LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER MEMORIAL TRAIL PAVILIONS

AUSTIN, TEXAS

Located at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the Simmons Research Trail was created to honor the late Mark Simmons PhD, who served as the Lady Bird Johnson’s resident fire ecologist, researcher, and director of the of the LBJWC prairie restoration department. The Simmons Trail meanders through the heart of Mark’s fire research plots, where visitors can observe the effects of prescribed fire and rotational mowing (to mimic grazing) to restore native grassland communities.

Lake Flato’s designed the center's outdoor classroom, bird blind, and an elevated field observation station where visitors can see how prescribed fires change plant community composition when applied in different seasons.