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.
PRESIDIO, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department hopes the third time will be the charm for a daylong Fiesta set for Saturday, Nov. 14, to celebrate expanded recreational opportunities at Texas’ largest and wildest state park — Big Bend Ranch State Park.
ATHENS, Texas — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will begin accepting entries into the Toyota ShareLunker program October 1, 2009.
AUSTIN, Texas — An ambitious new Web site called The Look of Nature: Designing Texas State Parks in the Great Depression explores the architectural heritage of the Civilian Conservation Corps still visible in state parks. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Web design firm Terra Incognita created the site, funded in part by a National Endowment for the Arts grant.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Government Canyon State Natural Area is adding almost 2,962 acres of environmentally critical habitat for conservation purposes and future recreational use. The additional land boosts the state natural area’s total size to 11,576 acres.
AUSTIN, Texas — Although the annual Texas Parks & Wildlife Expo will not take place in Austin this October, organizers are in effect taking the show on the road by partnering with selected stock shows, rodeos and other family-oriented cultural events to present the new Life’s Better Outside® Experience in 2010.
EL PASO — Franklin Mountains State Park will be the host site for the fifth annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta, a day-long interpretive program highlighting the unique plant and animal life of the southwest desert ecosystem and the Rio Grande region, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the park’s Tom Mays Unit, located at the western base of Transmountain Road.
GALVESTON, Texas — The loss of lives and property inflicted by Hurricane Ike on Galveston Island and the upper Texas coast a year ago on Sept. 13 has been well-documented. Less known, however, is the Category 2 storm’s considerable impact on southeast Texas’ natural resources and the challenges facing those persons entrusted with returning impacted flora and fauna to health.
AUSTIN, Texas — A total of $225,000 in Texas Healthy Habitats Grants has been awarded to 15 different schools and non-profit youth organizations across the state, including near Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, Bryan, Lubbock and other cities. Each organization will receive up to $15,000 to support students doing service-learning projects to benefit wildlife and the environment.
At a time when people in big cities are becoming increasingly disconnected from the world of nature and the outdoors, Take Me Outdoors Houston on Oct. 10 at Discovery Green will offer Houston’s first free, family-oriented festival of the outdoors.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission on Aug. 27 approved more than $9 million in competitive parks and recreation grants for city and county parks and other sites across the state. Grant project descriptions are listed by county below.