Passport to Texas

Where the pavement ends–that’s where you’ll find Texas Game Wardens.

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This is Passport to Texas’ Ask a Game Warden

Game Wardens and State Troopers are state peace officers; although assigned to specific areas, they enforce laws and regulations wherever needed statewide.

Sharon Cundiff of Williamson County contacted us to ask about the difference between Wardens’ and Troopers’ jurisdictional areas. We reached out to Game Warden Travis Porter, in Tarrant County, to help sort things out.

43—One of the main differences between State Troopers and Game Wardens are that Game Wardens have the added ability to enforce wildlife and natural resource rules and regulations throughout the state as well. Game Wardens are the law enforcement off the pavement. Most of the time, we get off the roadway, and that’s where we enforce most of our rules and regulations. Texas Law grants us the ability to enforce those laws anywhere wildlife lives, roams, or can be found—with a few limitations. These laws are designed so that we can enter private and/or public property to enforce hunting, water safety, natural resource laws and regulations, when the situation is called to do so. Game Wardens use these abilities to promote and regulate safety among those who are fortunate enough to be able to enjoy the outdoors, and to help conserve natural resources for future generations.

Click on the Contact Us link at passporttotexas.org to submit your Ask a Game Warden question.

Lone Star Law featuring Texas Game Wardens airs on Animal Planet Thursdays at 9 p.m. CT.

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

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

Cactus and wetlands along Powderhorn Lake. Photo courtesy of the Nature Conservancy, Jerod Foster

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This is Passport to Texas

Volunteers are vital to the work of Texas Parks and Wildlife. If you don’t have time to volunteer but still want to help, there’s always membership in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation is the official non-profit partner of Texas parks and Wildlife. And we fund transformational projects that benefit the people of Texas.

Anne (Annie) Brown is executive director of the foundation; membership dues help fund conservation of Texas’ wild things and places, for generations to come.

We have two levels. We have a hundred dollar level, and that’s for individual/family. And then we have a forty-five dollar level. And the difference between those is the hundred dollar level, you receive a subscription to Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine, and at the forty-five dollar level you do not.

Supporters receive members-only communication, special invitations, and updates about Texas parks and Wildlife from Director, Carter Smith. The best benefit is the diverse projects members help to fund.

So, Powderhorn Ranch is one of our largest initiatives, and that will hopefully be complete in March of this year. That was a 49-million dollar acquisition. Our pronghorn restoration project in West Texas—trans-relocating pronghorns to their natural area in West Texas. Our Guadalupe Bass program that we do in Central Texas with the department on Central Texas rivers, restocking native Guadalupe Bass to those rivers….

Find information on becoming a Texas parks and Wildlife Foundation member at tpwf.org.

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

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation is the official non-profit partner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

And we fund transformational projects to benefit the people of Texas.

Anne (Annie) Brown is executive director of the foundation, which works to ensure the continued vitality of Texas lands, waters, and wildlife for the benefit of all Texans. She invites interested persons to consider membership in the foundation.

It’s really a way for individuals to help conserve Texas wild things and wild places for generations to come. All of the funds that are raised in our membership program go into special projects.

Special requests from parks, such as for bird blinds, or youth hunting programs, and neighborhood fishing opportunities are just a few of the projects membership helps to fund.

So this is really funding that is made available for special projects that benefit the land, water and wildlife in Texas.

Find out how to become a member when you log onto the Texas parks and Wildlife foundation website at tpwf.org.

We try to make it easy. We have two levels.

Membership has its privileges. That’s tomorrow.

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

Unwrap the Wild, image courtesy www.mattskoog.com

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This is Passport to Texas

Nature is a gift we give ourselves the moment we step outside. Share the beauty and Unwrap the Wild; give the gift of the Texas outdoors to others w/a state park pass.

12-This is the second year that we’ve launched Unwrap the Wild. And it’s an opportunity to give back to Texas by supporting your state parks, and to provide friends, family, loved ones–or yourself–with an annual parks pass.

Anne (Annie) Brown is executive director with the Texas Parks and Wildlife foundation, the official non-profit partner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. During Unwrap the Wild a park pass only costs sixty-five dollars.

12-Which is five dollars off what they usually cost. In addition, they can be purchased online and mailed directly here from our offices in Dallas to individuals for a holiday gift.

Ninety state parks–many within a 90 minute drive or less for most of us–provide pass holders outdoor adventures that are close, convenient, and available a
full 365 days.

13-We launch our Unwrap the Wild on November third, and it will run through December 19th, to make sure that we can get all the park passes to homes before the holiday is here.

Pass holders have a year from the day they redeem their certificate to use their State Parks Pass for waived entry fees for themselves and all the guests in their vehicle. Find details at tpwf.org.

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