Fort Worth has one of Texas’ best birding sites. Why did the city close it? | Opinion

All I want to do is bird Village Creek.

For the past 20 years, that’s where I’ve gone to breathe, to listen, to feel connected — to the seasons, to the birds, to my own father who first brought me out there. During the pandemic, I was out at the Village Creek Drying Beds nearly every day, finding peace in the familiar rhythm of wildlife when everything else felt uncertain. This place wasn’t just a birding hotspot. It was my refuge. My community. My joy.

Now, after 48 years of public access, it’s closed. No warning. No public meeting. Just locked gates, surveillance cameras and “No Trespassing” signs. The place I’ve loved for two decades was taken from me — and from all of us who have cherished it — without a single conversation.

Village Creek Drying Beds isn’t just any patch of land. It’s considered the No. 1 birding site in Tarrant County and one of the best in Texas. It’s where people from across the state and country came to find rare species and share in the quiet thrill of discovery. Over the years, I’ve met lifelong friends here. I’ve seen migrating warblers, roseate spoonbills and even out-of-town birders who flew in just to see something special. We were a community, bonded by binoculars and wonder.

Now, the city says the closure is due to “safety concerns” such as vandalism, ATV tracks and damaged fences. But I’ve been birding there longer and more frequently than just about anyone. I’ve never seen vandalism. I’ve seen ATVs three or four times in 20 years, and none recently. And yes, the fences are damaged — but they’ve been in that condition for decades. If anything, the people I’ve encountered at Village Creek have been careful, respectful and grateful for the opportunity to be there.

So, what changed?

According to the city, cleanup sludge from an off-site oil spill is now being dumped at Village Creek. I’ve seen workers doing it without proper protective equipment, often just gloves, and sometimes even littering. The city contends the material is safe. If so, why can’t the public safely walk the trails? If not, why are workers handling it without full protection? The logic doesn’t add up, and the lack of transparency is deeply frustrating.

Even more frustrating is the silence. I’ve written to the mayor and the Fort Worth City Council twice. Crickets.

The city says it might consider “limited” and “temporary” access for “wildlife groups” in the future. But what does that actually mean? Once a year? Only for professionals? For 48 years, this was a freely accessible space where people of all backgrounds and experience levels could connect with nature. Reducing that to a vague promise of occasional access is a loss not just for birders, but for Fort Worth.

So, I started a petition to reopen Village Creek. As of Aug. 14, it’s gathered more than 900 signatures, including from renowned author and birder Amy Tan. People from across the country have shared their memories and support.

This isn’t just my favorite place. It’s a special place for many, and it deserves better than to be quietly shuttered without public input.

We are not trespassers or vandals. We are stewards. Many of us have picked up trash, reported wildlife sightings, educated others, and treated the land with care. The birding community has helped make Village Creek what it is: one of the most important birding sites in Texas.

We want to be part of the solution — not pushed out of the conversation.

So, I ask the city of Fort Worth to do what it should have done from the start: engage the public. Explain the decision. Open the door to discussion. Consider a management plan that balances environmental use with public access. Work with local birding and conservation groups, many of whom would gladly help maintain the area if given the chance.

The birds still come to Village Creek for now. We have our memories, but we also have great need — for beauty, for belonging, for quiet spaces that restore us. All I want to do is bird Village Creek. And I know I’m not alone.

Colby Ayers is a birder who lives in Euless.