Brackenridge Park Conservancy is removing invasive bamboo and partnering with San Antonio Zoo to turn it into food and enrichment for animals.
SAN ANTONIO — An invasive plant taking over one of San Antonio’s most beloved parks is about to become a treat for some of the city’s favorite animals.
The Brackenridge Park Conservancy is partnering with San Antonio Zoo to remove invasive golden bamboo from the park and give it a second life as food and enrichment for zoo animals.
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Conservancy leaders say the bamboo has spread aggressively through Brackenridge Park, crowding out native plants, disrupting wildlife habitat and even increasing fire risk when the stalks dry out.
Instead of sending the cut bamboo to a landfill, crews will deliver it to the zoo, where animals can snack on the leaves and stalks or use the bamboo for enrichment activities that encourage natural behaviors.
“One organization’s overgrowth is another’s enrichment,” said San Antonio Zoo President and CEO Tim Morrow. “That’s not just resourceful—it’s neighbors helping neighbors, the San Antonio way.”
The project is also launching a volunteer-driven effort to gradually remove the invasive bamboo by repeatedly cutting it back before eventually excavating the underground root system to prevent regrowth.
Park officials say the long-term goal is to restore native habitat while turning an environmental problem into an opportunity for conservation, education and animal care.