Talk:Louis René Barrera Indiangrass Wildlife Sanctuary

Autumn 2024 Educational Project Page

This page is part of an Educational Project by students of LIUC, Italy, with a course page at: [1]https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/LIUC_-_Universit%C3%A0_Cattaneo/Digital_Technology_(October_-_December,_2024) . The users of the group are new to the Wikipedia platform, have completed mandatory Training for Students, and are learning to edit following Wikipedia rules. They are open to any advice on improvements of the page in conformity to Wikipedia requirements and guidelines, and any help useful for the enhancement of the page will be gladly accepted. The student Usernames are:

• XYChief
• LIUCWisshorn24
• LIUCgiovanni
• LBLiuc
• Larrystone77
• Priscilliuc
• EmpireAI

Issues or questions can be referred direct to the users or to their tutor @Limelightangel Limelightangel (talk) 14:09, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

Limelightangel (talk) 14:09, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

Draft feedback 30/10/24

@XYChief, LIUCWisshorn24, LIUCgiovanni, LBLiuc, Larrystone77, Priscilliuc, and EmpireAI:

• remove the 3 duplicated links in the See Also section. Avoid over-linking and See the guidelines on this section: Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Layout/See also section
• remove irrelevant links in the See Also section e.g. outdoor recreation' and understand the purpose of these types of links
• gallery section needs a section heading
• images in gallery need meaningful captions relevant to users of the page and topic e.g. locations: 'Bluebonnets growing in the India Grass Wildlife sanctuary, Texas'. See: Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/captions
• references 1 and 2 are to the same source. Use ref name to create a reference that can be used in text multiple times but create only a single final reference for this source. Look at other pages that use this and See:Help:footnotes
• references 1 and 2 are grammatically incorrect: Protected Planet, not 'protected planet'
• note in the page history (>View History>) the large amount of content from @EmpireAI: removed by User:LilianaUwU on 24/10/24 related to copy/paste of automated content
• there is a basic spelling error in the first sentence
• the poorly captioned gallery image 'Vegetation the the Sanctuary's Path' duplicates the image in the Infobox and should be removed
• there is useful factual information on the location of page 35 of ref. 3., available via Google Scholar. If used, create a ref name to avoid duplicating ref. 3 in the references list

Limelightangel (talk) 10:20, 30 October 2024 (UTC)

Draft feedback 5/11/24

@XYChief, LIUCWisshorn24, LIUCgiovanni, LBLiuc, Larrystone77, Priscilliuc, and EmpireAI:

• image captions: make these clear and relevant to the page topic and the text section they accompany. You can add/change captions to display on the page. see: Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Captions
• Gallery: needs a section heading
• referening:
  • ref. 6 is incorrect and has a missing author
  • ref. 4 has an authoring body
  • refs. 2. 3 and 5 should not be displaying the website URL, just the website name
• the section on Threats has fundamental issues:
  • it plagiarizes content from the secondary source
  • the style is inappropriate e.g. 'troubling issue casts a shadow'. See relevant section on Vocabulary in Wikipedia:Manual of style
  • the source is poor

Limelightangel (talk) 15:43, 5 November 2024 (UTC)

Invasive species

I was thinking about moving and expanding the part on invasive species under the section "Threats", do you find it reasonable? Priscilliuc (talk) 18:34, 8 November 2024 (UTC)

I believe it's something that can be briefly mentioned, although I don't think it should be covered extensively in that section due to the fact that it's a topic that is being covered in another two sections (Flora and History). LIUCWisshorn24 (talk) 12:28, 10 November 2024 (UTC)

@LIUCWisshorn24, L, and Priscilliuc: I think it belongs under flora Limelightangel (talk) 17:25, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Geology Section

The initial geology section was removed due to redundancy with information already covered in other parts of the wikipedia page. New content and data have been added, along with a USDA geology map of the sanctuary. This section can be further expanded to explore topics in more depth, such as corrosion, fragile soil reports, soil ratings, and the impact of dust on air quality. If anyone has additional ideas or insights to contribute, please feel free to add them to this section. LIUCWisshorn24 (talk) 15:04, 11 November 2024 (UTC)

The good factual content here could be better formatted as a table, not least to reduce the dense and technical block of text and better present the data. Limelightangel (talk) 17:47, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Draft feedback 12/11/24

@XYChief, LIUCWisshorn24, LIUCgiovanni, LBLiuc, Larrystone77, Priscilliuc, and EmpireAI:

