EL PASO— Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site invites the public to come celebrate its 27th Annual Interpretive Fair Oct. 16 and 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event will be free, and all park entry fees will be waived for the weekend.
VALLEY VIEW – Ray Roberts Lake State Park is excited to announce the grand opening of a new Nature Center at the Johnson Branch of the park Saturday, October 9. The grand opening event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning with a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony followed by tours of the facility. The park is also waiving entrance fees for this special event.
AUSTIN — For the next two weeks, Texans are invited to take part in the sixth annual statewide Pollinator BioBlitz. The goal of the BioBlitz, which runs from Oct. 1-17, is to raise awareness of the diversity and importance of pollinators while bringing greater attention to the critical habitat needs of monarchs and native pollinators across the state.
ATHENS – The Texas Freshwaters Fisheries Center (TFFC) will be the site of “The Sunfish Showdown” tournament slated for September 25. The event, held in conjunction with National Hunting and Fishing Day, will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and provide fun for the whole family.
BREWSTER COUNTY – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is proud to announce that Black Gap Wildlife Management Area (WMA) has been designated as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). Black Gap WMA is the second TPWD property to receive the Sanctuary designation, joining Devils River State Natural Area – Del Norte Unit which was designated as a Dark Sky Sanctuary in 2019.
FAIRFIELD — To honor the memory of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologist Carl Frentress, the northern unit of Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) has been renamed the Carl Frentress Unit. Frentress served as a biologist with TPWD for 32 years and was instrumental in the establishment of the Richland Creek WMA.
AUSTIN— Every year on July 31, World Ranger Day is an opportunity to take a moment to recognize the unwavering commitment towards park stewardship by the many park rangers at the 88 Texas State Parks that make up our state park system. Initially created by the International Ranger Federation, World Ranger Day celebrates the work park rangers do daily to protect the planet’s natural treasures and cultural heritage.
ATHENS – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Toyota ShareLunker Program is experiencing a banner year in its goal to create, bigger, better bass in Texas. After obtaining 18 successful spawns from 19 of the 23 13-pound or larger Legacy Class fish loaned to the selective-breeding program in 2021, the department’s hatchery staff produced 271,872 fingerlings to benefit Texas public waters.
AUSTIN— Last year, as temperatures soared into the triple digits in Texas, staff at 39 Texas State Parks handled 132 heat-related illnesses in humans and pets. Now that the summer has officially begun and temperatures are steadily climbing, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is sharing their top six heat hacks for staying safe in the outdoors.
AUSTIN — El año pasado, cuando las temperaturas subíeron y sobrepasaron los tres dígitos en Texas, el personal de 39 Parques Estatales de Texas atendió 132 casos de enfermedades relacionadas con el calor, tanto en personas como en mascotas. Ahora que oficialmente ha iniciado el verano y las temperaturas empiezan a elevarse, el Departamento de Parques y Vida Silvestre de Texas les ofrece sus seis consejos más importantes para mantenerse seguros al aire libre.