AUSTIN, Texas — On Nov. 17 and 18, 2005, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin will convene the first statewide conference in Texas on non-native invasive plants as part of the Pulling Together Initiative. Conference planning is led by a coalition of interested parties who recognize the importance of creating networks of information about the potentially negative impacts of non-native invasive plant species. The coalition includes: the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Texas Forest Service, Houston Area Research Council, Texas Nursery & Landscape Association, National Biological Information Infrastructure, and the Texas Department of Agriculture.

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is holding six public meetings during May near areas hit hardest by golden alga. Agency officials will provide updates on golden alga research projects and discuss fisheries management strategies, as well as solicit public input. Golden alga blooms during the last six months have caused fish kills in more than a dozen water bodies in north-central Texas. None of the occurrences have resulted in serious impacts to the fisheries, but they have provided researchers with opportunities to study actual events in hopes of finding solutions to this naturally-occurring threat. Since 2001, golden alga fish kills have occurred on two dozen reservoirs in Texas. About 18 million fish have been killed by golden alga during the last 20 years, most of which were either forage or rough fish species. This alga releases a toxin that kills gill-breathing organisms such as fish and clams. There is no known evidence of human health risks. First discovered in Texas in 1985, golden alga (Prymnesium parvum) was identified in a fish kill in the Pecos River and has since been responsible for fish kills in the Colorado, Canadian, Wichita, Red and Brazos River systems as well. Public meetings are slated for the following dates and locations. All meetings start at 7 p.m. * May 10 — Texas Workforce Commission, 218 14th St., Lubbock. * May 11 — Civic Center, 157 W. 2nd St., Colorado City. * May 17 — Possum Kingdom Lion’s Club, 142 LaVilla Road, Lake Possum Kingdom. * May 18 — Baylor County Extension Office, 500 N. Main, Seymour. * May 24 — Annex 3 Building, 200 N. Gordon, Granbury. * May 25 — Lake Whitney State Park Reunion Center, 433 FM 1244, Whitney.

AUSTIN, Texas – Walter Cronkite has narrated a one-hour video program about Texas water resources, which will air Feb. 3 on all Texas public television stations. “Texas: the State of Water—Finding a Balance” explores what’s at stake in the struggle to provide enough clean water for wildlife and the environment, cities, industry and agriculture. “I’m afraid that many Texans presume that there will always be plenty of water for all of our needs, but it’s important for all of us to take a closer look now,” said Robert L. Cook, executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which is producing the program. “Even if you’re not an angler or boater or have no connection with water resource development, this issue affects every single Texan,” Cook said. “There is still time to plan for a future with enough water for people and fish and wildlife. But we need to act responsibly now.” For the second time, the Emmy Award-winning television series “Texas Parks & Wildlife” is teaming with the state’s 13 PBS affiliates to broadcast original programming in prime-time on one night. The series’ first one-hour program about water resources, a partnership venture with KERA-TV in Dallas, aired May 29, 2003. “The greatness of Texas, its future, its well-being and its prosperity depend on its people understanding the vital role played by the wise and equitable distribution of its water supply,” said Cronkite, who donated his services to the program project. Cronkite, 88, was born in Missouri but moved to Texas as a boy and grew up in the Houston area. He still has family in the Austin area and returns to visit frequently. He was anchorman and managing editor of the CBS Evening News for 19 years, until 1981. He is still a special correspondent for CBS News, but now also co-owns the Cronkite Ward Company in New York, which produces programs for The Discovery Channel, PBS and other outlets. Cronkite recorded narration for the program at the “Texas Parks & Wildlife” TV series production studio while in Austin in November. The weekly half-hour series runs on PBS stations in Texas and some other states. Topics explored in the program include the controversial “rule of capture,” an overview of agencies and laws that regulate surface water and groundwater, river instream flows, water lawsuits, controversies involving environmental river flow permits, how water use affects endangered species and other aquatic life, water rights permitting, proposed reservoirs, water as a commodity, interbasin water transfers from one river basin to another, and how river inflows affect the ecological health of bays and estuaries. The program concludes with what people can do to help, including ways to conserve water, enhance groundwater recharge and retention, improve housing developments, and get involved as volunteers. The program is part of a broader TPWD public information initiative that began in July 2002 with the first of an annual series of special issues of the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine devoted to water issues. The July 2005 special issue will focus on groundwater, in which some of the best writers in the state along with TPWD experts, will help explain what groundwater is, how it works, and why readers should care. The overall communications initiative also includes using the TPWD radio series, Web site and other media to get messages out there. The “Texas: the State of Water” 2005 communications initiative is funded in part by underwriting sponsor The Boone Pickens Foundation, A Communities Foundation of Texas Fund, patron sponsor Brazos Mutual Funds and supporting sponsors San Antonio River Authority, Brazos River Authority and Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. The following stations (and cities they cover) will broadcast “Texas: the State of Water—Finding a Balance” in the listed cities on Feb. 3. Unless otherwise indicated below, stations will air the program from 8-9 p.m. Central Standard Time. * KERA: Abilene, Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth, Longview, Lufkin, Marshall, Nacogdoches, Paris, San Angelo, Sherman, Texarkana, Tyler, Wichita Falls. * KUHT: Beaumont, Galveston, Houston, Port Arthur, Texas City, Victoria. * KLRN: Kerrville, Laredo, San Antonio. * KMBH: Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen, Mission. * KWBU: Waco. * KOCV: Midland, Odessa. * KNCT: Killeen, Temple. * KCOS: El Paso (8 p.m. Mountain Time). * KTXT: Lubbock * KACV: Amarillo * KLRU: Austin * KEDT: Corpus Christi * KAMU: Bryan, College Station

