Passport to Texas

Girl exploring stream at Lost Maples State Natural Area

Event: Children and Nature Conference Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It takes a village to get kids and families outside these days; Jennifer Bristol, coordinator of Texas Children and Nature, is part of the tribe ushering them outdoors.

09— We are a network of organizations around the state of Texas; and we focus on connecting more children and families with the outdoors so they are happier, healthier, and smarter.

Next week, Jennifer tribe and their supporters gather in Bastrop for the Children in Nature Conference, to share ideas, successes, and future plans.

08—To really highlight all the issue and all the solutions that surround why it is important for children and families to have access to nature.

The theme of the conference is “Inspiration to Action”.

13— And it centers around our four concentration areas, which is health, education, community and access. So, we have everybody from architects who focus on bringing the outdoors in, to urban planners, to the health community….

In addition, they devote the first day to technology.

17— We know that we can’t get away from technology. We used to tell people all the time: unplug and get outdoors and things like that. That’s still an important message. But, it’s also important to say, ‘Hey, you know what? What can we do to let them use that smart phone in their hand or tablet in their hand that builds that confidence in the outdoors, too?’

We’ll check in with Jennifer after the conference for an update. Texas Children in Nature is co-hosting the conference with Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center and Children & Nature Network.

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

Seen during 2008 Great Texas Birding Classic. What will you see?

Event | Birding: Birding Classic Puts FUN in Funding Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

For the first 16 of its 19 year history, birders had to flock to coastal areas to participate in the Great Texas Birding Classic.

09— We’ve now gone statewide. So, this will be our third year to be a statewide competition, and people love it. They’re coming out to do all the different tournaments.

Shelly Plante is nature tourism manager for Texas Parks and Wildlife. The tournament has experienced 40% growth in participation since expanding statewide, and a 50% increase in funds available for grants.

23— The whole point of the event, and the reason this growth is so great, is all the money raised goes towards conservation grants for birding and birders. So, they can be enhancement grants, which can be boardwalks, or birding blinds. They might be acquisition grants, or restoration grants that restore native habitat that’s great for birds, or remove invasive species. So, it’s a really great win-win.

Since becoming statewide, Shelly Plante says they’ve seen greater diversity in habitat projects that receive funding.

11— Two years ago, we funded a community park project in Utopia, Texas – Central Texas Hill Country area – and that was our first project ever to not be on the coast. So, that was very exciting.

The event is April 15 – May 15. Registration ends April 1. Check out all the Great Texas Birding Classic tournaments and habitat projects at birdingclassic.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Event | Birding: A Bird Count for All Download

This is Passport to Texas

The Great Texas Birding Classic – the world’s biggest, longest and wildest bird watching tournament – welcomes birders of all ages and abilities to form teams.

07— We’ve added some really good entry level tournaments, so beginning birders can take part; it’s not just the hard core listers anymore. Anyone can do this.

Shelly Plante is nature tourism manager for Texas Parks and Wildlife.

20— I loved seeing more families involved last year; a family of four could go out and do a sunrise to noon tournament because it’s an all ages tournament. A group of co-workers and their kids might go out and do a Big Sit, because there’s an unlimited number of people that can be on that team – it’s not a three to five person team like some of the others. So, there really is enough variety that you can find something that fits your needs.

The deadline to register a team is April 1. And your team can compete any day from April 15 to May 15.

23— And you don’t pick that ahead of time. Some people have really flexible schedules, and so they don’t tell me until 24 hours out from their tournament day that they’re going to go birding. They wait, look at weather patterns, see when birding is going to be really good. If it’s a really good birding day, and there’s a cold front, and birds are everywhere – they can just pick on the fly: “We’re going to go tomorrow; that’s our day.” And they just shoot me an email. So, it’s really flexible.

Check out all the Great Texas Birding Classic tournaments and register your team by April 1 at birdingclassic.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Event | Birding: Great Texas Birding Classic Download

Calling all twitchers, listers and dudes…The Great Texas Birding Classic invites you to form a team to watch birds.

09— It’s a really great win-win, where people are able to go birding with their friends or family. And then they’re raising money for a really great cause: conservation right here in the state of Texas.

Shelly Plante, nature tourism manager, says teams go into the field and ID bird species from a checklist over the course of a few hours or even a few days. Tournament winners determine which avian habitat conservation projects receive preservation and restoration grants.

05— And the more habitat we’re able to preserve here in the state, the more birding opportunities there are going to be for birders.

Birders of all ages and skill levels that register at birdingclassic.org by the April first deadline may participate in this statewide series of tournaments.

22—Go online. Fill out your registration form. Pay online. And then you’re ready to go. Everything I do is through email: I’m going to email you updates; I’m going to email you how to submit your checklists to be in the running for the prizes; I’m going to let you know who won, where the award ceremonies are. So, it’s all done online to save on costs so as much of this money goes to habitat conservation as possible.

The Great Texas Birding Classic, April 15 through May 15, is for beginners and advanced birders. More on the classic tomorrow.

Funding for our series provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Fly Fishing Gear

Angling: Fly Fish Texas March 14, 2015 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

If you’ve always wanted to learn to fly fish, check out the 16th Annual Fly Fish Texas event March 14 at the Texas Fresh Water Fisheries Center in Athens.

09— Our entire facility – several dozen acres – is converted into a gigantic fly fishing school for beginners and intermediates alike.

Jim Booker coordinates the event, where among other activities, attendees will learn to cast for and catch fish.

10— We’ll have over a hundred volunteer instructors coming to man the different stations and activities. And these are volunteers that come from fly fishing clubs all over Texas.

Speakers will share tips on where to fly fish in Texas and beyond; and outdoor seminars take place all day.

13—In fact, we’ve just added a really interesting one called tenkara fishing. Tenkara fly fishing is the ancient Japanese form, which involves just the rod, the line, and the tie – no reel is involved.

Fly Fish Texas, March 14 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center offers hands on opportunities for attendees, too.

08—We have an actual classroom here, and on a walk-in basis, from noon until 4 p.m. we will do beginning fly tying classes.

Dive shows, tram tours of the hatchery, vendors and good food round out the day – Fly Fish Texas activities are free with regular paid admission to the center; find a schedule of events on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series.

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