Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

One story in the November issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine definitely computes. Editor, Louie Bond.

69—I call it the nerdiest story we’ve ever run. You know, this is just a real different story. It’s about the evolution of computer use in our agency. In the years between 1974 and 1884, a group of pretty radical biologists here got together and decided they were going to map the vegetation of Texas. Well, Texas is a mighty large state. And, I don’t know if you r listeners are quite as old as I am, Cecilia, but back in the seventies, when you ran a computer program, you had to bring in boxes of punch cards, and that’s what these guys did. But they were working win NASA; this is top level, top science, it took them ten years to complete. And now here we are in 2010, and they’re redoing it using technology that looks like the Jetsons compared to the Flintstones when you compare what they’re doing now to what they did then. And Rae Nadler-Olenick does a masterful job in telling the story of these pioneers. And now the new young guns, who are taking their place with new technology, at the end of it will have this comprehensive map of vegetation and geological wonders across Texas they’ll be able to use for a base for science for years to come.

Thanks Louie.

That’s our show… with support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…working to preserve native habitat in Texas

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

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