Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

David McComb, a professor emeritus of history and author of Spare Time in Texas, shares the history of our state park system.

National parks were so prestigious, so glamorous, that every state wanted a national park. So the head of the National Park Service decided the answer to demands for national parks was to have state parks, which the states would support and develop.

So to come up with some money to do that. You’re in a depression, the legislature was quite reticent, but Governor at the time, Ma Ferguson, saw the opportunity, got some emergency funds and got the CCC to come to Texas to develop State Parks.

Thanks, David.

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

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This is Passport to Texas

Our state parks wouldn’t exist as they do today without the dedication of Texans who worked to develop them.

These things come about because people are interested. They recognized that here is a piece of land, or a place, that they love and they take steps for its preservation.

David McComb is professor emeritus of history at Colorado State University and author of Spare Time in Texas. Having outdoor spaces in which to recreate comes down to what people value.

Texas has supported the building of parks, so much so that they have bought land, preserved it, developed it, continue to support it. So, what it tells me is that Texans are interested in such places.

The story of Palo Duro Canyon is a good example, and is filled with people who were interested and persistent.

Building Palo Duro takes negotiation. There’s a question of how to make it self-sufficient. And people of Canyon and Amarillo would take picnics there. So the people in the area became interested. And so that it would not be ruined for the future, they set up a summertime extravaganza to bring in tourists and brought a great deal of publicity and made it a success.

Tomorrow, hear how you can support park development near your home.

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

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This is Passport to Texas

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the January issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine will speak volumes. Editor, Louie Bond, says 2010’s first issue will be a festival of photos.

And I don’t mean just a couple of extra photos. Instead of our regular features, and some of our regular departments, we’re having photo essays by our best photographers. We are so blessed with these great talents, so we’ve decided to showcase portfolios from our photographers. It’s just going to be, I think, a thing of great beauty, and we’re really excited about it. We do hope this will become a regular occurrence every January.

In addition, we couldn’t leave out our good guys. So, Earl Nottingham, our longtime photographer, will have some photos in there, as will Brandon Jakobeit, our photo editor. We’re hoping that you’ll take this issue and enjoy it in January and all through 2010.

Thanks Louie.

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

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This is Passport to Texas

To unwind from a demanding day at work or school, a simple change of scenery may do the trick.

Research and theory suggest nature is very supportive of human functioning.

Dr. Andrea Faber Taylor studies the connection between our environment and behavior at the University of Illinois. And her research has revealed what we’ve thought all along: nature, even if it’s just a small patch of green, can renew our minds.

Even a view of a green space is beneficial. So, it suggests to us that nature, and even a little bit of trees and plants makes it [a place that’s] restorative.

So what does nature offer that other settings or activities and don’t? Attention restoration theory provides an explanation.

Environments that might be restorative or helpful have characteristics that engage our attention, but in a very gentle way. For an environment to be restorative there’s room in your mind for reflective thought. A space maybe doesn’t need to be huge if it has enough richness and enough depth to engage our minds and hold our attention, but again, in a gentle way.

Taylor says video games and television are too riveting to be restorative. So, tonight: instead of the TV, try a walk in the park and see how much more refreshed you feel.

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

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This is passport to Texas

Could spending more time in nature help kids with attention-deficit hyperactive disorder?

The research so far suggests that there’s a relationship between contact with nature or playing in green space and improvements in attentional functioning.

Dr. Andrea Faber Taylor researches child environment and behavior at the University of Illinois. In one study, she had children with ADHD take guided, 20-minute walks in a downtown area, a neighborhood, and a city park, and afterward, tested their ability to concentrate.

What we found was that after the children walked in the park they generally scored higher on the measure of attention. And surprisingly, the neighborhood and the downtown area were not significantly different in scores. That said to us, there’s something about the park that makes it, perhaps, more restorative than the other two settings.

Taylor’s findings match other research as well, which suggest it’s the setting, not just the activity, that’s important.

Based on our work and the work of others, we feel very confident that children benefit from contact with nature or even just what we call green space, a small pocket of trees and grass. Certainly, we’re not suggesting that it’s going to cure a child from ADHD, but it appears to, at least, temporarily reduce their symptoms.

That’s our show…For Texas Parks and Wildlife

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