Archive for October 11th, 2007

Becoming an Outdoors Woman

Thursday, October 11th, 2007

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

The outdoors can be an intimidating place to learn new skills, especially for women. Texas Parks and Wildlife is trying to change that by offering skills workshops specifically for women.

Ashley Mathews, coordinator of the Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshops, explains the importance of women having experiences outdoors.

It’s important on a number of levels for women to connect with the outdoors either through a solely environmental reason or through outdoor recreation. On a personal level, it’s very rejuvenating to our spirits. Additionally, we tend to be rearing the next generation of individuals who are going to care for our earth and care for our resources and find some value in them. So we have to help those younger children find value and find entertainment and find memories, so they have an appreciation for Texas.

Mathews says women gain more than camping skills at workshops.

It’s a huge self-esteem boost, self-confidence boost. We hear over and over again, I’ve had women tell me I applied for a job that I never thought I could get because I did this Becoming an Outdoors Woman activity and I could do it and so I thought, well I can do these other things too.

Visit passporttotexas.org for more information on the Becoming and Outdoors Woman program.

That’s our show…with research and writing help from Kate Lipinski.. we receive 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.