Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

For the first time since it opened in 2005, Government Canyon State Natural Area will allow overnight camping in its front country, walk-in tent campground

03—October fifth and sixth will be our first opening weekend for camping.

Chris Holm is site superintendent, and says camping sites have been in the works for years.

12—Actually, before they even opened, it’s been master planned that they site has a basic primitive campground. We’re not talking about ones with the big RVs and the motor homes. We’re talking about a fairly rustic experience – tents only.

The campground will be open Friday and Saturday nights only.

13—And, we’ll have 25 walk-in tent sites. We’ll have water at central locations; we’ll have basic self-composting toilets, no showers. But, it is going to be more of the ‘get back to nature’ kind of campsites. And those are going to be hot ticket items.

Nature enthusiasts, scouting groups and families will be able to enjoy an evening of star-gazing and more.

21—We’ll have interpretive education programs available; coming pretty soon, the next step is to have two camp host sites at our campground. And so, they will be able to be available there to the campers there as well. If there are any kinds of issues, they’ll be able to educate our campers about what to do what not to do. Don’t collect that firewood kind of thing. Especially at a natural area. We’re pretty concerned about our resources disappearing and being picked away.

Make online reservations at texasstateparks.org.

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

This is Passport to Texas

Government Canyon State Natural Area is minutes from the bustling urban center of San Antonio.

15—We have about forty miles of hiking and biking trails right on the edge of the Hill Country. So, we have some beautiful area that people just love to come out and visit and hike and bike and do nature watching and it’s just kind of an oasis just right on the outskirts of San Antonio.

Chris Holm is the natural area superintendent. The site is home to threatened and endangered species, like the golden cheeked warbler, and over the recharge zone for the Edwards Aquifer. Soon-to-be 12-thousand acres, up from its current eight, Government Canyon offers visitors a wilderness experience close to home.

13—It’s not too, too rustic, though. I mean, you have access to facilities and there is staff around. And that’s one of the neat things about state parks and state natural areas. You have staff available to assist if you need something – and you’re five or ten minutes from home.

Since it opened, Government canyon State Natural Area has been for day use only. But that’s changing.

05—Yes. Starting in October…October fifth and sixth will be our first opening weekend for camping.

We’ll have more about Government Canyon State Natural area and what you can expect from an overnight experience at the site, on tomorrow’s show.

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

This is Passport to Texas supported by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program

This Friday, October 5th the Kerr Wildlife Management Area offers the third and final installment of their First Friday Tours for land and resource managers in the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion.

08—The third part is geared toward how an ecosystem behaves.

The region includes nearly 24 million acres in 42 Central Texas counties. Ryan Reitz, a biologist at the Kerr, says everyone is welcome to attend the free event when they register in advance by phone. This Friday: the tools of the land management trade.

10—We’re here to demonstrate how we’ve applied these tools on the Kerry Wildlife area, and what types of products the ecosystem started to provide after applying these tools Aldo Leopold talks about.

Aldo Leopold, considered the father of wildlife ecology, encouraged people to utilize the plow, cow, axe, fire, and gun, to care for the land. The October 5th event will also cover white-tail deer genetics.

13—We will be reviewing some very important aspects of a white tailed deer’s life – in terms of antler, body growth, and things of that nature that play a very important role to those interested in managing for quality white tailed deer.

There’s registration information in the calendar section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show for today… made possible by a grant from the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program…

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

This is Passport to Texas

Fall brings with it new opportunities in State Parks; our State Park Guide Bryan Frasier explains.

62—Fall is one of the most anticipated times of the year, because finally the heat begins to go away, and just about the time everybody gears up for hunting in Texas in the fall, and football season, the fishing gets really good.

As the photo period gets smaller, and the temperatures get cooler, and the water temperature lowers, and those fish get really active – it’s a great time to go fishing in parks.

And then the wildlife starts to really move around in our parks. From migratory birds and things that you can see – to white-tailed deer to mule deer—fall is one of the best time to see wildlife and enjoy it in our parks.

And then finally, the foliage and the leaves start to turn. So, whether you’re up in NE Texas around Caddo Lake SP, or Lake Bob Sandlin, or places that have sweet gums and hardwoods, or whether you’re out at Lost Maples SNA, with the traditional big tooth maples that we have…it’s a fantastic time to get out and enjoy nature. And it’s a little easier on all of us because the temperatures are cooler. So, find time during autumn and get out and enjoy state parks and see them in a whole new light.

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.

This is Passport to Texas

TPW TV producer Abe Moore takes us to the coast in September with a segment he did on fishing for and conserving southern flounder.

55—We hit the West Galveston Bay area – a place called Chocolate Bayou.

Chocolate bayou is an excellent spot for flounder. We have one of the shallowest bays in all the coast. And really and truly, we have the absolute place to fish in the world right in our own backyard.

In the story, we also go gigging for flounder. And one of the other things we touch on is the efforts underway to raise flounder at Texas Fish Hatcheries. We took the TV cameras out one night as some biologists tried to catch some of the males for the program.

When you come out here and catch one of these guys, and know that you’re going to take these back to the hatchery, and they’re potentially going to produce thousands and thousands of fingerlings. You can’t put a price on it. We’re very happy to be able to do this and be productive at doing it.

And you’ll have to check it out because it’s quite a ride. It’s like an airboat, and these nets. It’s kind of crazy. It’ll be on TPW Television the week of September 30th through October 6th. (Nice work).

Thanks, Abe.

The Wildlife and sport fish restoration program supports our series and celebrates 75 years of funding diverse conservation projects throughout Texas…

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