Passport to Texas

There’s plenty of wildlife and plant life in cities and the City Nature Challenge proved it.

City Nature Texans Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

More than two thousand Texans uploaded tens of thousands of observations of plants and animals to iNaturalist.org during the annual worldwide City Nature

Challenge in April. Texas made a good showing in two of the three categories.

Number two in number of observations was Dallas Fort Worth they came in just behind San Francisco. And then for number of species Houston came in second, also behind San Francisco.

San Francisco also came out on top for number of participants. Marsha May, a Texas Nature Tracker biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife, coordinated the Austin region.

There was one woman from Austin who amazed me. She pretty much covered the whole area: from far west Blanco County to far east Bastrop Country. She went to all these state parks. She was just constantly out there. She had a microscope that she had out in the field so she could get these entire little organisms. Unbelievable!

Overall, 17,000 people worldwide competed; they recorded more than 441-thousand observations—nearly three and a half times the observations recorded last year.

The data can be brought to the city councils in cities to say: Look at the diversity of species in our area, and the people involved. A lot of people say that there‘s no nature in cities.

But the City Nature Challenge tosses that assumption on its ear. Find more results from this year’s challenge at citynaturechallenge.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti

The kind of bird species seen in the Lower Rio Grande Valley during the City Nature Challenge.

The Winners in the City Nature Challenge Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

During the last four days of April, nearly 70 cities on six continents participated in a friendly competition called the City Nature Challenge.

[It’s about] who has the most wildlife diversity—including plants—within
their community.

Marsha May, a Texas Nature Tracker biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife, says seven cities in Texas took part. Using the iNaturalist app, participants uploaded photos and audio of species they saw, competing in three categories: observations, species found and participants.

San Francisco came in first [in all three categories], and last was  Antarctica.

In Antarctica, three observers documented 27 species for 36 total observations.

I think it was amazing that they were involved, because the species diversity in Antarctica is not really large. But it is wonderful that they were involved.

Meanwhile, San Francisco documented 42-thousand total observations, followed by second-place DFW with 34-thousand. In species found, about a hundred species stood between second-place Houston and first-place San Francisco. Regarding participants, SF had more than 1500, whereas no city in Texas cracked the top five.

Tomorrow: more about Texas and the City Nature Challenge results

Our show receives support in part from Ram Trucks: Built to Serve.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti

Dr. Bobby Gene Whiteside

TPW TV-- Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Dr. Bobby Gene Whiteside taught at Texas State University for 33 years; for 18 years he directed the aquatic biology program there. He calls himself an outdoor oriented country boy.

My family, and then my teaching and then bass fishing was sort of the order of things.

Dr. Whiteside is the first academic inducted into the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center Hall of Fame, which honors individuals and organizations for their contributions to freshwater fishing in Texas. A longtime member of the Canyon Bass Club, fellow club member, Carl Adkins, says to know Whiteside is to learn from him.

He basically teaches fishing and how to fish just like he taught species and all the other things when he was actually teaching in the University. Anybody that meets him or is around him very long picks up knowledge from him.

Roy Klein-laster, a retired aquatic biologist from Texas Parks and Wildlife, gives this professor high marks.

Educators can really be judged by the network they create. He has had students go into academia, he’s had them work for different conservation agencies, water quality agencies, Parks and Wildlife, EPA.

Dr. Bobby Gene Whiteside is in the spotlight next week on the Texas Parks and Wildlifeseries on PBS. Check your local listings.

The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

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

How to handle fish once you get them home.

Humane Handling of Caught Fish Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Like to fish? Then you should know this Saturday, June second, is Free Fishing Day in Texas.

People don’t need a fishing license to fish on that first Saturday in June.

Great news, right? Former Texas Parks and Wildlife aquatic training specialist, Caleb Harris, says when you reel in a fish you intend to keep, there is a humane way to dispatch your catch before it becomes dinner.

Most people say that the kindest way to care for a fish that you want to keep [for dinner] is to put it on ice as fast as possible.

The cold temperature, says Harris, causes the fish’s bodily functions to slow down…way down.

The ice will anesthetize it; it’ll be virtually painless at that cold temperature; the fish will get cold and will slowly pass. So, yeah. If you have a boat, and you have the ability to bring an ice chest, you know—catch the fish—if you intend to keep it, make sure it’s a legal size, and put it right on ice.

When you get the fish home, you’ll want to immediately filet it and either cook it up right away, or freeze it.

Find a video on how to filet fish, and a link to information on the best way to freeze fish at passporttotexas.org.

The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Family Fishing Fun on Free Fishing Day, June 2, 2018

Free Fishing Day: Cost Effective Family Fun Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Karen Marks says Free Fishing Day on June 2nd lets you try fishing before spending money on a license and gear.

So, this is a great day, because you don’t have to invest in a fishing license. And, if you go to one of our site that has a tackle loaner program—we have over 90 sites across the state. So you can go fishing without making the big investment of a license or gear. Try it out. See if you like it. And, hopefully you do. And then you’ll come back and buy a fishing license and go out and buy some gear.

Marks, aquatic education manager for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, says manufacturers collect a 10 percent excise tax on fishing gear that’s earmarked for conservation programs, including fish stocking. On June 1st, neighborhood fishin’ ponds will be stocked with catfish for you to reel in and take home on June 2.

The neighborhood fishing parks do have different bag limits, so you’ll have to look at the signs in the park and see what those are. And then check your outdoor annual—you can look at the book or look at the online app—and check out what the regulations are for where you’re fishing. Because there are length limits and bag limits that apply. Well, fingers crossed we get some new anglers out of this. Yes, I hope so; that would be great.

All the fun without all the expense. Free Fishing Day is June 2. Learn more on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, Cecilia Nasti.