Passport to Texas

Archery and the Hunger Games Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Hunger Games is a high octane movie that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats; but that’s not all. Archery plays a significant role in the film, which may have contributed to an uptick in the public’s interest in the sport.

09—Every few years it seems like a big movie comes out and archery is in the movie. And, usually the hero is doing the archery—so that’s good. Great for business, I guess.

Burnie Kessner oversees the archery in schools program for Parks and Wildlife. He cautions young people who’ve been inspired by the motion picture, to seek guidance before doing any shooting.

12—Go to your local archery shop; find one that’s nearby. Talk to them, and they’ll really make sure you’re getting fitted with the equipment correctly, and you can probably try different equipment. They’re the experts who can really get you started right.

In addition to safety considerations, Bernie Kessner says know the laws where you live before shooting an arrow into the air—or anywhere.

18—If you live in town, it may be against a city ordinance or something to just walk out in your yard and shoot a bow and arrow. So, you really ought to check local laws and codes and things like that. And there are safe dedicated places to do archery. So, figure out where those are—or that local archery shop will tell you.

For more information on archery visit the TPW website.

The Wildlife and Sport fish Restoration program supports our series and works top increase shooting sports in Texas.

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

Wildlife Trails Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

When you’re ready to discover all the wildlife Texas has to offer, hit the road with one or more of nine Great Texas Wildlife Trail maps.

The Great Texas Wildlife trails were a way that Parks and Wildlife developed to market our nature tourism attractions to both tourists and people who live here.

Shelly Plante is nature tourism director for parks and Wildlife.

Through this series of maps, we now have over 950 sites statewide that show you the best places to see all kinds of wildlife: from Bighorn Sheep to Monarch butterflies to migratory songbirds to nesting shorebirds on the Texas coast.

The maps provide easy driving loops for out of state and in state visitors; each lets the user know where to go and what they may see once they arrive.

I would like people to see how diverse Texas is. Over 950 sites are in these maps. And, we also have community information so that you can find out where to eat, where to stay. We want people to spend some time here and to see how easy it is to see some wildlife. I mean, Texas is a big state and there are such a large variety of natural attractions. These maps—I hope—make it easy for people to see how wonderful our state is, and how easy it is to get out there.

Find the Great Texas Wildlife Trail Maps on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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

Nature Tourism: The Business of the Outdoors Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Eco-tourism is growing in popularity, thus creating new economic opportunities for private landowners, cities and rural communities.

18—Nature based tourism in Texas is done on small acreage and large acreage. What makes a good experience is making sure that the experience is real and really provides an opportunity to observe wildlife, to learn about it, the history and the culture of the region.”

Linda Campbell oversees the private lands program for Parks and Wildlife. The agency provides technical assistance to landowners and communities interested in making nature tourism a part of their economic development.

10—We produce one particular business planning guide called “Making Nature your Business,” that kinda helps people get started in planning how they diversify their business.

TPW can assist with assessing natural resources and provide management recommendations. The department also works with communities to develop wildlife viewing maps.

17—What these are, are destination planning that actually links together the best sites to view wildlife in these regions and we produce a map that tells people what there is to see, what kinds of wildlife habitats there are, where they can stay, and these sites are on private land and public lands.

We’ll have more about the maps tomorrow. Meantime, Learn about the agency’s technical assistance program, on TPW website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, Cecilia Nasti.

Nature Tourism: Texas "Staycation" Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This summer as many Americans take their annual vacations, many will travel within the Lone Star State to reconnect with nature and see wildlife…

09—Including hunting, fishing, bird watching, visiting parks…the data that we see on the national level shows that nature related vacations is definitely growing.

Linda Campbell oversees the private lands program at Parks and Wildlife. Most vacationers would rather see wildlife drinking at a pond than tourists sipping umbrella drinks at a hotel pool…and landowners are recognizing this as an economic opportunity.

14—Most landowners are motivated by the fact that they would like to diversify income on their property…many are already involved in wildlife recreation, in other forms, you know, offering hunting, and so this is a short step to looking at a different audience.

Trail-based activities such as hiking, bicycling and horseback riding as three of the most popular activities Texans partake in close to home or away on vacation. Photography and wildlife viewing are also high on the list.

Coming up on tomorrow’s show…making nature tourism your business…

10—We do provide technical assistance to landowners and communities interested in making nature-based tourism a part of their economic development.

Find eco-tourism opportunities in the calendar section of the TPW website. The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series and works to restore wildlife habitat in Texas. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

This is Passport to Texas

Garner State Park, about an hour and a half west and north of San Antonio, has been a favorite outdoor destination for generations…and it shows; or did. Newly renovated cabins are ready for visitors. Our State Park Guide, Bryan Frasier has details.

54—We’re so proud to be able to announce the CCC built Cabins have been fully restored—all 17 of them. They’ve been closed for several months—we’re approaching about a year where they’ve been closed. Well, now—as of Memorial Day—they’re going to be open. And they received a total facelift from new roofs to new fixtures, to restrooms…and people are going to love what they find in these cabins. And they accommodate about six people. And we want to encourage people to make reservations there as far in advance as they can, because these have been popular, and they’re going to be even more popular now that they have a real spiffy new coat of paint and renovations. And these are full service cabins…and to be at Garner, which is traditionally our most visited state park…people have been waiting. And it’s so good to be able to tell people that the CCC build cabins at gardener State Park are open for business.

Thanks Bryan. Make reservations when you log onto 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.

State Parks: Garner Open for Business Play Now | Play in Popup | Download