Passport to Texas

Kriesche Brewery State Historic Site during the Trail of Lights.

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This is Passport to Texas

Thousands of twinkling lights illuminate a quarter mile walking trail at the Monument Hill and Kriesche Brewery State Historic Sites in LaGrange.

The trail of lights is open to the public five nights during the first part of December from 6 pm to 8 pm. And our park is decorated with lots of lights and different ornaments throughout the grounds. Kriesche house is open, it’s decorated for Christmas. We have entertainment, refreshments, and Santa Clause is there for children to tell their wishes to.

Dennis Smith is park superintendent. The remaining dates are December seventh, eighth, fourteenth and fifteenth.

[It’s] just a really pretty site here. We sit on a 200 foot bluff that overlooks the city of La Grange—and see the night lights of the city. It’s just a really spectacular opportunity for people to come out and enjoy a great Christmas celebration.

The trail of lights is the perfect family activity for the holiday season.

Every year we have comments from families that say we’ve been coming out here for the last 20 years. Families that come from Houston, Austin, San Antonio—just to come back to the trail of lights each year. We see more and more of that as we go by, and are just really glad to see these families keep coming back with more generations of their families to help celebrate the season.

Find details about all holiday events at State parks at texasstateparks.org.

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

Lake Wichita

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This is Passport

When Tom Lang, the Texas Parks and Wildlife District Fisheries Supervisor in Wichita Falls, took over his position eight years ago…

Eight of the lakes in this district had completely died up. And one of those was here at lake Wichita. This is the third oldest lake in the state of Texas.

Lang manages fisheries resources for eight counties in North Texas. Lake Wichita offered a challenge.

We’re starting a lake over. So we�re going to drain the water, the little bit of water that’s in it, and we’re going to dig it out and double the storage capacity.

The plan is comprehensive, and includes amenities like bike paths. A project of this scale requires community support. Lang developed relationships that helped to raise more than 4-million dollars for the project.

A project of this magnitude is expensive. And to have the community that we have here and the resources that we�ve been able to have, to be able to get the ball rolling on those, has really been important and very special.

Local business man Steven “Reno” Gustafason is optimistic about the future of Lake Wichita. He says the plan means decades of benefit to the community.

Tom’s plan is to bring back the fish, to bring back people coming to the lakes to go boating, people that will come and ride
their bikes on the bike trail. Just enjoy the lake like we did.

See this work in progress this week on the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV series on PBS.

We receive support from RAM Trucks: built to serve.

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

More women are becoming hunters to spend time in the outdoors and to put fresh nature-raised meat on the table.

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This is Passport to Texas

I once acted as an observer on a women only Hill Country hunting trip. Tami Moore served as hunt coordinator.

We’re trying to get women involved in the outdoors, and to take some of the mystery out of the sport of hunting. Before it’s just been something that the guys go do.

The female hunters’ skills varied from novice to pro. Each woman brought a guide with them; first time hunter, Millissa Salinas of Austin, brought her father Ralph.

I’ve always wanted to experience the outdoors, and I thought the perfect opportunity to bond with my father would be this event so he could show me the ropes and spend some special memories together.

Like all the women on the trip, Salinas was enthusiastic about the opportunity.

We’d been preparing for it for about a month. He had taken me target shooting, I had borrowed a rifle. So I’d been anticipating for some time now. So when the actual moment came, it was extremely exciting.

Salinas harvested two deer on that trip. After the experience of being with the other women, and sharing the weekend with her father, Salinas vowed it was just the beginning.

We definitely want to get involved more in the outdoors. And I have a younger sister that we’re going to try to encourage to join us.

Find hunter education classes and mentored hunting opportunities on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series.

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

Women relaxing after the hunt. Image from National Shooting Sports.

This is Passport to Texas

[Rifle shot]

That’s how a group of ten women started a weekend hunting trip at a Hill Country ranch – by taking practice shots at targets. Ranch manager Troy Calloway explains.

Sometimes we get people out here who have never shot before, so we set ‘em up and assess the situation….. But everybody here is nailing it; we’re good to go it looks like.

Hunt coordinator, Tami Moore, told me that women make up less than 10% of all licensed hunters, and she thinks she may know why.

I think a lot of women are afraid that they’re going to fail, because they’re just scared. And going out with another group of ladies, in a situation like we are this weekend, takes a lot of that out of it.

Kathy Keller of Austin is an experienced hunter. We spoke in her deer blind.

Oh, this is really great. And it’s exciting to see that women are getting into this sport and learning about hunting and wildlife.

Kathy explains what it was like the first time she harvested an animal.

It was something that made me think. I’ve taken this life, and I had to think about why I was doing it. And I realized that it is a big responsibility.

Find hunting information and resources on the Texas parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series and works to increase hunting and shooting opportunities in Texas.

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

Wetlands are the most vibrant ecosystems in nature, and play an essential role in maintaining biodiversity and water quality.

On a per acre basis, you’ll find more wildlife and organic activity in wetlands than in any other type of habitat in Texas.

As water moves through wetlands, the vegetation and organisms filter the majority of debris and other materials, as well as collect sediment.

Water comes out of a wetland cleaner than it went in; wetlands are efficient, high quality water filters.

Wetlands also help mitigate coastal flooding by absorbing excess water and reducing storm surges from hurricanes.

They also serve as nurseries for species of sport fish that have both recreational and commercial value to Texans.

Yet, wetlands are declining. Over time, this can set up a domino effect that may see future severe flooding in vulnerable areas, a reduction in clean water, and a decrease in fish for the table.

Therefore, it is vital that we understand the value of wetlands and protect and grow them in Texas and other areas where they play a dynamic role in the health of the planet.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

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