Passport to Texas

Mission Tejas, image © Texas Parks and Wildlife

State Parks: Mission Tejas Folk Festival Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Spring is when we make every effort to recreate in the outdoors. And our State Park Guide Bryan Frazier tells us while getting physical in state parks is common – so it getting musical.

51 – We also have festivals and events like the Annual Folk festival at Mission Tejas State Park; it’s in east Texas – and what a setting! You’ve got the rice Family Cabin that’s been restored from the 1820s and 30s. And they’re going to have dulcimer music and they’re going to have Wild West Shootouts, and they’ll have all kinds of activities. They’re very family oriented in this historic setting that marks the first Spanish Mission from the 1600s in Texas. That replica site was built by the CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps] in the 1930s is also at Mission Tejas. And it just makes the absolute best setting for a folk festival with those big, tall pine trees that east Texas is famous for. And that’s going to be April 20 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. And, I really encourage people if they’re in that neck of the woods – or even if they’re not – check out Mission Tejas and their annual folk festival.

Thanks, Bryan.

Find additional information at texasstateparks.org.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

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

Fort Richardson State Historic Site

State Parks: Fort Richardson Anniversary Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Fort Richardson played a vital role settling the Texas frontier. And we celebrate the146th anniversary of this outpost later this month. Our State Park Guide Bryan Frazier has details.

57 – For Richardson from the 1860s to the 1870s was one of the most significant outposts on the Texas frontier. You’re talking about being on the edge or, and in the heart of, Comancheria at the time. So, this particular outpost was responsible for helping ensure the safety of the settlers and the farmers and the ranchers that were there in the area. And it’s the 146th birthday of Ft. Richardson, which is in the city limits of Jacksboro, just north of Interstate 20, about an hour and thirty minutes west of Fort Worth. And they’re going to have all kinds of activities and re-enactors; soldiers from the 1860s and 70s in their full regalia on horseback, and cannons firing. And there will be cavalry, infantry and artillery troops. It’s just a great event. It’s going to be Friday and Saturday – the 12th & 13th of this month – to get out and see the living history event at Fort Richard State park and Historic Site.

Thanks, Bryan.

Find additional information at texasstateparks.org.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

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

Kids out birding

Great Texas Birding Classic, 2 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Competitive and casual birders are putting together teams for the Annual Great Texas Birding Classic; they’ll compete for a chance to help save avian habitat. Coordinator, Shelly Plante says the tournaments for all skill levels and ages, and can be great fun,

51—There have been people who do a big sit in their backyard. They get their friends to come over, they hang out; they make a day of it. This really is the tailgate party for birding. You can hang out and just have fun in a very small area and have friends visit throughout the day and see what birds you see, submit your checklist, and who knows – you might win.

The winning team is the team in each category that sees or hears and identifies the most species of birds. What does that get you? For the kids, it will gets you some prizes. The rest of the teams are going to win winner’s certificates that recognize them as the winners of their tournament category. We’ll post it on the website. And then, some of the winning teams are going to select a conservation project that receives all this grant money. This event is self-funded; all registration fees that come in go into a pot of money for grants.

Registration deadline is April 1st. Find tournament details at birdingclassic.org.

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

Great Texas Birding Classic

Birding: Great Texas Birding Classic, 1 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

The Great Texas Birding Classic is statewide this year, runs April 15 through May 15, and offers tournaments, for all skill levels. Coordinator, Shelly Plante.

57—You can be a beginning birder and you can take part in just a Big Sit – that’s birding from a 17-foot-diameter circle. It’s really for fun; we call it the tailgate party of birding. Then there are the big days. Those people who want to go for 24 hours, be super competitive, see as many birds as they can, go as many places as they can, in a 24-hour period. In between these two extremes, you have the Sunrise to Noon Birder – a new tournament where you start at dawn and your bird until 12-noon. So, maybe you can’t get around as easily; maybe you don’t want to go to as many spots. But you do want to hit a handful of your favorite spots. This is the tournament for you. You don’t have to be running around all day. You can just have a lot of fun and go out with your friends. We also have kids tournaments, teenaged tournaments, tournaments for the blind. There really is something for everyone. I encourage you to go to the website to look at all the different kinds of categories and ways you can participate, because you do not have to be really competitive – you can go out and have a lot of fun. But, if you are competitive, there’s something for you, too.

Registration deadline is April 1st. Find tournament details at birdingclassic.org.

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

Photo courtesy of Meetup.com

Hunt/Fish: Texas Outdoor Women's Network Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

After whetting their appetite for the outdoors during a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Workshop, many women seek outdoors opportunities closer to home. The Texas Outdoors-Woman Network, or T.O.W.N., provides an outlet for nature loving women to connect.

04—It has increased my knowledge, my confidence and my friends.

Susan LaMere, a member of the Fort Worth Chapter of T.O.W.N, says women benefit when they find friends who share interest in the outdoors.

24—I’m a personal trainer, so in my opinion, being active period is a benefit and I think that lot of people don’t want to exercise by themselves. They may not go out and ride their bikes but they may go out with other people. One in particular, she’s 60 years old and she did not know how to ride a bike two years ago. One of the other women in the group taught her how to ride the bike and now, you know, she just loves it.

LaMere believes T.O.W.N. allows women to try new things while making close connections.

10—It’s a readymade group of people who are going to accept you for who you are, you know, whatever you want to do. I say over the past few years, some of these people have become very close friends of mine.

LaMere adds the group is open to any woman interested in learning.

03—We just want to expose people to the outdoors.

Find a Texas Outdoor Women’s Network Chapter near you on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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