• given the extensive issues listed here it is advised to discuss & correctly 'check off' issues where they are listed when completed to manage these tasks. See Help:Talk
• style:
  • avoid unnecessary or redundant words e.g. 'For example'; 'More exactly'; 'due to the fact that '; 'Additionally'; 'Although'; etc. See Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch
  • avoid subjective and biased language e.g. 'offers unique views of the area's natural wonders'; 'the vibrant sanctuary,'; 'a vital part '; etc. See section on Vocabulary in Wikipedia:Manual of Style
• poor grammar: "A distinctive ecosystem that protects a crucial part of Texas' ecological legacy. "; 'Strives to control and remove invasive species are essential to the ecological balance within the sanctuary to prevent the displacement of the native flora. '; 'houses some amphibians'; etc.
• structure:
  • some of the unsourced and subjective content in Location is not specifically about the Location, which could be better defined here and supported with a map
  • poor and grammatically incorrect sub-section heading: 'Conservation efforts:'
  • irrelevant Conservation Section content: 'The sanctuary keep a network of hiking and cycling trails.' Perhaps better in a different section?
  • Geology section:
    • The good factual content here could be better formatted as a table, not least to reduce the dense and technical block of text and better present the data.
    • the section is better renamed related to Soil Profile, or this used as a sub-section within Geology - soil is not really Geology
  • Flora and fauna needs to come before Curiosities and Threats
  • Curiosities needs a better section heading and content
  • Invasive species sub-section now needs to do under flora sub-section, and be combined with the later mention of invasive species under Flora
  • needs a section on park management and perhaps on Louis Renè Barrera (with an image of him)
  • poor section heading: Renaming of the Indiangrass Wildlife Sanctuary
• references:
  • inconsistent use of upper case (ref. 7)
  • refs. 14 and 16 are incorrectly formatted
  • ref. 13 has no publisher, date accessed or website name
• the page is missing the following page elements. Understand the differences between these sections and types of links used. See how it is done on other pages:
  • External links section. See Help:external links and Wikipedia:External links
  • Categories. See Help:Category
• overlinking e.g. unnecessary links out e.g. to birds, amphibians, etc. See Help:linking and Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Linking
• Threats is a good section to have but the content needs improving.
  • The text is very similar to the source content: 'A big pile of trash, from household goods to furniture and construction material, sits outside the sanctuary on Blue Bluff Road.' vs. 'A large pile of discarded household goods, furniture, and construction materials sits just outside the sanctuary on Blue Bluff Road, with additional trash scattered across nearby roads.' This is close to plagiarism and copyright violation, and needs rewriting
  • the content assumes the rubbish is still there, which may not be factually correct
  • contact with the park may provide better sources and content on this and other sections.
• linking: do not link out from the text to external websites e.g. to Travis Audubon Society. See Help:linking. These sources can be used as external links or references.

Images:

• • the sections need relevant supporting images adjacent to the relevant text
  • the image captions need to be consistent and meaningful, including saying where they are e.g. not just 'Road under passage in the sanctuary'; etc.
  • the Gallery image of Bluebonnets could be moved to support the section on Flora, and this flora specifically mentioned in the text in this section
• there is a convention for all numbers, distances etc. Distances can be included in metric and imperial. See Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style#Units_of_measurement

Limelightangel (talk) 17:45, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Geology section:

• The good factual content here could be better formatted as a table, not least to reduce the dense and technical block of text and better present the data.
• the section is better renamed related to Soil Profile, or this used as a sub-section within Geology - soil is not really Geology
• I´m working on this.

LBLiuc (talk) 19:36, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Checked off issues:

• Added Soil Profile sub-section to Geology
• Citations [7] and [14] should be correct now
• Added External Links and Categories sections
• Moved Flora and Fauna above Threats and Curiosities
• Moved bluebonnets picture to the flora subsection
• Moved the link to the external website for the Travis Audubon Society to the external links section

LIUCWisshorn24 (talk) 00:08, 13 November 2024 (UTC)

• I removed the sentence "The sanctuary keep a network of hiking and cycling trails", as the fact had already been told in the section "trekking trails".
• I changed the sentence "A large pile of discarded household goods, furniture, and construction materials sits just outside the sanctuary on Blue Bluff Road, with additional trash scattered across nearby roads" in "Discarded household items, furniture, and building materials are often found sitting in a large pile just outside the sanctuary on Blue Bluff Road and surrounding roads"

Priscilliuc (talk) 11:15, 13 November 2024 (UTC)

-also emailed the park in order to get further information and images without copyright Priscilliuc (talk) 11:29, 13 November 2024 (UTC)

Picture Removed in the Gallery Section

One of the pictures that was present in the gallery section was removed by Wikipedia Commons. The reason behind this was that apparently they didn't receive the copyright's owner permission for me to publish it. I already emailed the appropriate address regarding this issue, due to the fact that every picture except for the one in the geology section was taken by a photographer that already gave her consent to wikipedia itself for me to use the pictures. I'm awaiting a response and I think that the deleted picture frame can stay there until they revert this mistake.

LIUCWisshorn24 (talk) 13:04, 13 November 2024 (UTC)

Update:

I removed the picture because the author made an error by not including it in the list of approved images. In the meantime, I will try to contact her to correct this mistake and have the picture re-approved for inclusion.

