West Texas: Managing Your Land...

[SHANEA]

You think we should invite Steve Smith of Lajitas to this?  It might help out getting Lajitas out of bankruptcy so that employment is preserved, small businesses get paid, etc.  If Lajitas were to disappear from Brewster County, it would be a major blow to the local economy that is already somewhat depressed.    Yea, you might say I've changed my tune on Lajitas - when you start to put it in terms of employment/unemployment/putting food on the table/having benefits and also the number of small businesses that are negatively impacted when they don't get paid.  Maybe Lajitas could be "reborn" as an environmentally friendly mecca.  All of the infrastructure is in place and already ramped up.  Let the golf course return to it's natural state or really tone it down some.      

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20070713a

[ General Media Contact: Business Hours, (512) 389-4406 ]
[ Additional Contacts: Lois Balin, TPWD Urban Wildlife Specialist/El Paso, (915) 774-9603; Tom Harvey, TPWD News/Austin, (512) 389-4453 ]
July 13, 2007
Managing Your Land for Wildlife Workshop Set for Aug. 15 in West Texas
EL PASO, Texas -- A workshop to be held here Aug. 15 will help people who own or manage property in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas and in neighboring southern New Mexico and northern Mexico learn about healthy land management practices for wildlife habitat and sustainable methods to diversify their income.
Land fragmentation, habitat degradation and associated non-native invasive species are the main threats to wildlife in Texas and around the world. Urbanization and other development decrease available wildlife habitat, eliminating travel corridors and disrupting wildlife access to essential feeding, cover areas and space. However, experts say there are beneficial tactics for holistic land management and conservation development.
The Aug. 15 workshop in El Paso is part of a statewide series designed to address the growing problem of Texas rural lands being fragmented into smaller tracts. Workshops often engage urban-based owners who are interested in wildlife conservation but may lack experience in wildlife or land management. Workshops provide tools and resources to help landowners achieve their individual goals while managing property to benefit wildlife.
The El Paso workshop includes an introduction to holistic ranch management presented by West Texas landowners who will share their know-how and first-hand experiences with wildlife and habitat management on their Trans-Pecos properties. In addition, participants will learn the critical niche of bats and their free services, such as agricultural insect pest control and crop pollination.
Other workshop topics include the essentials of wildlife and habitat requirements, restoring the land to health, biological monitoring techniques, as well as vital information on providing water for wildlife in arid regions, how to write a wildlife management plan, qualify for wildlife tax appraisal and management of both game and non-game species.
Other speakers include wildlife biologists from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and experts with Texas Cooperative Extension, Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the Bureau of Land Management State Wildlife Coordinator from New Mexico.
"Landowners have the distinctive ability to assist in restoring habitat and wildlife diversity by participating in holistic habitat management for wildlife and partaking in one of the many private landowner programs offered by various agencies," said Lois Balin, TPWD urban wildlife biologist in El Paso.
TPWD and the Texas Cooperative Extension are co-sponsoring the event, which will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 15 at the Texas A&M University Research and Extension Center, 1380 A&M Circle (near I-10 East at Americas Ave.) in El Paso.
The cost for the workshop is $20 per person or $35 per couple, which covers lunch, refreshments and materials. Registration is requested by August 13 to ensure that organizers have sufficient workshop materials for attendees; however, registration will be accepted at the door. For more information and reservations, contact Lois Balin at (915) 774-9603 or lois.balin@tpwd.state.tx.us or see the Landowner Workshops calendar on the TPWD Web site.
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On the Net:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/calendar/?calpage=landowner
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