Amy Martin

Senior Features Reporter

Amy Martin, a journalist and writer for more than 40 years, is a senior reporter for GreenSource DFW. Her latest book, "Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature in and round Dallas-Fort Worth,” (Wild-DFW.com) will be released by Timber Press in July 2023. She is currently creating a biographical website (NedFritz.com) of Ned Fritz, Texas' most famous environmentalist. Her prior book was "Itchy Business: How to Treat the Poison Ivy and Poison Oak Rash, Prevent Exposure and Eradicate the Plant.”(Itchy.biz)

She was contributing editor for the national magazine Garbage (recycling and features), and has written for TheaterJones (comedy and cirque), Senior Voice (The Aging Hippie column), Dallas Morning News (recycling), Dallas Times Herald (performing arts), and Dallas Observer (music and comedy). For a dozen years, Martin also operated a popular alternative news service called Moonlady News, earning her the nickname Moonlady. She may be reached through Moonlady.com.

By Amy Martin

Mar 04 2022, AMY MARTIN

Local success stories in the fight against privet

March 4, 2022

Privet continues to be a formidable foe for park managers and volunteers as Amy Martin chronicles in her in-depth feature story. But staff and volunteers at seven parks and preserves in North Texas are determined to thwart privet dominance and share their successes and unique challenges. Read their stories below:

Feb 25 2022, AMY MARTIN

Activists rally to preserve Duncanville natural area

Feb. 25, 2022

For decades, the rocky woods and grasslands along Ten Mile Creek served as a nature retreat for residents of Duncanville, as well as Cedar Hill, Desoto and southwest Dallas.

The creek runs bright and clear through limestone ledges, sometimes spilling its banks to form small wetlands. River otters frolic in the water while great blue herons stalk fish. Beyond the riparian woods, hawks and owls hunt in open areas where scattered wildflowers bloom for pollinators.

Feb 17 2022, AMY MARTIN

Residents got rid of Shingle Mountain. Is a park in their future?

Residents celebrated the removal of Shingle Mountain, a massive shingle heap, from Floral Farms. Now, they aim to transform the contaminated site into a regional park. Activists are collaborating with local entities and seeking city engagement to secure rezoning and funding for the project's realization.

Jan 27 2022, AMY MARTIN

Austin-based land trust acquires Connemara's holdings

Jan. 27, 2022

Have you ever visited Oak Cliff Nature Preserve or been to Kachina Prairie in Ennis, or Cibolo Preserve north of San Antonio?

Perhaps you've noticed a large swath of natural land surrounded by development near I-35 and W. Beltline Road.

Jan 21 2022, AMY MARTIN

Former Boy Scout camp shelters nature in urban Dallas

Jan. 21, 2022

It was 1999, and the news was circulating in north Oak Cliff like wildfire.

Developers sought to buy and rezone the 160 rugged, wooded acres of the Boy Scouts’ old Camp Brooklawn. It was a stab to the heart for those Oak Cliff residents who'd spent their childhoods playing in the woods along Five Mile Creek back in the 1930s when the area was rural, except for a few abbreviated thoroughfares.

Jan 11 2022, AMY MARTIN

Backyard feeders may provide hunting ground for hawks

On this warm winter day, it’s busy at the bird feeders outside my office window with the usual backyard crew.

Dec 16 2021, AMY MARTIN

DeSoto nature preserve pays tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan

Windmill Hill Preserve in DeSoto, a project led by local Paul S. Dryer, transformed from a failed development site into a nature preserve. Named a trail after legendary guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, it honors environmental and musical legacies, with community involvement and support from local authorities.

Dec 09 2021, AMY MARTIN

North Texas prairies have new advocate fighting for them

Dr. Carly Aulicky, recently appointed as North Texas Outreach and Stewardship Director for the Native Prairies Association of Texas, focuses on preserving diminishing prairies amidst rapid development. Her efforts include engaging communities through educational programs and collaborations, emphasizing prairies’ ecological benefits and Texas heritage.

Oct 20 2021, AMY MARTIN

Nature Made Me: Three prairie guys reflect on their roots

Oct. 20, 2021

As I compiled my upcoming book Wild DFW by Timber Press over the last year, I interviewed dozens of North Texans whose experiences as nature-loving kids led to their current eco-occupations. The result is a series of profiles I call Nature Made Me.

Sep 23 2021, AMY MARTIN

Austin band to perform multimedia tribute to Texas coast Saturday

READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT:

(MONTOPOLIS MUSIC INTRO - 'SURFING LOVELY')

AMY MARTIN: It can be difficult to travel to the world’s wild places. Family and work obligations, time and money constraints. So how do you get people to care about land they’ll never experience?

May 25 2021, AMY MARTIN

Urban storm water poses threat to creeks, rivers

Urban stormwater in North Texas causes creeks and rivers to be overwhelmed with water and pollutants, contributing to erosion and increased flooding. Solutions include using permeable surfaces, rain gardens, and green infrastructure to retain water and reduce pollutant runoff, as well as community efforts to improve water management and reduce pollution.

Jan 12 2021, AMY MARTIN

The watershed we call home

The Trinity River, a sinewy stream in a prairie swale - until the rains come. Floodwater courses between the banks and rails against levees that dare to tell the river how to run. With each storm the river swells, reservoirs fill, embankments groan.