Archive for April, 2010

State Park Getaway–Davis Mountains State Park

Friday, April 30th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas State Park Getaway

Davis Mountains SP is 27-hundred acres, and represents the largest mountain range that’s fully contained within the state of Texas…and it’s a great place for cool summer SP Getaway. Bryan Frazier is here to tell us more.

It seems like in the middle of summertime, in other parts of Texas, when it’s too hot to even go outside, Davis Mountains SP is figuratively and literally, the coolest place in Texas. It’s some 20 degrees cooler than place like Austin and San Antonio. It’s a respite from the heat.

And so, not only does it have Indian Lodge inside the park, where it has all the amenities of a hotel, with a restaurant, but you’ve got camping. You’ve got primitive camping; you’ve got equestrian camping with overnight accommodations. You’ve got RV sites that have not only water and electric hook-hp sites, but its one of our parks in the system that has water, electric, sewer, and cable TV hookups inside the state park with pull through sites. So, if you’re an RV-er, Davis Mountains SP is definitely one of those places that you definitely want to go to.

Davis Mountains SP is great for wildlife viewing. You can go right outside of Indian Lodge on the hiking trail and see all kinds of wildlife, as well as the native flora there to that region of Texas. And so, Davis Mountains SP is one of those places that people who go there rave about it and they go back again, and again, and again.

Thanks, Bryan. Find reservation information at passporttotexas.org.

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

Texas Outdoor Story–Eveline Evans

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories

Ask Eveline Evans about the value of spending time outdoors and she’s not shy about sharing her views.

:14–It’s just a great stress reliever. It’s wonderful to get out and get away from the urban areas, and enjoy the trees and the streams. I mean, it’s just wonderful to get away.

Eveline gets away with family whenever she can. She says sharing time outdoors with loved ones—even if it’s just taking a walk in nature—is critical to healthy, balanced relationships. It brings families closer…it encourages dialogues.

:32–Well, I think it’s very important. My husband and I, we go walking all the time together in different locations. We love the Texas state parks. We’ve done Big bend and the Davis Mountains, Caprock Canyon, Palo Duro Canyon…all of those are just wonderful places to go out and walk. You can talk about anything it seems like. Every little thing that comes up—you can explain to younger ones your value systems, or whatever. Why when you pass a snake you’re not supposed to kill it—you just leave it alone, that type stuff.

What do you love about spending time in the outdoors? We want to know. Go to passporttotexas.org and share your outdoor story with us.

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

Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine’s Birding issue

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas

Be on the lookout for the May issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine. It’s the much anticipated annual birding issue. Editor Louie Bond.

I noticed just today out on my morning walk how many birds were singing. It just fills you with such delight. In may, not only do we have the spring birding calendar, which tells everybody where you can go to see birds, where there are festivals, where there are classes.

We also like to feature a few special articles about birds. And I think the most promising one this month is an article about water birds, and in particular, water bird babies. Water birds have a very perilous nursery for their babies. They’re only located on these tiny islands off the coast of Texas. And they’re called rookeries.

And they call these colonial water birds, because they’re instinct is to gather together in these great colonies of all these different water birds and have their babies all together. So, it’s this gigantic, squawking, screaming, and unfortunately, stinky nursery where all these babies are born. Without these protected nurseries, our water birds are quite threatened. So, we have an excellent article this month. So, we encourage you to go outside to look up….see what’s up there.

Thanks, Louie

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

Hello Giant Salvinia/Good-bye Lakes

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas

Giant Salvinia is a South American aquatic plant that may have found its way into Texas waters via the aquarium trade.

:03—The biggest problem with it is, is that it has a phenomenal growth rate.

And that fast growth spells trouble for Texas lakes says Howard Elder, a Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist involved in managing giant salvinia.

:13—It can double the area it covers in five to seven days. It creates dense mat, which shields the bottom of the lake from the sunlight; it displaces native vegetation, and displaces fish species.

Texas Parks and Wildlife launches a multimedia campaign this month to educate citizens about invasive species, beginning with giant salvinia. At the time we recorded this show, a television PSA was in production.

:03 –Action. I am the Salvinia Monster.

Texas parks and Wildlife marketing director Darcy Bontempo says the spot is intended to increase awareness among anglers and boaters.

:19—The TV spot is part of a larger campaign, which we call the “Hello, Good-bye” campaign, created by our advertising agency, Sherry Mathews. One of the most important things we can do to prevent is actually to have anglers and boaters understand the role that they play. If they clean their boats, their trailers, their equipment. They can actually prevent the spread of giant salvinia to other lakes.

Visit www.texasinvasives.org to learn more about giant salvinia and other invasive species changing TX Lakes. That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

State Park Getaway–Indian Lodge

Monday, April 26th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas State Park Getaway

Built by in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, Indian Lodge located within Davis Mountains SP, is a truly special place. Recently renovated and updated, Indian Lodge makes a great Getaway. Bryan Frazier has details.

So, you have the best of both worlds: the conveniences of the lodge, set in the Davis Mountains. So, you’re up about a mile high; hiking trails right outside your door of Indian Lodge. Skyline Drive that goes through the park. It has some hike and lookout points there. And you’re just outside the town of Fort Davis in Far West Texas; it’s just a fantastic place.

But as you’re looking toward the summer, you want to make a reservation at Indian Lodge, maybe even now, even if you’re not planning on staying there until later in the year. It’s become so popular with the renovations that they’re booking up quite a bit in advance. So, we really encourage people to make a reservation as early as they know their travel plans.

The national historic site in Fort Davis is located just below the park. There are great hikes through that—and it’s a fully restored frontier fort. There’s just a lot to do for a town the size of fort Davis. You know, if you’re a Texan, and you enjoy the outdoors, it’s a place I really encourage you to go and stay. I think it will be a really unforgettable trip.

Thanks, Bryan.

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