12:00 AM CST on Thursday, January 11, 2007

It may be hard to imagine a nature preserve in an old developed sector such as North Oak Cliff.

But that's exactly where the Twelve Hills Nature Center is, behind Rosemont Elementary School at 719 N. Montclair Ave.

Several foundations have stepped in to make the center happen, including the Meadows Foundation, which issued a challenge grant of up to $69,000 for construction of the front entrance.

Other grants received for the entrance project include $40,000 from the Hoblitzelle Foundation, $20,000 from the Hillcrest Foundation founded by Mrs. W.W. Caruth Sr., $20,000 from the Dallas Foundation and $8,000 from the Ralph B. Rogers Foundation.

In addition, the Eugene McDermott Foundation gave $5,000, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation $3,150.

The group has also gotten several large gifts for general purposes, including $10,000 from Kitty Snead, $10,000 from Matt Holley, $5,000 from Leonard and Sandy Rosenberg and a $5,000 anonymous donation.

The nonprofit, all-volunteer organization has already raised more than $6,000 and has until Sept. 7 to raise $69,000 to match the Meadows grant.

The entrance project will include a Grasspave parking lot, native stone walls to recognize founders and donors, interpretive signs, benches and planters, solar panel lighting and native trees, grass, shrubs, wildflowers and vines.

Oak Cliff resident Carolyn Perna, a landscape designer for TBG Partners in Dallas, won a competition in 2004 to design the entrance, and those plans are being finalized.

The Twelve Hills Nature Center is on five-plus acres of land that once housed a run-down apartment complex. The apartments were demolished by the city more than a decade ago.

The idea for an urban nature preserve – an inner-city environmental educational and recreational facility – took form at a 2000 town hall meeting to discuss the future use of a 20-acre site that had reverted to the city of Dallas, Dallas County and the Dallas Independent School District for nonpayment of taxes.

Ultimately, the DISD took 10 acres for a primary school, Twelve Hills Nature Center bought 5.34 acres and Matt Holley of Kessler Ventures purchased the remaining property for high-end residential housing.

The grassroots coalition received a 501(c)(3) charter in 2002 and began doing yearly cleanup events.

Earthweek events for more than 1,000 students began in 2004, guided nature walks started in late 2005 and an after-school environmental leadership program will begin soon. Classes from nearby schools are already using the facility for environmental education.

Backers say the center could eventually serve as a model for urban planning and environmental education by showing what can be done with small tracts of land.

The facility has been certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

For more information visit www.twelvehills.org, e-mail info @twelvehills.org or call Irene Ellis, development chairwoman, at 214-942-4841.

You may contribute online or send checks to Twelve Hills Nature Center, P.O. Box 224926, Dallas, Texas 75222-4926.

E-mail bmiller@dallasnews.com

Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/columnists/rmiller/stories/DN-miller_11bus.ART.State.Edition1.3107122.html#