Horseshoe Bay Nature Park

Located on rolling upland prairie just west of Austin, Horseshoe Bay Nature Park showcases the community-led restoration and stewardship of 11 acres of Texas Hill Country habitat. When it was originally platted, the park site was zoned for high-density development. With strong community opposition to the zoning, a team of local volunteers, nonprofit organizations and ecological land designers worked together to analyze and develop the property as a nature park. Born from a need for public green space and a desire to connect local residents with native ecology and conservation, the development of this new nature park was founded on volunteer efforts and in-kind donations.

Horseshoe Bay Nature Park is now an active conservation and prairie restoration site that preserves and provides habitat for hundreds of species of native flora and fauna. The land is uniquely situated on the Monarch Highway and the migratory paths of many bird species, which follow the chain of the Highland Lakes. A half-mile walking trail winds through mixed tallgrass and shortgrass prairie, wooded areas and granite outcroppings. Along the trail, an observation deck, bird blind, watering station, nesting boxes, bee hives and Chimney Swift towers introduce visitors to the park’s unique and varied wildlife.

The non-profit park board partnered with Twistleaf, a
Central Texas landscape architecture firm, to lead the design development and construction of the nature park. As the finishing touch to the park’s completion, Twistleaf searched for a signage manufacturer to create the entry sign, trail map, interpretive signage and plaques for a donor wall to commemorate the extensive community effort involved in the park’s development. iZone Imaging’s CHPL was the clear choice as a material that could weather the elements, stand the test of time and present beautifully in the landscape. Sophia De Pascuale, junior designer at Twistleaf was happy to report that iZone’s central sales representative, “Brad, was incredible to work with! He was available at every step of the process to answer all our questions and guide us towards the best solutions. With Brad we knew we were getting the best material and the best service, all with smiles and jokes thrown in.”