Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Most Texans live within ninety minutes of a state park… and many state parks offer holiday events to get you in the spirit of the season.

Throughout the month, Monument Hill & Kreische Brewery State Historic Site, in Central Texas, invites visitors to walk a glittery quarter mile long trail of lights that overlooks the quaint town of La Grange. Get a sense of how German settlers in the area celebrated the holiday in the 1850s. Admission is $3 for adults and a dollar for children.

On December 15, celebrate the “nature” of the season at Sheldon Lake State Park in the Gulf Coast region. Kids of all ages get a chance to create wildlife-inspired ornaments to take home, or to use as decorations on trees at the site.

A trip to the Hill country on December 16 is in order for the annual tree lighting ceremony at LBJ State Park and Historic site…an event started 38 years ago by President and Mrs. Johnson…and made more poignant with the passing of Lady Bird Johnson earlier this year. It’s a step back in time, and it’s free.

Finally, on December 21, a visit to Government Canyon State Natural Area will put you in touch with how Native Americans celebrated special occasions. This is part one of a three-part series.

Find complete details about these and other holiday events when you visit our website passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Todd Imboden, manages Palmetto State Park in Gonzales County, and performs a daily balancing act between the park and his personal life. Ron Kabele tells Todd’s story this month in a Texas Parks and Wildlife TV segment.

So, how does he balance that and being a dad? People think like a park manager, you’re out there in the park all day. You’re not. It’s not an easy job. It’s not a particularly glamorous one, either.

A perfect example of this is toilet paper. The average Joe doesn’t think about how much toilet paper the park uses, but we use a lot of it!

In addition to being the park manager, he’s very involved in the community, and in his sons lives. He’s one of the coaches on the little league team. He talks in his kids’ schools. He’s great at show and tell.

This is a Kemp’s Ridley shell. That’s a big turtle, isn’t it? See how big his head is? It’s almost as big as yours. See? Look at that! (laughter).

And, another neat thing about Todd, he started here when he was twenty hears old as a janitor.

I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to go. A friend of mine, he told me he could get me a job. I showed up that day. And they gave me a janitor’s cart to clean the bathroom.

So he came up through the maintenance areas, then he became a park ranger, then he became an assistant manager, and now he’s a manager. Someday he’ll probably be a division chief. When people think about Todd, he’s the epitome of what a park manager is.

That’s our show for today…for Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program

Non-hunters may not approve of hunting. Perhaps this will offer a new perspective: hunters fund conservation efforts in Texas.

There’s no question. Because there’s an excise tax put on sporting arms and ammunition that goes into conservation that states use to manage WMAs [Wildlife Management Areas] and run programs.

Dave Morrison is waterfowl program leader. The various stamps hunters need to harvest certain species fund conservation.

If you look at the duck stamp since 1937, look at all the land that has been purchased and is out there in perpetuity for wetlands.

Morrison adds you don’t have to be a hunter to buy a duck stamp.

If people may not necessarily agree with hunting, or they don’t hunt themselves, one of the smartest things they can do is go buy a duck stamp. Because that duck stamp goes into acquisition of habitat that certainly benefits ducks, but benefits a whole wide range of species. Even if you don’t hunt, buying a duck stamp will show that you, too, are concerned about conservation, and that you are doing your part by spending that fifteen dollars, which in turn, is going into purchase land for our grandkids to be able to watch waterfowl as they migrate south.

Learn more about hunting and conservation when you visit passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…with support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program… funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuels.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

The worst part about visiting a state park is leaving. Yet, if you make your last activity a shopping spree at the state park store before driving away, you’ll depart with more than memories.

Our park stores are mainly an extension of the park experience.

Tony Lucio oversees state park stores for Texas Parks and Wildlife. The park stores sell a wide variety of keepsakes and educational gifts that help to generate income for each location.

We want to provide our users, and our customers, a little something – whether it’s an educational product – or something that will help enhance the experience. And so, they can take home some sort of memory of the park to commemorate their experience visiting the state parks.

You’ll find a wide variety of mementos in the stores – many specific to the site you’re visiting — although some items rank high as visitor favorites.

Probably our number one and number two sellers in our park stores are our t-shirts and caps. Three and four would be our books. And then patches and magnets.

By the way, until December 31 when you purchase a state park pass or a gift certificate for a State Park Pass through our Austin reservation center, you will receive 2008 state park ornament free.

A state park pass makes a great gift for the state park enthusiast on your list.

Find a link to state park stores at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

 

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Looking for something fun to do with your family this holiday season that gets you out of the mall and into the wild? Texas State parks may have the answer.

On December 15th, Martin Dies, Jr. State Park is hosting a Holiday Celebration. At 2 pm, the park will be holding it’s annual Gingerbread House Design and Construction Marathon followed by a holiday sing-a-long with a live band concert.

If you’re in West Texas, the Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center is hosting Christmas on the Border on the 17th. The season will be celebrated in true border fashion with local community performers providing entertainment. Treats will be served and Santa Claus is scheduled to make an appearance.

Fort Richardson State Park and Historic Site and the Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway in North Texas is featuring a visit with Saint Nick on the 22nd. Visitors are invited to go back in time and see what Jolly Old Saint Nick was like in the 1870’s.

Battle Ship Texas State Historic Site, on the Gulf Coast presents Santa Swingin’ 40’s Christmas on the 22nd. Santa is on board for the occasions along with swing dancers, who will perform live.

You can find more information about these and other holiday events happening in state parks this holiday season at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…with research and writing help from Kate Lipinski… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 

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