Passport to Texas

Garner State Park overlook.

Recreation: Take Dad Outside for Father's Day Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Few people on our gift giving lists are harder to buy for than our fathers. Most men don’t want friends and family to make a big fuss over them on special days – but we’re going to do it anyway.

And on Father’s Day – June 16 — you can show Dad what he means to you by giving him the gift of the great Texas outdoors.

So how do you do that? You could buy him a Texas State Parks Pass (which is really like a gift for the whole family); it allows Dad unlimited access to all state parks for a year, discounts on camping, as well as discounts at state parks stores.

You could take Dad on a picnic at a state park or natural area. We have suggestions for creating a memorable picnicking experience – including recipes to try out — at texasstateparks.org/picnic.

If your dad likes to get out on his own for some quiet time with nature – because let’s face it, you can be a handful — and doesn’t already have a limited use permit from Parks and Wildlife, getting him one gives him access to a million acres of public land in Texas, where he can hike, mountain bike, watch wildlife, fish, and in some cases do a little primitive camping.

Texas is a big state that offers a wide range of recreational opportunities. Doesn’t your dad deserve Texas? After all: Because Life’s Better Outside.

Support for our series is provided by Ram Trucks; doing what’s right and good regardless of the degree of difficulty — takes guts. Those are the people who build Ram trucks. RAM.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Houston Toad Tadpoles, Image by Earl Nottingham, © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Conservation: Houston Toad Recovery, 1 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drought and wildfires were the latest crises faced by the endangered Houston Toad, populations of which exist in only a few counties east of Austin; most are found in and around Bastrop State Park.

16— The wildfire came through in September, at a time of year where the Houston Toad was actually buried underground. So the Houston Toad did not suffer direct impacts from the wildfire. The biggest challenge was the habitat change that occurred due to the wildfire.

Greg Creacy, a wildlife biologist for TPW, says the habitat is markedly different now than it was pre-fire; it remains to be seen how the Houston Toad will adapt to those changes.

20— We had a few thousand – estimates range from three to five thousand – just five years ago. The drought negatively impacted that species in a big way. And so, the numbers had been declining, and we are significantly lower than that now but we are continuing to do surveys to refine our estimates.

A recent survey turned up findings that have Creacy feeling cautiously optimistic.

12— This past breeding season, which just ended in March 2013, we documented many more individuals than we had documented the previous year, which really gives us some hope for the future of that species.

Tomorrow: toad health and recovery strategies.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series, and is funded by your purchase of fishing & hunting equipment and motorboat fuel.

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

Picnics in Parks

Take Mom on a Picnic for Mother's Day Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The merry month of May brings with it ideal weather; the perfect weather, in fact, for packing a picnic and heading to a nearby state park.

It’s also when we celebrate Mom. Mother’s Day is May 12th. Why not combine the two and take mom on a picnic? Just don’t let her do the food prep.

Picnicking is our Outdoor Activity of the Month for May, and we’ve created a page with recipes that are easy to make ahead, or prepare onsite. They are courtesy of chefs, food bloggers, the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Go Texan program, and the Texas Beef Council.

Your picnic can be as simple as burgers cooked over a campfire and served with chips, sodas, and cookies for dessert. Or it can include more unusual, fresh, and tasty fare such as sugar snap peas with basil, Jamaican jerks wings, or nectarine cobbler (which would cook up beautifully in a Dutch oven).

You’ll find the picnic recipes on the activities page of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website. In addition, you’ll be able to check the weather forecast in your area, find food safety tips, as well as much more information to make your Mother’s Day picnic – or any picnic –in a state park a day to remember.

Because not only is life better outside…food tastes better outside, too.

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

Image by Earl Nottingham, © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Angling: Sport Fish Restoration Program, 1 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We regularly mention the Sport Fish Restoration Program as a Passport sponsor, but you may not know what it is.

12 – The Sport Fish Restoration Program is a partnership between anglers, boaters, the fishing and boating industry, Texas Parks and Wildlife, other state fish and game agencies across the country and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Timothy Birdsong coordinates the program for Parks and Wildlife. This federal program collects taxes on fishing equipment and motor boat fuel.

30—This funding is distributed across the country to states based on a formula that includes land and water area and number of resident licensed anglers in that state. We had over one million recreational anglers fish Texas waters. You take that number along with our total land and water area and we position Texas to receive the maximum available apportionment under this program, which is five percent of the total amount of money that is available which is about four hundred million nationwide.

In 2012, Texas Parks and Wildlife received approximately 17.4 million dollars from this fund; tomorrow we learn how the money was spent.

05 –It went to support sport fisheries management and sport fish stocking in Texas waters.

That’s our show… with support from the Sport Fish restoration Program…funded by your purchase of fishing equipment and motor boat fuel.

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

Bastrop State Park

State Parks: Thanksgiving in Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Some of my fondest thanksgiving memories were those I spent with family and friends in state parks. Make some holiday memories of your own this year. Our state Park Guide, Bryan Frasier tells us how.

54— Thanksgiving is traditionally one of the most popular and busiest times in our state park system. We encourage people to plan their family outings in a state park; we have so many group facilities you can rent and have your get together and your Thanksgiving meal in a state park. But also, we have a tendency to really enjoy that Thanksgiving turkey, so get out the next day and hike. See the beauty, the changing colors here in Texas, and walk around and use some energy and burn off that Thanksgiving meal. So, get outside and enjoy some time outdoors this Thanksgiving holiday. And if you’re going to, I also encourage people that if they’re going to be camping to make some advance reservations. It is a popular time. It is great weather. People historically have time off for the holidays — so make those camping and overnight reservations as early as you can to come out and enjoy state parks at Thanksgiving.

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.