Passport to Texas

Environment for the Americas

 Birding Event: International Migratory Bird Day, 2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

International Migratory Bird Day falls on the second Saturday in May in both the US and Canada.

04-We encourage groups to host a program or an event when it works for them and the birds.

Susan Bonfield is Executive Director of Environment for the Americas, which coordinates this international event. She says the goal is for attendees to experience birds firsthand.

12-I want people to go to these programs and have one of their first opportunities to see a bird. To use binoculars, to use a field guide, to get excited about birds, and to want to become involved in bird conservation.

Find events at www.birdday.org. But if you can’t get to one, don’t fret.

25-You know, your backyard is just a great place to celebrate migratory bird day. I think that anything you do around your house to help conserve birds—we have information up on the website about threats to birds, and what you can do to minimize the threats at your home. Any improvement of habitat in your yard, cleaning your bird feeders. Any very basic and practical activities are a wonderful way to help conserve birds.

You can also just sit in a lawn chair in your yard with a beverage and binoculars and see who comes along.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series and funds conservation projects in Texas.

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

Image Courtesy National Park Service

 Birding Event: International Migratory Bird Day, 1: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In the early 1990s, scientists started noticing that some populations of migratory birds were declining.

10-There was a concern about what these causes were, and at the same time there was considerable interest in getting the public involved in learning more about birds and their conservation…

Susan Bonfield is Executive Director of Environment for the Americas. Her non-profit coordinates International Migratory Bird Day, an event created as a direct result of scientists’ concerns over declining avian populations.

12-Several researchers at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird center came up with the idea of hosting a public event to get communities involved in learning about birds. And that was the origins of International Migratory Bird Day.

It is the second Saturday of May for the US and Canada, and is intended to occur during peak migration. The idea is to give folks an opportunity to see these migrants.

09-That doesn’t work for everyone. So, for example, in some parts of Canada it may too early, and some parts of the United States, even, it’s a little bit too late—migratory birds have already passed over.

This time of year is excellent for bird watching in Texas. Tomorrow: celebrating birds at an event, or your own backyard.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration project supports our series…and funds diverse conservation projects in Texas.

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

Image from www.westtexasweekly.com

 Conservation/Environment: Earth Day: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

April 22, 1970 marked the first celebration of Earth Day, the goal of which was to highlight the needs of the planet, and to encourage citizens to care for it.

Let’s celebrate the planet every day by tailoring personal behaviors to benefit Mother Earth.

And what you do at home can have a big impact on the world outside your door. Just one simple act can have a meaningful impact statewide. Let’s consider water.

Instead of leaving the water running while brushing your teeth– wet your brush and then turn off the faucet until it’s time to rise.

By doing this, you could save up to 3 gallons of water a day, or up to 1095 gallons of water a year. That is per person in your household, if everyone joins in.

As water is, and will continue to be, an issue of concern in Texas for years to come, if every citizen of the state carried out this one simple act, we could potentially save more than 28 billion gallons of water a year statewide.

That translates to more than 85-thousand acre feet of water. An acre-foot equals about 326–thousand gallons, which is enough water to meet the water needs of an average suburban family of five for 18 months.

That’s just one simple act. What other simple acts can you perform to celebrate Earth Day all year long?

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

Remember the Alamo! Reenacting the Battle of San Jacinto

 History/Event: The Battle of San Jacinto: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Battle of San Jacinto was a game changer in Texas History. On April 21, 1836, an untrained Texian militia routed General Santa Ana’s troops.

11 – The actual battle lasted less than half an hour; it carried on into the evening with clean up. But the main assault and the main fighting was done in less than half an hour.

Justin Rhodes is Region Four Director for State Parks, which includes the San Jacinto Battlegrounds in LaPorte. On Saturday, April 20th, the historic site celebrates this momentous battle with a reenactment and festival.

16 – If you’re planning on coming out on Saturday the 20th, I would recommend you arrive early when the crowds are low. That will give you plenty of time to visit the festival and get set up for the reenactment. The reenactment will occur only once during the day, and it happens around one o’clock.

Rhodes hopes visitors leave with renewed appreciation for the sacrifices made on the battlefield in 1836.

21—Ultimately we want visitors to take away an appreciation of the significance of the site, the event, the history that brought us to where we are today. So much of what we do today and tomorrow is based on lessons from the past – from the sacrifices that these men and women brought forward. They teach us valuable life lessons moving into the future.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Details at www.texasstateparks.org.

Support provided by Ram Trucks. Doing what’s right and good regardless of the degree of difficulty — takes guts. Those are the people who build Ram trucks. RAM.

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

Mission Tejas, image © Texas Parks and Wildlife

 State Parks: Mission Tejas Folk Festival: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Spring is when we make every effort to recreate in the outdoors. And our State Park Guide Bryan Frazier tells us while getting physical in state parks is common – so it getting musical.

51 – We also have festivals and events like the Annual Folk festival at Mission Tejas State Park; it’s in east Texas – and what a setting! You’ve got the rice Family Cabin that’s been restored from the 1820s and 30s. And they’re going to have dulcimer music and they’re going to have Wild West Shootouts, and they’ll have all kinds of activities. They’re very family oriented in this historic setting that marks the first Spanish Mission from the 1600s in Texas. That replica site was built by the CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps] in the 1930s is also at Mission Tejas. And it just makes the absolute best setting for a folk festival with those big, tall pine trees that east Texas is famous for. And that’s going to be April 20 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. And, I really encourage people if they’re in that neck of the woods – or even if they’re not – check out Mission Tejas and their annual folk festival.

Thanks, Bryan.

Find additional information at texasstateparks.org.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

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