Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

The Blackland Prairie, a tall grass prairie, once dominated a large area of the Texas landscape.

There were believed to be 20-million acres of tall grass prairie in Texas. Of that 20-million acres, it is believed that less than one percent of the tall grass prairie is left.

Jason Spangler is a member of Native Prairies Association of Texas. Bob and Mickey Burleson are founding members of that Association, and have spent four decades restoring 500 acres of former cropland and overgrazed pasture in Bell County back to tall grass prairie.

We bought the property in 1969, and started immediately to convert part of the cropland into original Blackland Prairie. At the time we bought this property, there was virtually no Blackland Prairie left around here.

By collecting and planting local ecotype native seed from area hay meadow prairie remnants, removal of invasive plants and use of various management tools, the Burlesons successfully restored the prairie.

We went out and spent every weekend for a year collecting seed from every tiny remnant in Bell, McLennan, Williamson and Falls Counties. And then, come fall in 1969, we planted it all at one time. That was our start. Then we’ve added to it every year since then.

It’s that kind of dedication that won the Burlesons the Lone Star Land Steward Award for the Blackland Prairie eco-region. We’ll learn more about Burleson’s Prairie tomorrow.

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

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

You don’t need much time or money to feel like you’re miles away from the responsibilities of life in the urban jungle. Just find a paddling trail.

Paddling trails are simply segments of the coast, or river, or in this case now a lake.

Ron Smith, with Inland Fisheries, is part of the paddling trail team. The newest paddling trail is at Lake Arlington. When you’re on this 10.9 mile shore-hugging path, the only decision you’ll have to make is where to go for refreshments when you take out.

We tell them where to put in, where to take out, where the regulations are, where the fun spots are, and some of the historic things about the area.

Moreover, you will see things you never thought you’d see in an urban setting.

You start to get into a more natural setting. And you go by the dam—most people don’t get to get that close to a dam—and then you turn, and you go past an undeveloped area along the shoreline, and you start seeing wildlife. Then you go behind an island into a little more of a riverine sort of setting. And you start seeing herons and all kinds of different wildlife that pop in and out of the trees. Really a unique paddling trail. We’re excited about this one.

So close, yet so far out. The Lake Arlington paddling trail dedication is August 14. Find more information about Texas Paddling Trails at passporttotexas.org.

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

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

On August 14, Texas gets its newest paddling trail located at Lake Arlington.

We’re very excited. This will be our first lake trail. And, not only that, it will be our first urban trail.

Ron Smith, with Inland Fisheries, is part of the paddling trail team. The new 10.9 mile trail hugs the shoreline of Lake Arlington, and is a partnership between the Arlington and Fort Worth Parks and Recreations departments.

The cities actually split right there on the lake. So, it’s a neat partnership for us and for them.

Smith was part of the team that surveyed the proposed site for the Lake Arlington Paddling Trail.

You know, one of the things we do here is we’re providing and improving public access to waterways around the state. So, when we go out, we look certainly at the access point. Does it need improvement? Do we need an additional one? We like for our trails to be between four and twelve miles.

What to expect when you put in at this new trail….that’s tomorrow.

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

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

The Hunt Texas Online Connection is a high tech way for hunters to find landowners with hunting opportunities.

We feel like hunters need all the help they can get to find opportunities, and so that’s one of the reasons we’re doing this.

Linda Campbell oversees the state’s Private Lands and Public Hunting program. The Internet was an obvious choice when deciding how to match landowners and hunters.

Well, we know that people use the Internet to find all kinds of opportunities. And more and more that is the tool people use to plan vacations and plan trips. And so, this is just one more way that we can connect the providers of opportunities with those seeking them.

Hunters may review current opportunities on the website.

As a hunter, you search the site by the type of game you’re interested in, the way you wish to harvest, the location, the county, and other attributes. So, you can do all of this and then narrow it down that way.

To contact a landowner about a listing, hunters must create an account with a user name and password.

Find a link to the Hunt Texas Online Connection at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… with support from the Wildlife Restoration program…providing funding for the Private Lands and Public Hunting Program. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

Hunt Texas—The Basics is a first-of-its-kind skill-building workshop being offered to new hunters this fall by Texas Parks and Wildlife.

The purpose of the workshop is to develop responsible and successful hunters who recognize the importance of wildlife and habitat conservation.

Linda Campbell is Program Director of the Private Lands and Public Hunting Program. The workshop is an effort to support the hunting tradition in Texas, and to recruit new outdoorsmen, as these conservationist help sustain our natural resources.

In Texas, we’re doing pretty well holding our own with the number of hunters. But, we’re also concerned with changes in the population of Texas, more urbanization and people moving away from the land, and the effect of that on the ability to continue the hunting heritage of our state.

Workshop participants learn about firearm selection game processing, safety, ethics and much more.

We’re in the early stages of planning, but right now we are going to try to provide some firearms and ammunition for those that do not have firearms available to them.

The first workshop is September 19 & 20 at the Justin Hurst WMA. Participants will end the workshop with a mentored dove hunt. Find more information, including fees, at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… with support from the Wildlife Restoration Program…providing funding for the Private Lands and Public Hunting Program. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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