LIUCWisshorn24 (talk) 16:34, 14 November 2024 (UTC)

Excessive Amount of Pictures in Gallery

I just added all the pictures that I received from the Austin Parks and Recreation Department to the page, some are in different sections, but most of them are in the gallery section. As we progress those pictures will have to be moved around. For now let's keep them there so it's easier to move them once we have to.

LIUCWisshorn24 (talk) 02:24, 16 November 2024 (UTC)

Removed ripetitions

Good morning everyone. in accordance with the tasks to be carried out (divided last week), I am doing my best to revise the draft by removing repetitions and redundancies. Of course if you have any doubts about every possible edit I made (like all of them) is reviewable and deletable (view hisory...), and in case you delete my edit, if you can I ask you to specify what went wrong so as not to repeat the mistake. To better understand the objective and method during my revision, I followed these steps:

- Combined/merged phrases/details into a single sentence to avoid repetition and redundancy ONLY if necessary.

- Maintains all the essential information

- Follow Wikipedia's neutral tone and conciseness guidelines

- Preserves the factual content while improving (if possible) readability.

(Sections reviewed: 1st paragraph ✅, location ✅, history ✅, geology ☐, climate ☐, flora and fauna ☐, threats ☐, curiosities ☐)

EmpireAI (talk) 10:37, 22 November 2024 (UTC)

Good afternoon, I saw that I could have changed some parts you already edited to fix the style of the page. I am sorry if I deleted or changed something you worked on. I was only trying to fix mistakes a upgrade the general layout. If I made an error, please let me know, and I will be careful not to do it again. LIUCgiovanni (talk) 14:54, 22 November 2024 (UTC)

Draft feedback 22/11/24

@XYChief, LIUCWisshorn24, LIUCgiovanni, LBLiuc, Larrystone77, Priscilliuc, and EmpireAI:

• style:
  • unify the style of the titles
• Images:
  • Attention to organization and placement of images: some may be put in the Gallery

Greentree97 (talk) 11:45, 22 November 2024 (UTC)

Draft feedback 29/11/24

@XYChief, LIUCWisshorn24, LIUCgiovanni, LBLiuc, Larrystone77, Priscilliuc, and EmpireAI:

• General Comments
  • The draft provides an in-depth overview of the sanctuary’s history, ecological importance, and conservation efforts. However, it requires significant refinement to align with Wikipedia’s standards of neutrality, readability, and reliability.
  • While the draft is rich in details, some sections contain unnecessary repetition or excessive technical information, making the content less engaging for general readers.

• Lead Section
  • The lead effectively introduces the sanctuary and its significance. However:
    • Simplify details to focus on key aspects, such as its creation, conservation goals, and location.
    • Remove subjective phrases like "one of the most rare and threatened ecosystems," unless supported by reliable citations.

• Structure
  • Organization:
    • Reorganize content for better flow. Start with the history, followed by ecology, conservation efforts, and threats.
    • Consolidate related sections, such as "Flora" and "Fauna," into a single "Ecology" section.
  • Headings:
    • Rename overly technical headings like "Soil Profile" to "Soil and Geology."
    • Avoid vague subheadings such as "Curiosities" and clarify their content.

• References
  • Formatting:
    • Ensure consistent formatting across all references. Some entries lack publication dates or complete details.
    • Examples:
      • Ref 3 and Ref 7 need full titles and access dates.
      • Ref 15 lacks detailed author attribution.
  • Balance:
    • Most sources are local or primary. Include more secondary sources to demonstrate notability and reliability.
  • Verifiability:
    • Claims about biodiversity and climate trends should be supported by independent, peer-reviewed studies.

• Style and Tone
  • Neutrality:
    • Eliminate promotional language, such as "positively impact nearby residents" or "his legacy continues."
    • Rephrase subjective descriptions like "thriving community of microorganisms."
  • Conciseness:
    • Avoid unnecessary repetition, especially in sections about invasive species and conservation methods.
    • Simplify overly technical descriptions of soil composition and climate.

• Specific Section Feedback
  • History
    • Include more specific details about the role of Louis René Barrera and the events leading to the sanctuary’s creation.
    • Avoid overly anecdotal language, such as "the consummate land manager."
  • Ecology
    • Combine "Flora," "Fauna," and "Invasive Species" under a unified section to streamline content.
    • Focus on key species and their ecological roles, avoiding exhaustive lists.
    • Provide more context about the importance of preserving the Blackland Prairie ecosystem.
  • Conservation Efforts
    • Highlight significant achievements, such as controlled burns and habitat restoration, with measurable outcomes.
    • Avoid excessive technical details about invasive species management methods, unless they are particularly innovative.
  • Threats
    • Group "Illegal Dumping," "Droughts," and "Woody Species Encroachment" under a single "Challenges" section.
    • Provide data or examples to illustrate the impact of these threats.

• Recreation and Accessibility
  • • Expand on the guided tour system and plans for future public access.
    • Include more specific details about trekking trails and their unique features.

Greentree97 (talk) 14:15, 29 November 2024 (UTC)