Passport to Texas

Beautiful Texas

Conservation: Taking Care of Texas Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Former First Lady, Laura Bush, has been keeping busy since her husband left office.

12— Now that Mrs. Bush is back in Texas, she’s really wanting to spend her time promoting causes that are near and dear to her heart. And, conservation of our natural resources is an area that she’s personally passionate about.

Erin Franz is Executive Director of the non-profit Taking Care of Texas, founded in 2011 by Mrs. Bush and a board of science experts, private landowners, conservationists, and businesspeople.

20— It’s a great time to look at our natural resources. We know water conservation is an issue our state is facing; so, [we’re] raising awareness of the need to conserve our natural resources, and spur conservation efforts along that benefit communities –that builds on the success of others – and work to inspire all Texans to join in.

Taking Care of Texas will use its influence to support the work of conservation groups throughout the state for the benefit of all Texans.

25— Part of our goal at Taking Care of Texas is to utilize Mrs. Bush and her ability to connect people — and to convene various groups — to start to take a look at the issues that our state is facing, and spreading awareness and the message of our natural resources. [She’ll emphasize] Why our rural Texas lands play a huge part in our heritage and our future, and why they are important to people that live in cities.

Learn more at Taking Care of Texas dot org.

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

Working with Landowners on Conservation

50th Anniversary: Building Relationships Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Through confidential relationships with area biologists, Texas landowners conserve the state’s natural resources for future generations.

14 — Our goal is to develop these relationships. We do have laws that maintain confidentiality for the landowner. That’s helpful to people and gives them comfort to know that their private business is between them and their biologist.

Linda Campbell oversees the private lands and public hunting programs.

19— We have good relationships all over Texas. We have over 8-thousand wildlife management plans that we hold with active cooperators, one over 29-million acres. We do everything from deer management to quail management to whatever the landowner is interested in – and what the habitat can support.

For the past 18 years, Texas Parks and Wildlife’s honored landowner efforts through its Lone Star Land Steward Awards Program.

13 —And we hold them up to show people what they can do with this dedication and commitment these award winners show. And we want to honor those folks for their achievement and their commitment to good land stewardship.

Find information about free technical assistance and the Lone Star Land Steward Program on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series and provides funding for Private lands and Public Hunting programs.

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

Private Ranch in Texas

50th Anniversary: Working with Landowners Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ninety-five percent of land in Texas is in private hands, making landowners the key to long-term wildlife habitat conservation.

08 — We understand that in a private land state, we’re not going to make much of a dent in wildlife habitat conservation without our private land partners.

For the past 30 years, the private lands program at Parks and Wildlife has worked closely with landowners, providing free technical assistance for their long range land management goals. It’s another success story in the agency’s 50 year history. Linda Campbell oversees the program.

08—People can go to our website and find their local biologist, talk to them, and they can help you reach your wildlife management goals.

Through its Landowner Incentive Program, the agency provides funds to cost-share.

22 — Projects for landowners who want to enhance habitat for declining species, rare species – in certain targeted areas of the state. We also have funding for landowners who want to do work to enhance watersheds. We look at those as well, and we have a great website on that. So, people that are interested in financial incentives should certainly check out the landowner incentive program.

Find information about free technical assistance and the landowner incentive program on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series and provides funding for Private lands and Public Hunting programs.

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

Mason Mountain WMA

Conservation: Licenses Fund Conservation in Texas Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

To legally hunt and fish in Texas, you need a license; and the money you spend on them supports habitat conservation and game management. That’s win-win, says Tom Newton, who oversees licensing at Parks and Wildlife.

15— The revenue that we get from the licenses goes a long ways to supporting the operations of fishery programs and wildlife programs that help preserve what you’re harvesting. So, it all goes back in to the hunting and fishing activities for our customers.

Recreational anglers and hunters may begin renewing their licenses as early as August 15…and there’s a variety from which to choose.

27— There’s different categories of fishing: freshwater, saltwater, all water. Hunting – you can get your basic deer hunting license; or you can add endorsements to it to hunt migratory birds. We have different combination licenses tailored to those different activities – they just group them in packages – but the best license that we have is the super combo, which includes all activity – all bird hunting all deer hunting, all types of fishing…and it’s the best bargain for the price of 68 bucks.

Some changes may be ahead for a certain group of licensees. Learn more tomorrow.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series and provides funding for private lands and public hunting programs in Texas.

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

Texas River School; image courtesy https://www.facebook.com/TexasRiverSchool

Outdoor Education: Wisdom from the River and its Source Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Texas River School in Austin takes kids in fourth through sixth grade, who come from under-served populations, on daylong river outings. Joe Kendall is program founder.

10 – We teach them how to canoe, and we go down river to the mouth of Barton Creek, and float up the creek, and then take the kids to the Splash Exhibit so they learn how an aquifer works and why it’s so important to take care of it.

The Splash Exhibit is part of Austin’s Barton Spring’s Pool, named for the spring that feeds it. The school also teaches kids to snorkel to enrich the experience.

11 – So, they hopefully can dive to the bottom of the pool and feel the source of the aquifer and understand that creates the pool, the creek, the river… So, they can get an appreciation of where the water comes form.

The program is open to kids of all abilities. Kendall says it’s not just important to get kids outside, he says it’s vital to help kids develop a life-long love affair with rivers.

05 – There’s only one word that’s in more song titles than the word River, and that’s the word love.

Start your love affair with rivers at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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