Passport to Texas

Conservation: Flagler Ranch Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Flagler Ranch is 36 hundred acres of Texas Hill Country. Since George Matthews purchased it in 1992, he’s used an ecosystem management approach. Before his stewardship, the land had suffered 100 years of abuse.

03—As far as being overgrazed by cattle and sheep and goats.

Louis Scherer III manages Flagler Ranch, which he said, had too many white tail deer.

15—And through MLD3 permits, we have got the whitetails population down to one in twelve per acre. Since we’ve done that and the other management practices, our weight per animal, and antler growth has almost doubled.

Flagler Ranch was a Lone Star Land Steward eco-region award winner for the Edwards Plateau in 2010. Jerry Turrentine is a consulting biologist for the ranch.

17—We’re trying to integrate various techniques into an overall ranch management plan. We’re looking at food plots. We’re going to bring back some rare plants through some plantings. We’re going to do some reintroductions of forbes and grasses…we’re trying to be a learning area for other ranches in the plateau.

Water is vital in any ecosystem, and Joyce Moore with TPWD says Flagler Ranch has done an exemplary job of collecting it.

10—And so what the Flagler ranch has been doing, which is very innovative, is they’ve been placing these spreader dams along these drainages to capture every bit of rain that Mother nature does provide.

Learn about the Lone star Land Stewards Awards 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.

Bastrop Tree Planting, Image courtesy www.statesman.com

State Parks: Plant Trees in Bastrop State Park Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

As you know, Bastrop State park took a big hit during the 2011 Labor Day Wildfires. Approximately 95% of the park burned to ash. Our state park guide, Bryan Frazier, says reforestation efforts continue; and your chance to help is now.

52—We’ve had people lining up, wanting to know when can they help replant the loblolly pine seedlings. And they’re the drought resistant loblolly pines that were there before. In fact, they were originally planted there by the CCC about 75 – 80 years ago. The growth that’s there now –that’s what you’re seeing. Because a lot of Bastrop, and that area, the lost pines, the timber was used to build the city of Austin, San Antonio and a lot of their families. So, this growth now that we’re putting in the ground is for future generations. And we have several weekends in January where we need volunteers to come help put those trees in the ground so that future generations can enjoy those big, beautiful pine trees that we all have come to know and love in Bastrop State Park. And you can find out all about this on Parks and Wildlife’s website, specifically at 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.

Resolution: Be Smarter (Outside) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It’s a New Year and time for resolutions. For the past few days we’ve been talking about how time spent in nature can make us healthier…happier…and smarter. Outreach and Education director Nancy Herron says when we say “smarter”, we don’t necessarily mean increasing one’s IQ.

54—Being outdoors helps you with focus, and concentration – it clears your mind in a little different way. So when you come back inside, you’re actually more ready to work. And they have neuroscientists who talk about the importance of before an important meeting … a job interview …something you anticipate is going to be stressful: take a walk around the block. Get outside. It clears your mind a little bit. I don’t think you can find a more fertile ground for creativity than nature and outdoors. So, if you want to spark wonder – and that’s the key to learning – that’s getting outside in nature. Put these things on your calendar. Make a commitment to that in those resolutions sop, once a day you’re getting outside to be a little healthier. Once a week you’re going to do something that will help reduce that stress. And once a month get out there – put it on the calendar – you can do this. And they’re fun. They’re really fun resolutions to have.

Thanks, Nancy. Remember: Life’s Better outside.

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

Resolution: Be Happier (Outside) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Happy New Year! We hope it’s going to be the best yet. Nancy Herron, director of Outreach and Education at Parks and Wildlife says resolving to be happier is as easy as spending more time outdoors.

28—Allowing yourself a little playtime outside does so many great things for you. If you put it on your calendar that once a week I’m going to do something fun for myself and it might be laying out in the grass and looking up and listening to birds, or maybe it’s riding a bike again, or trying another kind of fishing or something like that. You just feel better about yourself; you actually do feel more confident when you’ve been able to be out.

Nancy is outdoors regularly as you might imagine; she told me about coming across a sprawling live oak tree while on a walk in the woods with her granddaughter.

16— It was the best climbing tree ever. And my little monkey granddaughter just ran right up…and yes…I couldn’t resist, and I climbed up, too. It was so much fun. I felt pretty good about myself – I could actually do it at my age.

Tomorrow, Nancy Herron tells us how spending time outdoors can make us smarter.

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

Image courtesy of Children and Nature Network

Outdoor Resolution: Healthier Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

There’s big push to get children outdoors. But kids aren’t the only ones who benefit from fresh air and sunshine. Survey says: People of all ages – young and old – can achieve a better quality of life by spending time in the wide open spaces…as well as the forested spaces…or watery spaces…or even urban spaces with a patch of green. Outreach and Education director, Nancy Herron, shares some thoughts.

38— When you spend time outdoors you can be healthier, happier and smarter. What do we mean by that? Well, actually there is a lot of research that’s out there that shows that people of all ages actually do have benefits from being outside in nature, and that does include improvements to your health, your stress level, your sense of self esteem and confidence. Even being more cooperative. Can you believe that? Communities are more cooperative; families bond better in the out of doors. These are interesting things that we now know that we took for granted, and we just didn’t realize. That there’s a whole bevy of benefits from being outdoors.

Nancy Herron returns next week to offer New Year’s resolutions that will get you outdoors and help to make you and yours healthier… happier…and smarter.

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