Passport to Texas

Sierra Diablo WMA, Image © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Wildlife: Inventories and Surveys Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Not all surveys are conducted over the telephone in the middle of your dinner hour. Baseline surveys conducted by wildlife biologists take place at wildlife management areas, over time.

13 – We conduct baseline inventories and surveys on the wildlife management areas, first of all so that we can understand and have a catalog of the different types of vegetation that grow there, the different types of animals that grow there, and what the habitat are that help support those animals.

Dennis Gissell is facilities coordinator for the state’s 49 Wildlife Management areas, or Wildlife management Areas.

10—After we do the baseline inventory we do regular follow-up monitoring of those populations to determine how they’re doing. And compare that to habitat conditions and what we can do to help make it better.

After the data is collected and analyzed, management recommendations for the Wildlife Management Areas are established and implemented. This type of active stewardship may include hunting to improve conditions.

14—Hunting provides a valuable tool in terms of population control for different wildlife species. Various game species can produce to the extent that their populations exceed the capacity of the habitat to support them. And so that’s why hunting is an important component.

That’s our show…funded by the Wildlife Restoration Program… helping to fund the operations and management of more than 49 wildlife management areas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…Cecilia Nasti

Paddling Caddo Lake, image by Chase Fountain TPWD

Boating: Caddo Lake Padduing Trails Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

World Wetlands day was February 2, and to celebrate, the Texas Paddling trails Team at TPW launched 10 new paddling trails in the Caddo Lake area in Deep East Texas.

08—Five at Caddo lake State Park and the Wildlife Management Area, and five at Backwater Jack’s RV Park up river on the Big Cypress Bayou.

Shelly Plante oversees nature tourism for the agency. She says the new paddling trails offer an air of intrigue.

16—Caddo Lake is just one of the most mysterious places in the State of Texas. The swampy bayous with the big cypress trees and Spanish moss…it’s just one of those captivating images… when you think of East Texas you envision.

The trails at Caddo Lake will be tricky, but paddlers of all skill levels will get plenty of guidance along the way.

23—It’s a little intimidating as a paddler to think that you’re going to go out in these swamps and know your way around. These paddling trails are wonderful in that they help guide that experience. There are now arrow markers with reflective arrows marking your way for 10 different trails, to take you on a trip from two and a half miles to almost nine mile trips throughout these swamps. Hopefully it will make it easier for the newcomer.

Find more information about Texas Paddling Trails on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Crab Trap Cleanup, photo by Art Morris, © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Conservation: Crab Trap Cleanup Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Since 2002, more than 29-thousand derelict crab traps have been removed from Texas bays.

:13— Through our program we have documented over forty species of organisms that are caught in these traps that include game fish, and commercially important fish, and even Diamond back terrapins which are a species of special concern.

That’s Art Morris is a biologist with Coastal Fisheries. He says Parks and Wildlife is gearing up for the Sixteenth annual Crab Trap clean up, February 15-24. Volunteers are needed.

:34—Anybody can volunteer, however, we primarily need people with boats, and particularly air boats. But there are jobs for people that don’t have a boat. We need people to unload boats; we need people to maybe sometimes to go out with people that will have crew members to go out with them. We’ll provide gloves; we’ll have tarps for boats. You don’t need to sign up for anything. We would like you to call ahead of time so we can get an estimate of how many people are going to come to that site. Most of our work’s going to be done in San Antonio bay, north, because that’s where most of the crabbing effort goes on. But anybody can volunteer, and they can do it on their own.

The main cleanup event is February 16 from 8:00 to noon; check the Texas Parks and Wildlife website or find information on how to volunteer at passporttotexas.org.

Morris warns to remove traps only during Feb. 15-24 as it is illegal all other times as traps are private property.

That’s our show…with support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Crab Trap Cleanup Art Morris, © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Angling: Ghost Fishing Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

There are ghosts in the gulf that silently trap and kill thousands of marine species annually.

09— They are a perpetual trapping machine. When something gets caught in there, it has nothing to eat and it dies, and it becomes bait and it attracts other fish and other organisms.

That’s Art Morris…ghost buster. Actually, he’s a biologist with Coastal Fisheries. The entities he’s after are abandoned crab traps…adrift in the gulf…ghost fishing.

09—And one of the key things about this, because they’re targeting for crabs, that’s the number one species that we see—the targeted organisms is what we’re losing to these derelict traps.

Weather and vandalism are the primary reasons why traps end up adrift, indiscriminately ensnaring crustaceans and other sea life. Morris says since 2002, more than 29-thousand of these A.W.O.L. traps have been removed from Texas bays.

12—A single trap can kill 26 blue crabs per trap per year. And we can extrapolate those numbers out and we estimate somewhere in the area of half million blue crabs are saved through this program alone—or have to date.

Morris hasn’t removed these traps alone—he’s had a lot of help from volunteers during annual crab trap clean ups. Your chance to help rid the gulf of ghost fishing happens next month… details tomorrow.

That’s our show…with support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Washington-on-the-Brazos: Party Time

State Parks: Texas Independence Celebration Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This year marks the 177th Anniversary of Texas Independence, and we’ll be celebrating at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Our SP Guide, Bryan Frazier has details.

53— Washington –on-the-Brazos, State Historic Site is one of the flagship historic sites in Texas as it relates to Texas independence. And, a lot of people are familiar with some of the others – like the Alamo – and the rich history that’s there. But, Washington-on-the-Brazos is very significant as well. In fact, it’s direct relationship with the Alamo was to allow people to have time to get to Washington –on-the-Brazos to convene a congress and declare independence back in the 1830s. And we’re doing the Texas Independence Celebration on March 2nd & 3rd, and it’s the only weekend of the year that has free access for everyone. And there’ll be music; there’ll be food vendors there with things for sale. And this year we’re also going to have troubadour, Craig Toungate doing a one man show based on actual letters and journals from the Texas revolution. You can find out more at www.texasstateparks.org.

Thanks, Bryan.

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.