A record turnout of 34 volunteers from St. Edward’s University and Villanova University alumni gathered at the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve on Sept. 19 for the bi-annual “Tacos and Trash” service event, collecting 30 bags of trash along Highway 360 to keep roadside pollution out of the preserve and its watershed.
Dalia Zamora / Hilltop Views
Starting at 8:15 a.m., participants fueled up with breakfast tacos donated by Rudy’s on Highway 360 before embarking on a morning dedicated to environmental stewardship.
“Instead of just saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to pick up trash,’ could we have something that would be kind of a fun breakfast side of things and gearing toward the trash?” said Paul Vickery, Wild Basin environmental education coordinator. “And it lends itself well to a donation from a local business.”
Dalia Zamora / Hilltop Views
Before heading out, Vickery briefed attendees on safety protocols along busy Highway 360. Volunteers were equipped with safety vests, trash grabbers, buckets, sunscreen and bug spray, with traffic cones supplied by the St. Edward’s University Police Department marking safe zones.
“We want to leave the shoulder as a buffer zone for the cars,” Vickery said. “We want to be walking in the grass for safety reasons.”
A new addition to the event was a sign saying “St. Edward’s University service project” that people driving by could see from the highway.
Dalia Zamora / Hilltop Views
The event saw a record turnout, drawing 34 total participants including students, faculty, staff, and long-time community volunteers. Among the attendees were members of HOOVES, the university’s student volunteer organization.
“I chose this because (HOOVES) works a lot with Wild Basin and it would be a great chance to get out and enjoy the morning and do some good,” said Sarah Thome, a senior psychology major and president of HOOVES. “It definitely makes it a lot more personal to me … It just makes it feel a lot more connected to me and to St. Ed’s.”
Dalia Zamora / Hilltop Views
After three hours of picking up debris, volunteers collected 30 bags of trash, ranging from micro-trash to vehicle debris like tire treads. Over the past three years of hosting the event, organizers have noticed a clear shift.
“The trash that we’re picking up is all pretty much newer trash … within the last six or seven months,” Vickery said. “And so we’ve now removed that from breaking down even more.”
Dalia Zamora / Hilltop Views
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve is co-owned and co-managed by St. Edward’s University and Travis County. Cleaning up the highway perimeter prevents debris from washing downstream into local creeks and delicate watershed ecosystems within the preserve.
“I had been to Wild Basin and enjoyed the nature that they have,” said Mariana Momenso, a senior biology major who previously conducted research at the preserve. “Being able to contribute to that and be part of why it’s so clean and so wild is very rewarding.”
Dalia Zamora / Hilltop Views
For many students, the event serves as a way to fulfill academic requirements while relaxing outdoors and connecting with peers and professors outside the classroom.
“I mostly signed up for this because I have required hours for my Catholicism class, but … I thought this was the most interesting because I love nature and science,” said freshman biology major Britanny Martinez Olivares, who attended with her sister Jimena, a senior biochemistry major. “It’s a good way to settle down, especially if you’re a student … slowing down, walking around.”
Dalia Zamora / Hilltop Views
By 11:30 a.m., the highway stretch was clean. Beyond removing immediate pollution, the organizers hope the event inspires lifelong habits of environmental responsibility among participants.
“I think it’s amazing and really shocking to people how much trash is on the side of a highway … and how many hands can make such an impact in a short amount of time,” Vickery said. “I hope that people are inspired and they continue to find ways to support their community … continue to find ways to be a good steward and volunteer their time.”