Ad Hoc Outreach Committee
Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., Jan. 24, 2001
Commission Hearing Room4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
| Item No. |
Subject | Public Hearing Agenda Item No. |
|---|---|---|
| Approval of the Committee Minutes from the previous meeting | ||
| Summary of Minutes | ||
| 1. | Chairman's Charges (Oral Presentation) | Committee Only |
| 2. | Sheldon Lake Master Plan Staff: Laura David |
Committee Only |
| 3. | Other Business |
Summary of Minutes
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission
Ad Hoc Outreach Committee
November 8, 2000
BE IT REMEMBERED that heretofore
on the 8th day of November
2000, there came on to be
heard matters under the
regulatory authority of
the Parks and Wildlife Commission
of Texas, in the commission
hearing room of the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Headquarters
complex, Austin, Travis
County, Texas, beginning
at 9:15 a.m. to wit:
COMMISSION ATTENDANCE:
Lee M. Bass, Chairman
Carol E. Dinkins, Vice Chair
Nolan Ryan (absent)
John Avila, Jr. (absent)
Mark Watson, Jr. (absent)
Al Henry
Katharine Armstrong Idsal
Ernest Angelo, Jr.
Dick W. Heath (absent)
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: Proceedings began with the Ad Hoc Outreach Committee. Opening statements were read into the record and minutes from previous meetings were approved.
Motion: Commissioner Idsal
2nd: Commissioner Angelo
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION:
1. BRIEFING – Statewide and Regional Outreach Initiative Update
Presenters: Stave Hall,
Darlene Lewis, Bob Murphy
This briefing provides the
Committee with an update
on agency efforts to implement
a comprehensive statewide
and regional outreach effort
including the following
strategies:
CONTINUED FUNDING OF COMMUNITY OUTDOOR OUTREACH PROGRAM GRANTS -
These grants are fundamental to the engagement of the communities that we have been identified as primary target audiences, and the first steps into the outdoors that many of these programs provide give opportunities to develop lifelong customers and supporters, such as, the Galveston Bay Foundation grant in the Houston region - more than 700 students and teachers will go on expeditions to learn about bay resources, bay uses, and to participate in restoration activities in Galveston Bay
DALLAS REGION – Texas Trails Network grant – Texas school children will be introduced to the history and the heritage of trails in Texas, while demonstrating that today’s trails are a resource for education and recreation. Horse back riding will be one of the planned activities in this grant
SAN ANTONIO REGION – The Cibolo Nature Center received a grant – in Boerne, in the northwest part of that region, secondary teachers and students in the San Antonio area will participate in field research workshops, studying birds, prairie vegetation and insects, aquatic invertebrates, and mammals
OTHER PROGRAM:
Community Services Education and Outreach Program manned by Kenneth Pollard. This group is working with the Cowboys of Color rodeo tour to reach inner-city communities across Texas with access to the parks and wildlife message. These rodeos in the Dallas/Ft.Worth metroplex, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston areas will reach approximately 15 to 18 thousand people each.
ORGANIZATION OF STAFF – Organize a department-wide outreach theme such as "Outdoor Kids". This program will allow entire grade levels and/or the entire school to integrate outdoor learning into their curriculum.
CONTRACT FOR SERVICES APPROACH:
Nature Heritage Society – this program was primarily in partnership with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department and the HISD – they included adults in their program as mentors, and partnerships with community organizations
Inner-City Fishing Institute - this program focuses on fishing.
STRATEGIC PLAN – monitoring and evaluating the outreach efforts. Developing multiple approaches, from staff-led evaluation efforts, to agreements with universities and researchers as independent reviewers.
A department-wide supplemental has been approved to hire regional specialists to direct outreach efforts in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. Resource Protection and Education staff organization has been realigned to coordinate the statewide outreach strategic plan including these regional efforts. Outreach efforts will be coordinated across divisions via the existing Education (and Outreach) Team. A recap of planning efforts and contracted services, including the successes of regional pilots in Houston and Dallas, will be provided. Status of outreach efforts to be included in planning efforts at Sheldon Lake SP, Cedar Hill SP and Government Canyon SNA was discussed.
SHELDON LAKE – staff looked at the current programs that were taking on at Sheldon, to expanding that with train the trainer, train the teacher, as well as your skill-based programs like hunter education and boating education, and then internal staff training from Parks sand Wildlife. All these balances along with the opportunity for development of this facility will be an integral part of a successful outreach effort.
IV. ADJOURNMENT – Session ended at 10:00 a.m.
Committee Agenda Item No. 1
Presenter: Andrew Sansom
Ad
Hoc Outreach Committee
Briefing
Chairman's Charges
January 2001
(This item will be an oral presentation.)
Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenters: Laura David
Ad
Hoc Outreach Committee
Briefing
Sheldon Lake Master Plan
January 2001
I. DISCUSSION: Sheldon Lake State Park has been selected to be the model and prototype for TPW’s outdoor outreach education center utilizing the site’s unique and interesting resources. Sheldon will serve the urban population of Houston, specifically school children with little exposure to the natural environment. The staff will brief the Commission on the status of the feasibility study, marketing prospectus and the master plan.
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