HAMILTON, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is seeking public input on a proposal to move the Texas Game Warden Training Center from central Austin to the Police Activities League Ranch in Hamilton County. A public meeting to explain the plan and take public comments has been set for 7 p.m. Jan. 12 in Hamilton at the county district courtroom.
AUSTIN, Texas — Nine Community Outdoor Outreach Program grant applicants in communities across Texas will ring in the New Year with fresh funding to help more Texas children experience environmental education and outdoor recreational activities.
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 2005. 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. News distribution will resume on Jan. 16, 2006. Happy Holidays!
ATHENS, Texas — Professional bass anglers love Texas. Many feel the state has the best-managed inland fishery in the nation.
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.
AUSTIN, Texas — Sometimes even the most well-trod ground can yield surprises. That was the case in May when a graduate student identified a species of stag beetle that is new to science while visiting Monahans Sandhills State Park.
EL PASO, Texas — A workshop to be held Jan. 18 will help West Texas landowners learn more about available tools to manage wildlife habitat and diversify income on smaller properties between two and 2,000 acres. The workshop is part of a statewide series designed to address the growing problem of Texas rural land being fragmented into smaller tracts, often involving urban-based owners who are interested in wildlife conservation but may lack experience in wildlife or land management.
AUSTIN, Texas — The inaugural 2006 Pro-Tour of Nature Photography next April 1-30 will bring together professional nature photographers and Texas hill country landowners, with 20 photographer-landowner teams competing for $200,000 in prize money. Organizers say it is the world’s first all-professional tournament for nature photography.
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 — State and federal wildlife experts say the chance of people in Texas encountering wild migratory birds with HPAI H5N1 avian influenza this year is remote. However, authorities are launching proactive efforts to detect the disease if it comes to North America and they’re advising hunters about game bird handling to reduce general disease risks.