went to this trouble,” he said. “It’s an amenity that seems to me that is very easy to do because we don’t have many lights that are bothersome to people in the first place and we have the top of Mount Otis which is absolutely wonderful for stargazing, and for groups. … I’m not letting go of it.”

Beaver Creek Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said the Natural Resources Conservation Service sent a letter requesting grazing monitoring be done at Beaver Creek Park.

Hill County Commissioner, Mark Peterson expressed his thoughts on the monitoring.

“When I look at that, I look at an unbiased group that is knowledgeable in what they do, that comes onto the park and looks at the same locations every year to see what the changes of the vegetation may or may not be, and I think it’s something we really need to follow up on in the future, also, and continue monitoring,” he said.

The board collectively approved this motion.

The next Park Board meeting is scheduled for May 4.