LITTLE THICKET PARK

Little Thicket Park , located at 1831 West 23rd Street, is a 10.6-acre slice of nature near the intersection of Ella Boulevard and the North Loop.  The city acquired the original tract in 1957 for $1.00 from Hugh January and Leslie L. Appelt.  The men declined to have their names given to the park, so it was named Helberg Park after the old Helberg estate, which it was carved from.

It backed up to White Oak Bayou, which at that time was a pristine wilderness.  Flood control issues caused the bayou to be rerouted into another channel and lined with concrete in 1957.  Fortunately, the streambed at Helberg Park was left alone.  An additional tract was bought from Appelt in 1970 and added to the park.

A Renovation and a New Name
The Magic Circle Exchange Club entered the story in 1974.  Its members were looking for a community service project and decided that the park needed a new look and a new name.  Supervised by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, the club and University of Houston architecture professors and students redesigned the park and proposed changing the name to Little Thicket Park.  January and Appelt were pleased with the improvements and were delighted by the new name.  City Council made it official in 1975.

Little Thicket Park retains its status as a wildlife habitat, but there is a clearing at the foot of West 23rd Street where park visitors can enjoy the walking trail or have a picnic at a shady table.  Sitting on the wooden deck, they might watch birds, butterflies, various species of animals and, on certain days, biology students and an ecology professor waist-deep in the water.    

Science Marches On at Little Thicket Park
Residents of the neighborhood around Little Thicket Park may have wondered what those folks in waders have been doing there.  University of Houston-Downtown professor Aaron R. Krochmal, PhD, and his undergraduate assistants, biology majors Lisa Weigle and Connie Larsson, are conducting an investigation into the turtle population in the park.

As most Houstonians know, many animal species live in close proximity to us.  Studying these animal populations tells us a lot about the health of our urban environment.  Turtles caught briefly in traps in Little Thicket Park are giving the scientists insight into their success at dwelling in the city.  DNA samples taken from them will indicate how diverse the gene pool is, and microchips implanted in the turtles will help the researchers determine the range of their trips from creek to creek.

Nature Reigns in the Park
The wild stream in Little Thicket Park is ideal for the purposes of this study.  Nearby, Little Turkey Gully is also used for research.  The turtles' ability to travel between bodies of water and to find breeding partners at different locations are part of the study.

The turtle population in Houston is not very diverse, compared to the number of species found in the wild in East Texas.  However, the spiny soft shell turtle, red-eared slider, snapping turtle, and river cooter all have healthy populations in Houston.

Dr. Krochmal and his assistants have been in Little Thicket Park since July 2006, and in Little Turkey Gully prior to that.  Although the study is open ended, he hopes to have data to present by the spring of 2007.

On a Barely Related Topic.
The courtyard at the Houston Parks and Recreation Department headquarters has been landscaped as a Texas Wildscape Habitat Demonstration Site.  School groups interested in the advantages of planting species native to our area can see our efforts under the direction of our staff horticulturists.  They might also meet the three turtles that have been introduced to the garden.  Although they don't say so, we think they look pretty happy as they wander freely through the plantings and take the sun on the patio.