Passport to Texas

If corn and bamboo had a baby, it would be Arundo donax, a.k.a. Giant Reed.

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This is Passport to Texas

How would you deal with grass that’s gotten out of hand? Mow it? That works for turf grass, but not the invasive non-native grass called Arundo Donax, or giant reed.

It’s very tall—grows up to about 30 feet.

Not only is mowing nearly impossible, but using a machete or anything that breaks this gargantuan grass into pieces is ill-advised, says Monica McGarrity, who studies aquatic invasive for Texas Parks and Wildlife.

The way that this plant reproduces is by the canes—especially when they’re cut—by folks mowing or by nutria eating them. They spread downstream and they re-root and create new plants. It does spread by its rhizomes, but it can travel long distances if you cut it, mow it, and fragments get into the creek. Each fragment can create a new plant.

Its invasive nature is evident along rivers and streams; it outcompetes native plants and disrupts habitat. In addition, it’s a thirsty plant – not good for drought-prone Texas.

It uses a lot of water. It’s been shown to reduce flows, and it can cause a lot of erosion, and that can reduce the water quality in the stream. So, lots of ways that it can have a big impact on the system.

So what is the best way to manage giant reed? Monica McGarrity has the answer on tomorrow’s show.

Learn more about giant reed at texasinvasives.org.

The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

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

Arundo donax, also called Giant Reed.

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This is Passport to Texas

Texas has its share of invasive plants and animals, including Arundo Donax, or giant reed; you’ve probably seen it along roadways and river banks.

13— If you see it on roadsides, it’s very tall—grows up to about 30 feet. Has segments, really broad, pointed leaves—huge showy plumes. It can actually be quite pretty. And it looks somewhat like corn.

Giant reed is a non-native grass. Monica McGarrity who studies aquatic invasive for Texas Parks and Wildlife, says its greatest impact occurs when it gets into areas along rivers and creeks.

18—They have these impacts because they’re able to outcompete the native plants and push them aside, displace them. And when we’re talking especially about riverside, riparian areas, along our creeks – diversity of native plants is really important to the wildlife, and for maintaining the overall health of the community.

When giant reed displaces native plant communities, the result is reduced habitat quality.

17— It reduces quality for birds and other wildlife. And then it can start to— over time – have impacts on the stream itself, and reduce the habitat that’s available to the aquatic community, and make it more homogenous, more the same throughout. Rather than having diverse pools and riffles and habitats that they need.

Monica McGarrity returns tomorrow to tell us how not to try and remove this plant from our property.

The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

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

Aquatic imvasives

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This is Passport to Texas

Record funding approved by the Texas Legislature is launching new fronts in the war on aquatic invasive species.

With $6.6 million dollars in appropriations, this year and next, Texas Parks and Wildlife will ramp up an unprecedented effort to control and stop the spread of aquatic invasive plants and creatures.

Some of the aquatic invasive species that will receive the agency’s attention include: giant salvinia and zebra mussels covering Texas lakes, to giant reed and salt cedar smothering rivers and streams, to exotic fish that compete with Texas natives and alter natural ecosystems.

One major category of work is Aquatic Invasive Plant Management—projects focused on management of aquatic invasive plants on public waters to enhance boater access for recreation, and management of riparian invasive plants in target areas to improve water quality and quantity.

In Texas, the economic impacts of aquatic invasives are far-reaching, costing the state billions of dollars annually, including threatening to undermine a recreational freshwater fishing industry worth more than $4 billion-dollars.

That’s our show. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation supports our series and helps keep Texas wild with support of proud members across the state. Find out more at tpwf.org

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Texas Game Warden and canine partner.

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This is Passport to Texas

Texas Game Wardens are part of the communities they serve. They’re accessible and ready to answer your questions. With that in mind, our show is beginning a new feature in June called Ask a Game Warden.

We’d love to hear from some of your listeners on the radio show.

Grahame Jones is chief of special operations for Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Law Enforcement Division.

We have a very robust social media platform, both the department’s social media and then our division’s social media as well; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Or submit your questions on your radio show.

No matter where you are in the state, questions submitted to the radio show will receive answers, and some will be answered on the show, during our Ask a Game Warden feature.

We have game wardens all over the state. Most counties have game wardens assigned to those particular counties. We have some counties in far west Texas and some counties in the panhandle that have one game warden assigned to a couple of counties. But, for the most part, we’re assigned to every country throughout the state.

Submit your question at passporttotexas.org; send it via our contact page.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation supports our series and helps keep Texas wild with support of proud members across the state. Find out more at tpwf.org.

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

Texas Game Warden on the job.

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Texas Game Wardens became part of the fabric of our state in 1895 with the creation of the Fish and Oyster Commission by the Texas Legislature. The commission evolved into Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Since that time, our mission is to protect the citizens of Texas. Protect the natural resources of Texas. Conduct boating safety—water safety. It really encompasses a lot.

Grahame Jones is chief of special operations for Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Law Enforcement Division. He says Game Wardens are highly trained state peace officers.

We can enforce all Texas law. A big part of what Game Wardens do is public safety.

They’re often first on the scene during natural disasters. Game Wardens are members of the communities they serve, and advocate community policing.

We’re part of the community. We take great pride in outreach and education with schools—elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, community groups… And, we require our Game Wardens to take part in outreach, but we don’t have to. They do it anyway [because they want to do it].

With outreach in mind, we’re starting a new feature on the show called Ask a Game Warden.

We want to hear from the people, and I think this is a great way to do that, because that relates back to community policing.

To ask your question go to the contact page at passporttotexas.org and send us an email.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation supports our series and helps keep Texas wild with support of proud members across the state. Find out more at tpwf.org.

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