Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Non-game and game animals—and their habitat needs—get their due this month on the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV series. Series producer, Don Cash has details.

One theme that runs throughout all of our topics is conservation of the resources, and people getting out and enjoying those resources. Take a couple of stories on horned lizards—an icon of Texas, everybody loves them. And, they’ve been disappearing, partly because, we have been losing the land where they live.

So, as always, a lot of different things in October, and catch it on your local PBS station.

Thanks Don.

That’s our show… we receive support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motorboat fuel.

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

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This is Passport to Texas

Save the household chores for later, because this weekend you need to be at Lake Conroe for the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, where 50 of the country’s top bass anglers will compete for the world championship and $420-thousand dollars prizes.

13—This tournament is assembling the world’s best largemouth bass anglers from across the country. According to bassfan.com, this is the best field ever assembled for any bass tournament in recent memory.

Dave Terre is TPWD Chief of fisheries. The competition benefits the agency’s efforts to introduce young people and urban families to fishing and the outdoors.

15—With this year’s event, the department will receive a million dollars as a direct result of this tournament. TPW takes those funds and puts it back into several different youth outreach programs. One of them being the Neighborhood Fishing program.

Conservation is critical, and during the two days of tournament fishing, pros will have judges aboard their boats.

09—These judges weigh and measure the fish for the angler, and then they are called into a central control tower by radio. The fish then is immediately released with no harm.

Anglers may bring a few fish ashore so the public can see what big healthy bass look like. Find details about the event at toyotatexasbassclassic.com.

That’s our show for today… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Watch a YouTube video from the Toyota Texas Bass Classic from 2008.

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This is passport to Texas

Fall is the best time to plant trees, woody shrubs and perennials in the landscape. Yet, before you break ground, there are several questions you should have answered:

10—Is it drought tolerant? Is it saline-tolerant? Is it alkaline-tolerant? Does it propagate easily? What’s it beneficial to? Horses, wild game or other types of livestock, is it pollinated by honeybees? Fire-tolerant?

Kathy Boydston is the Coordinator for the Wildlife Habitat Assessment Program at Texas Parks and Wildlife, which is the home of a comprehensive online Texas Plant Information Database.

09—Most of them are natives; some of them are what we call naturalized plants. There is a list of 150 attributes for each plant that is in that database.

Users of the database, found on the Parks and Wildlife website can determine what plants will be the most beneficial to wildlife, which are best for a certain soil and what plants grow better in the heat of the Texas sun…

17—Trying to get people to plant more wildlife-friendly plants, rather than a lot of exotic species. We’re trying to get people to find other alternatives for lets say, grass species in their lawn, or we’re trying to encourage people to xeriscape more, use more native plants that use less water.

To learn more about the Texas Plant Information Database, log on to our website, at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet…building dependable, reliable trucks for more than 90 years. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

After spending the summer indoors in self-imposed air-conditioned exile, the promise of cooler fall temperatures is sure to call you outside again.

Hiking in a state park is a simple and enjoyable way to reengage the great outdoors, and experience our state’s abundant natural resources.

Many parks have more than one trail, offering varying levels of difficulty.

A hike is not a race. So, slow down and take time to appreciate your surroundings. Trails are as varied as the parks they’re in. Some follow streams or take you into the woods, or onto rocky ledges; they can be shaded or sun-drenched. And wildlife viewing opportunities while hiking are abundant.

When hiking, dress for the weather. Always wear comfortable close toed shoes. Use a hat and sunscreen to save your skin. Insect repellent is always a good call when hiking in heavily wooded and wet areas. And don’t forget to bring water.

Experts recommend you have eight ounces of water with you for every hour you plan to be on the trail.

Remember, whatever you pack in—pack it out. Leave no trace.

Find trail information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet…building dependable, reliable trucks for more than 90 years. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

The Franklin Mountains, site of the country’s largest urban state park, keep watch over the people of El Paso, who, in turn, enjoy the park and its growing network of trails.

Our SP guide, Bryan Frazier explains.

What we have discovered is parks that are in urban areas are great opportunities for day use, and Franklin Mountains State Park is right there in the middle of El Paso. And, it’s the largest state park in an urban setting, at about 24,000 acres, and there are already two trail loops that get a lot of use. But we looked at the usage plan, and with a combined effort with volunteer and park staff and other organizations, trying to really have an ambition goal of increasing that trail network by some 80 miles of multi-use trails: hike, bike, equestrian and so, when it’s all said and done, we’re looking at more than 100 miles of multi-use trails inside Franklin Mountain State Park, and I think that would be a great benefit to the park and the people of the area.

Thanks Bryan.

That’s our show… Remember: Life’s Better Outside…
For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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