Flood Impact Alert
As floodwaters recede across the state, conditions remain dynamic. Learn about the impact of flooding on state parks, wildlife and lost vessels.
AUSTIN, Texas — Quail are considered by wildlife officials to be a keystone indicator species of the health of grassland ecosystems. When their numbers fall, other species that inhabit those ecosystems follow in a domino effect. A diverse cooperative, working under the umbrella of the Texas Quail Conservation Initiative, is making landscape level conservation progress to help ensure the dominos won’t topple.
The following are excerpts from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.
AUSTIN, Texas — The success of resource management efforts on a variety of fronts has led Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists to recommend several possible changes to next year’s hunting and fishing regulations. Among the topics being considered include: an expansion of special regulations affecting the harvest of whitetail bucks based on antler characteristics, creation of an upland game bird management permit program and elimination of the trophy red drum and tarpon tagging requirements.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissions on Nov. 3 voted to authorize seagrass conservation measures to protect ecologically important seagrass beds in the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area near Rockport. The new rules will take effect May 1, 2006.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is encouraging students to take part in the Hometown Horned Lizard historical essay contest. The writing contest is designed to engage children in learning about and promoting conservation of the Texas state reptile.
AUSTIN, Texas — On Nov. 17 and 18, 2005, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin will convene the first statewide conference in Texas on non-native invasive plants as part of the Pulling Together Initiative. Conference planning is led by a coalition of interested parties who recognize the importance of creating networks of information about the potentially negative impacts of non-native invasive plant species. The coalition includes: the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Texas Forest Service, Houston Area Research Council, Texas Nursery & Landscape Association, National Biological Information Infrastructure, and the Texas Department of Agriculture.
SAN MARCOS, Texas — Scientists, policy makers, water managers and interested citizens will gather at Texas State University here Oct. 31-Nov. 2 to discuss how to ensure adequate environmental flows for Texas rivers and streams and freshwater inflows into bays and estuaries along the Texas coast.
AUSTIN, Texas — High school students from Abilene, Knott and Port Lavaca walked away with top shooting honors after 15 leading youth shotgun shooters from 4-H Shooting Sports Clubs across Texas competed in the Whiz Bang state finals at Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo on Sept. 30.
ROCKPORT, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is proposing mandatory seagrass protection measures for the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area to protect ecologically important seagrass beds from motorboat propeller scarring.
AUSTIN, Texas — Despite offering 4,400 hunter education courses throughout the year, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department understands there are some who will still wait until the last minute before hunting season to get certified. This fall, those procrastinators need not panic.