KYLE, Texas — Across Texas, a seismic shift in land ownership is transforming the landscape. Bigger ranches are giving way to ranchettes, resulting in loss of open range and fragmentation of wildlife habitat. One solution is landowners banding together for common benefits, which is the focus of the Texas Organization of Wildlife Management Associations (TOWMA) annual conference Feb. 1-2 in Kyle south of Austin.
EDITORS NOTE: In this issue of TPWD News, we forsake our usual format for the most part and provide a summary of the top news stories of 2007. Details about these topics can be found in the department’s online news archive. Please note that TPWD will not be distributing weekly news during the coming holidays. Weekly news distribution will resume on Jan. 14, 2008. Happy Holidays!
The following are excerpts from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.
AUSTIN, Texas — Twenty-two chapters of the Texas Master Naturalist program are conducting spring training classes for volunteers wanting to learn about natural resource and conservation management.
ATHENS, Texas — Texas students in grades 4 through 12 are invited to enter the tenth annual Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest. Deadline for entries is March 31, 2008.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is offering a hunter education course in Spanish designed for hunters of all ages on Dec. 15-16 at Cabela’s in Buda. The course will not only benefit current hunters who speak Spanish, but for Spanish-speakers considering the activity for the first time, it’s a good way to learn more.
AUSTIN, Texas — Game Warden Jarrod E. Bryant of Marshall has been named “Texas Wildlife Officer of the Year” for 2007 by the wildlife conservation and hunting organization Shikar-Safari Club International.
SAN ANTONIO — The Alamo Area chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program is this year celebrating a decade of achievement in environmental conservation, restoration and education. The movement to produce a trained corps of dedicated citizen volunteers has since spawned a nationally-recognized statewide program with 41 other local chapters across Texas, but it all began here 10 years ago.
BASTROP, Texas– City and state officials will come together Saturday, Nov. 3, to officially launch the newest Texas Paddling Trail. El Camino Real Paddling Trail is a six-mile long route along the Colorado River that begins at Fisherman’s Park in downtown Bastrop. The trail will become the fourth inland paddling trail in Texas.
AUSTIN, Texas —Clay target sports competitors from Corpus Christi, Alvin and Burleson took home lifetime hunting and fishing licenses as winners of the 15th Annual state Whiz Bang finals for 4-H Shooting Sports Clubs in Texas. The event was held during the Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo on Oct. 5.