Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Most kids are out of school for the summer, which means it’s time to visit a Texas State Park—or two. When you tune into the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV series this month you can see parks you may want to visit. Series Producer, Don Cash.

One of the really interesting places is Kickapoo Caverns State Park, sort of near Del Rio. In addition to birding, they’ve got the Stewart Bat Cave; of course the main draw is Kickapoo Cavern, and it is just an amazing sight.

So, in May, on the PBS television show, we’re going to hit a lot of the state parks, and hopefully our viewers will see them and be ready to go when summer roles around.

Thanks, Don.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas State Park Getaway

Davis Mountains SP is 27-hundred acres, and represents the largest mountain range that’s fully contained within the state of Texas…and it’s a great place for cool summer SP Getaway. Bryan Frazier is here to tell us more.

It seems like in the middle of summertime, in other parts of Texas, when it’s too hot to even go outside, Davis Mountains SP is figuratively and literally, the coolest place in Texas. It’s some 20 degrees cooler than place like Austin and San Antonio. It’s a respite from the heat.

Davis Mountains SP is great for wildlife viewing. You can go right outside of Indian Lodge on the hiking trail and see all kinds of wildlife, as well as the native flora there to that region of Texas. And so, Davis Mountains SP is one of those places that people who go there rave about it and they go back again, and again, and again.

Thanks, Bryan. Find reservation information at passporttotexas.org.

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

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This is Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories

Ask Eveline Evans about the value of spending time outdoors and she’s not shy about sharing her views.

:14–It’s just a great stress reliever. It’s wonderful to get out and get away from the urban areas, and enjoy the trees and the streams. I mean, it’s just wonderful to get away.

Eveline gets away with family whenever she can. She says sharing time outdoors with loved ones—even if it’s just taking a walk in nature—is critical to healthy, balanced relationships. It brings families closer…it encourages dialogues.

:32–Well, I think it’s very important. My husband and I, we go walking all the time together in different locations. We love the Texas state parks. We’ve done Big bend and the Davis Mountains, Caprock Canyon, Palo Duro Canyon…all of those are just wonderful places to go out and walk. You can talk about anything it seems like. Every little thing that comes up—you can explain to younger ones your value systems, or whatever. Why when you pass a snake you’re not supposed to kill it—you just leave it alone, that type stuff.

What do you love about spending time in the outdoors? We want to know. Go to passporttotexas.org and share your outdoor story with us.

That’s our show…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

Be on the lookout for the May issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine. It’s the much anticipated annual birding issue. Editor Louie Bond.

I noticed just today out on my morning walk how many birds were singing. It just fills you with such delight. In may, not only do we have the spring birding calendar, which tells everybody where you can go to see birds, where there are festivals, where there are classes.

And they call these colonial water birds, because they’re instinct is to gather together in these great colonies of all these different water birds and have their babies all together. So, it’s this gigantic, squawking, screaming, and unfortunately, stinky nursery where all these babies are born. Without these protected nurseries, our water birds are quite threatened. So, we have an excellent article this month. So, we encourage you to go outside to look up….see what’s up there.

Thanks, Louie

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

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This is Passport to Texas

Giant Salvinia is a South American aquatic plant that may have found its way into Texas waters via the aquarium trade.

:03—The biggest problem with it is, is that it has a phenomenal growth rate.

And that fast growth spells trouble for Texas lakes says Howard Elder, a Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist involved in managing giant salvinia.

:13—It can double the area it covers in five to seven days. It creates dense mat, which shields the bottom of the lake from the sunlight; it displaces native vegetation, and displaces fish species.

Texas Parks and Wildlife launches a multimedia campaign this month to educate citizens about invasive species, beginning with giant salvinia. At the time we recorded this show, a television PSA was in production.

:03 –Action. I am the Salvinia Monster.

Texas parks and Wildlife marketing director Darcy Bontempo says the spot is intended to increase awareness among anglers and boaters.

:19—The TV spot is part of a larger campaign, which we call the “Hello, Good-bye” campaign, created by our advertising agency, Sherry Mathews. One of the most important things we can do to prevent is actually to have anglers and boaters understand the role that they play. If they clean their boats, their trailers, their equipment. They can actually prevent the spread of giant salvinia to other lakes.

Visit www.texasinvasives.org to learn more about giant salvinia and other invasive species changing TX Lakes. That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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