Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

July sizzles, but you won’t when you visit state parks with lakes. This month the TW&W TV Series highlights wet and wild summer recreation. Series producer, Don Cash.

Getting in the water is just a great thing to do. So, we’re going to head off to Lake Livingston State Park and follow a family that’s been coming for years, and one of the things they like to do is spend time around the water fishing.

Just let it go, or you can like hold it, and throw it and let it go at the same time. (reel) Nice cast! Oh, man! My hook came off. (laughter)

Another park we’ll go to is Lake Somerville State Park. It’s got a pretty good sized lake there good for boating, fishing, water skiing; but one of the really relaxing ways to enjoy the park and the water is with a canoe trip.

(canoe paddle in water) The best float trips that we have are going to be really small groups. We see lots more wildlife.

And, finally, we end up at one of my favorite state parks, Inks Lake State Park. One of the main draws there is the swimming hole.

(yell and splash) One of the unique areas of this park is Devil’s Waterhole. I think a lot of people like to jump off those cliffs, but that’s what makes it fun. (splash)

So, if it’s a little too hot out there for you, we’ll give you some pointers on places to go and enjoy the water in Texas State Parks.

Go to passporttotexas.org and find a link to PBS stations that air the series.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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CLICK HERE for a list of PBS stations that air the series.

TP&W TV--State Park Water Recreation Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

July sizzles, but you won’t when you visit state parks with lakes. This month the TW&W TV Series highlights wet and wild summer recreation. Series producer, Don Cash.

Getting in the water is just a great thing to do. So, we’re going to head off to Lake Livingston State Park and follow a family that’s been coming for years, and one of the things they like to do is spend time around the water fishing.

Just let it go, or you can like hold it, and throw it and let it go at the same time. (reel) Nice cast! Oh, man! My hook came off. (laughter)

Another park we’ll go to is Lake Somerville State Park. It’s got a pretty good sized lake there good for boating, fishing, water skiing; but one of the really relaxing ways to enjoy the park and the water is with a canoe trip.

(canoe paddle in water) The best float trips that we have are going to be really small groups. We see lots more wildlife.

And, finally, we end up at one of my favorite state parks, Inks Lake State Park. One of the main draws there is the swimming hole.

(yell and splash) One of the unique areas of this park is Devil’s Waterhole. I think a lot of people like to jump off those cliffs, but that’s what makes it fun. (splash)

So, if it’s a little too hot out there for you, we’ll give you some pointers on places to go and enjoy the water in Texas State Parks.

Go to passporttotexas.org and find a link to PBS stations that air the series.

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

CLICK HERE for a list of PBS stations that air the series.

TP&W TV--State Park Water Recreation Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Longtime caver, Rae Nadler-Olenick, stopped by our office recently to offer advice to beginning cavers.

The first step is to find some other cavers, because cavers are very helpful and generous in getting new cavers started.

Always go caving with a buddy, wear a hardhat, and bring three sources of light. Don’t forget water and snacks. Oh, and dress appropriately.

I would recommend the layered approach. There are various kinds of silks and different kinds of underwear, and just all different things. I dress in layers. If I expect to be cold, I might use a thermal undershirt, and then stack some t-shirts, a flannel shirt, a sweatshirt. As far as the layers are concerned, I like to wear things that can be easily tied around the waste.

Caving is a physically and mentally demanding sport; you have to think on your feet even when you’re crawling on your belly.

A lot of people in the Austin area get introduced to caving through Airman’s cave, which is an uncomfortable stoop walk much of the distance. And you’re always hearing of people getting stuck in that cave for awhile, but you don’t hear of anyone getting hurt of killed in it.

We have a list of caving groups at passporttotexas.org. (see below)

That’s our show…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Aggie Speleological Society
http://www.aggiecavers.com/

Bexar Grotto
http://www.caves.org/grotto/bexargrotto/

Cowtown Grotto
http://cowtowngrotto.org/

Dallas/Ft. Worth Grotto
http://www.dfwgrotto.org/

Greater Houston Grotto
http://greaterhoustongrotto.org/

Lubbock Area Grotto
http://www.lubbockareagrotto.org/

Maverick Grotto
http://www.maverickgrotto.org/

North East Texas Cavers
http://netcavers.org/

Permian Basin Speleological Society
http://www.caver.net/pbss/pbss.html

Underground Texas Grotto
http://www.utgrotto.org/

Beginning Caving Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Now that summer is here, you’ll be spending more time outdoors, wearing less clothing. We say—cover up—with sunscreen.

We know that skin cancers are caused by excessive skin exposure, and not even excessive sun exposure in fair complected people. It’s important to wear sunscreen to prevent skin cancers in the future.

Dermatologist Toni Funicella (foo-ni-sella) says Texans should apply sunscreen daily since our state boasts nearly 300 days of sunshine a year.

The sunscreen people should wear in this part of the country should begin with an SPF or sun protection factor of at least a 30.

If you must wear sunscreen—and you must—Dr. Funicella says experiment until you find one you like.

What people need to look for in a sunscreen is one they’ll wear and find one they like. That is, they like the way it goes on, feels, smells and they won’t mind applying it more than once a day.

Find more outdoor safety tips at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…with research and writing help from Alanna Jones… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/sun_sunscreens.html
http://www.aad.org/media/background/factsheets/fact_sunscreen.htm
http://beauty.about.com/od/sunscree1/tp/sunscreenstop.htm
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/964647970.html
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/family/sunscreen/index.html
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Outdoor Safety: Saving Your Skin Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Amphibians are a remarkably unique life form.

Texas State University Biologist Dr. Mike Forstner says if you’ve ever wondered about the love lives of amphibians, he can help.

Amphibian or amphibios is a two-stage life. Those dual lives reflect water and land. When we think about the mating process or the management of the toad we have to take both in account the water and the land. All frogs and toads call. They make a unique advertisement call.

You’ve probably heard male leopard frogs and bullfrogs [bullfrogs sfx] advertising their intentions and didn’t realize it. On the eastern edge of Central Texas, Forstner says there is an endangered species that really knows how to pitch woo. [Houston toad sfx]

… further into the forest in Bastrop, we begin to hear a high-pitched trills that lasts a long time, up to 15 seconds for the Houston toad.

All calls allow the females to hone in on potential mates.

And the females will hop toward the male call that they think is the most attractive. So there is female choice- not very different from what happened in the human world.

That’s our show…with research and writing help from Alanna Jones… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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CLICK HERE to go to a page where you can see images, and hear the songs, of Texas frogs and toads.
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The Lives and Loves of Frogs Play Now | Play in Popup | Download