Passport to Texas

Inscription on San Jacinto Monument

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The Mexican culture is integrated into the fabric of Texas. So, how do we handle something like the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, where we celebrate the Texian Army’s victory over Mexico?

That’s something we’ve been trying to address here at San Jacinto.

Boyd Harris is a park interpreter at San Jacinto Battlegrounds and State historic Site in La Porte.

In the past it has been more of a centric, white Texan kind of history. But, nowadays, we like to commemorate and honor both sides. We’re more about education here, as well as the memory of these soldiers. The Mexican Army, itself—half the army was conscripts—and so they weren’t volunteers. But they weren’t the only people of Mexican decent at the battlefield. There were also Tejanos fighting on the Texian Army side, so we want to talk about them. Juan Seguin and his Tejano company is in the very forefront of the battle, and we want to talk about those guys. Because this is a revolution—and revolutions are messy. They’re complex, and we want to give due respect and due remembrance to all those involved with it.

We commemorate the battle of San Jacinto and all those involved on Saturday April 23 at the San Jacinto Battlegrounds and State Historic Site in La Porte.

Find details in the calendar section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Take Me Fishing Hutsell, image courtesy Katy Times.

Celebrating 10 Years of Take Me Fishing Hutsell Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

DUE TO RECENT FLOODING,  IT’S ADVISED TO CHECK WITH THE SCHOOL TO FIND OUT IF THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AS SCHEDULED

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Once a year, Hutsell Elementary school students in Katy ISD, trade school books for rods and reels.

Each year, in the spring, we invite our third, fourth and fifth grade students to Peckham Park. And we have a beautiful pond there. And through Texas Parks and Wildlife, they stock the pond for us. And on a Saturday, the children and their families all attend a fishing event.

That event is Take Me Fishing Hutsell. Principal Margie Blount says this year’s event is special, because it’s the 10 year anniversary of the program in the school.

We are going to be inviting the alumni. And those students will be invited to come back and enjoy the fishing event and enjoy the 10th year anniversary with us.

Over the years, Hutsell educators have seen improvement in the test scores of students who’ve participated in the Take Me Fishing program. Principal Blount says the upcoming celebration on April 23 is for the entire community.

Texas Parks and Wildlife will be there. They have been a great contributor. Game Wardens will be there. We will have angler clubs that will be coming. We’re looking at this to be one of our bigger fishing events.

If you’re in the area of Peckham Park between nine and noon on Saturday April 23, Hutsell Elementary Principal Margie Blount invites you to join in the festivities.

The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our Series.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Take Me Fishing Hutsell participants. Image courtesy www.katyisd.org.

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Fishing is hooked into the curriculum for students attending Hutsell Elementary in the Katy ISD.

This program started back in 2006 as part of Take Me Fishing Houston. And then, two years later, we were able to obtain the name Take Me Fishing Hutsell, because we extended the program through he support of Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Take me Fishing Hutsell is an annual event at Peckham Park for students and their families. Principal Margie Blount says kids prepare by taking aquatic education classes; then the day of the event, some families may win fishing gear, which encourages more time outside.

Families are able to take their children fishing in the park and experience the love for angler education beyond that day. It’s getting out parents involved. It’s getting our kids involved. And bringing the whole community together.

The program weaves classroom instruction with practical outdoor experience, resulting in improved testing.

We have had great success in our STAAR scores. Our students have really been very successful at state assessments. And even understanding the application and higher level thinking, because we allow our students to take their learning and apply it to everyday living.

The Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series.

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

Enchanted Rock

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Visitors to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area may bring their dogs with them – as long as it’s not to the top of the granite dome.

I’m a dog lover – I have two dogs – and I can’t take my dogs up there either, anymore.

Doug Cochran, superintendent at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, says a new regulation went into effect March first; it prohibits visitors from taking their dogs to the summit in order to protect the fairy shrimp that live in the vernal pools atop the dome.

We want to protect these precious resources for future generations. I want my grand kids and my grand kids’ grand kids to come up and have the same experience on top of Enchanted Rock, looking at these fairy shrimp that the kids are have now.

Visitors have unwittingly upset the fragile ecosystems on E-Rock by allowing their pets to drink from, and relieve themselves too close to, the pools—thus polluting the water. Even so, dogs are welcome.

On our loop trail there’s a 4.5 mile walk. You can take dogs out there, and they can get really good exercise, and you can see really great parts of Enchanted Rock on our loop trail that a lot of people don’t get to see because they just go up to the summit and come down.

Find a link to the new regulation for Enchanted Rock at passporttotexas.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Hiking Enchanted Rock.

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You’ll find fragile ecosystems called vernal pools on the summit of Enchanted Rock.

They’re little formations—weathering pits that have formed over the years—and they’ll collect rainwater. And there are little lifeforms that grow in them: fairy shrimp and other invertebrates. And, it’s their own little, small ecosystem in there.

Dough Cochran is superintendent at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in the Texas Hill Country.

A scientist was doing some tests on invertebrates – testing the different kinds of algae that were present in the water. And he notices over the past three or four years that blue-green algae had been increasing in these pools of waters. And that’s an indication of pollution.

Pollution caused unintentionally by visitors who bring their dogs to hike the summit with them, and then interact with the vernal pools.

We see a lot of pets and humans going in these waters and wading through them, drinking out of them (the people don’t drink out of them, but the pets do) and in some cases they’re doing things they’re not supposed to be doing in there.

Animal waste that seeps into the pools raises the nitrogen level of the water, and disrupts ecosystem stability.

Tomorrow, learn of a new regulation intended to help nature regain her balance on Enchanted Rock.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti