Passport to Texas

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

Fishing is about more than just catching fish.

Fishing is one of the gateway opportunities to the outdoors.

Kevin Cunningham is the aquatics education specialist for the Greater Houston area. Urbanization has changed how we relate with the natural world, and Cunningham says his job is to reacquaint urbanites with the outdoors through the Parks and Wildlife Take Me Fishing program.

Fishing is a way, in our program, to teach younger people or adults, how to fish in order to pass on our mission of conservation. The theory being, that as people learn how to fish, being connected with the outdoors will garner self-interest to protect that resources so they will be able to use it again in the future.

Among the organizations that participate in the Take Me Fishing Program is Hutsell Elementary in the Katy Independent School District. Keiko Davidson is the school principal.

I have very fond memories of being a child in the out of doors. And I felt as though it could do nothing but enhance our boys’ and girls’ educational opportunities.

And she was right. Learn how the Take Me Fishing Program at Hutsell Elementary has improved its students grades.

That’s our show for today… made possible by a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…working to increase fishing opportunities in Texas…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

In a state where more than ninety percent of the land is privately owned or managed, it’s essential to recognize and honor the work of private landowners for their achievements in habitat management and wildlife conservation. In Texas we present them with Lone Star Land Steward Awards.

We recognize up to ten winners in each of the eco-regions.

Linda Campbell is program director for private lands and public hunting.

We also recognize a corporate winner and one from our wildlife management associations.

In partnership with the Sand County Foundation, TPWD gives the Leopold Conservation Award to an especially deserving land steward.

And, so we have partnered with them to provide the Leopold Conservation Award in Texas to our overall statewide winner. The Leopold Conservation Award is really our highest recognition in Lone Star Land Steward.

This year’s recipient is the Selah-Bamberger Ranch Preserve. They received $10,000 and the Leopold crystal award.

Eco-region award recipients and the wildlife management association recipient received $1,000 from the Foundation.

That’s our show for today… 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

Texas Parks and Wildlife recognizes and honors private landowners for habitat management and wildlife conservation with the Lone Star Land Steward Awards Program.

A land steward is just somebody who just manages and takes care of their land. These folks are very committed to conservation, and maintaining healthy lands under their management.

Linda Campbell is program director for private lands and public hunting.

Each year we open the nominations in June, and anybody can nominate a landowner for recognition in Lone Star Land Steward. So we receive nominations through November. Our biologists in each of the eco-regions visit each of the nominees, and then make a recommendation to those that should be awarded the Lone Star Land Steward award for that eco-region.

Biologists visit nominated landowners who have managed their property for a minimum of 5 years, to evaluate their practices.

They talk with the landowner or the manager. They try to evaluate what types of management actions that they are undertaking. They look at their motivations and really what makes them special in terms of taking care of the resources under their control.

Passporttotexas.org has links to nomination forms.

That’s our show for today… 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 Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program

Diversity, your name is Texas. And on the Texas parks and Wildlife TV series in July, viewers will go rock climbing and follow a flock or Sandhill cranes. Producer Abe Moore.

On the show in July, we do some rock climbing and tell people about how to do it and where to go. And a couple of places we go are Enchanted Rock and Hueco Tanks.

Okay guys, today we’re going to be climbing on the back of the main dome of Enchanted Rock. This back area faces North, and the climbing heights range from a hundred foot tall, where we are, down to three hundred feet tall on further down the dome.

Also in July, we’re doing a story on Sandhill cranes. Sandhill cranes are an amazing bird; they’re the oldest surviving bird species in the world. And they come through Texas on their winter migration. And one place you can find them is at Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge NW of Lubbock.

We have significant amount of water that allows the cranes to roost, and the local farming areas around, provide feeding areas for them during the day.

For me, just the sandhill cranes are just an iconic bird, I guess. It’s truly a migrating wonder.

Thanks, Abe.

Find stations airing the series at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… sponsored with a grant from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program… funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuels.

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

Texas is the only US state with suitable Ocelot habitat.

The habitat that ocelots use is extremely dense brush. The type of brush that not only can you not see through it, you can’t walk through it.

Dr. Michael Tewes (two-ES) researches wild cats with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute.

The main problem for ocelots now is, like many other endangered species, the lack of suitable habitat. There are less than 100 of them remaining in Texas and less than 1% of Texas has that very special habitat or cover type that they use. And since most of Texas is owned and managed by private landowners and ranchers, it is in their ability to protect the habitat that is vital to the recovery of ocelots.

Fewer ocelots mean less genetic diversity.

When the populations are as small as they are in Southern Texas, almost any kind of a wildlife population will start to decrease genetic diversity and tend to go towards extinction. We have been working on revising the recovery plan and, although it’s not finalized, translocation is suggested as a tool. The genetic diversity is much greater in Mexico than it is in Texas. And by bringing them into Texas it would help alleviate some of the problems that come with genetic erosion.

That’s our show… with research and writing help from Sarah Loden… and sponsored by the Wildlife Restoration program…working to restore critical habitat for endangered species like the ocelot.

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

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