When It Rains, It Pours — Texas’ natural resources showed their potential in 2004, thanks to higher than normal rainfall across most of the state. The abundance of water created lush habitat conditions, setting the stage for near-record production among many wildlife species, particularly quail and deer. While hunters were enjoying the rewards of a bountiful season, anglers and park visitors saw newfound opportunities as rivers and streams flowed again and lakes, like Falcon, returned to normal levels. Rare Species Rebound — Several high-profile species of concern passed milestones in 2004, including record highs for whooping cranes and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. This winter, the world’s last natural wild population of whooping cranes flew past the 200 mark, a landmark event for an endangered bird species that has come back from the brink of extinction during the past six decades. Throughout the summer of 2004, the world’s most endangered sea turtle returned to nest on Texas beaches in record numbers. Forty-one Kemp’s ridley nests were reported. Also encouraging was the change in status of the black-tailed prairie dog, which was removed from the candidate list of species considered for threatened status under the Endangered Species Act. Producing and Paying for Fish — The process to build and finance a new state fish hatchery got under way in 2004, with Jasper getting the nod as the site for the facility. To help pay for the new hatchery, the Texas Legislature created a Freshwater Fishing Stamp, providing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with an opportunity to reposition its suite of hunting and fishing licenses. The agency eliminated requirements for several specialty stamps and created license packages that better reflect a user-pay, user-benefit philosophy. Also making a big "splash" in a state fish hatchery this year was the donation of a new state record blue catfish to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. The 121-pound behemoth was transported alive to the TFFC where it continues to be on display to the public in the facility’s aquarium. New State Parks Pass Proves Popular — More than 50,000 state park fans have purchased the new Texas State Parks Pass that went on sale Jan. 1. The new annual pass is similar in appearance to a credit card and is designed to be easier to use. The Texas State Parks Pass costs $60 for one card and $75 for a two card family membership. It replaced the gold Texas Conservation Passport. The new pass provides free entry to all state parks and historic sites for members and their guests, camping discounts and "extra perks." Birds Take Center Stage — The long-awaited debut in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of the $7 million World Birding Center drew dignitaries from state and local governmental entities and interested ‚birders‛ to the Oct. 23-24 grand opening. The WBC headquarters in Mission becomes the second of eight sites to open along the Texas-Mexico border from Roma to South Padre Island. Another first in the Texas birding community also came along in 2004 with the inclusion of a blind and visually-impaired birding category in the 8th annual Great Texas Birding Classic’s team competition, which was held in April along the central and upper Texas coast. The groups identify birds by sound instead of sight. The España Tweetybirds beat out two other teams in the category by identifying 40 species. A Texas birding team and a team of young birders from Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and New York tied for first, identifying 359 bird species. A total of 56 teams competed. Winning teams were awarded a total of $51,000 that they then donated to fund Texas coastal conservation habitat projects to benefit birds and birders. Golden Alga Spreads — A naturally-occurring toxin that has become deadly to fish in North and Central Texas expanded its range in 2004, hitting Lake Texoma, one of the states’ biggest lakes, and spreading into Oklahoma. Resource conservation agencies from Texas and Oklahoma are now combining efforts to research and monitor golden alga there. Since 2001, golden alga fish kills have occurred at two dozen reservoirs in Texas. Bighorn Sheep Hunt Giveaway Signals Species Comeback — Coincidentally, a pair of firefighters from different parts of the state were selected in a drawing of all licensed hunters in Texas to receive a complimentary desert bighorn sheep hunt. TPWD sheep census surveys in 2004 indicated record-high populations of desert bighorns and, in a gesture of appreciation to hunters whose license dollars have helped restore this majestic big game animal, the agency decided to give two hunts away. Justice Served for Nature — A decades old legal dispute was finally resolved bya mitigation settlement. The case stemmed from mercury discharge into Lavaca Bay by Alcoa and a sister company. Alcoa has already spent $40 million and will spend another $11 million for remaining cleanup. The company will also compensate the public for lost ecological and recreational resources, including adding land to a national wildlife refuge, restoring marshes, creating a new oyster reef and funding a series of fishing piers and boat docks around the bay. Earlier in the year, four individuals who wounded and killed several state-protected trumpeter swans were brought to justice after an extensive and exhausting investigation by state game wardens. Three of the five swans, which are a protected migratory non-game species, died and the other two are being cared for at an Iowa rehabilitation facility. The poachers involved pled guilty to 20 various game law violations and were assessed more than $17,000 in fines and related costs. San Jacinto Battleground Artifacts Uncovered — An unprecedented archeological project under way at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site near LaPorte led to the discovery of dozens of battle artifacts such as musket balls, belt buckles and Mexican coins. A display of some of the discoveries, which already are shedding new light on the decisive 1836 battle that led to Texas’ independence from Mexico, highlighted the annual San Jacinto Symposium held at the University of Houston April 23. The archeological project is the precursor to the implementation of the first part of a $47 million master plan for the park, which calls for restoring the battleground to its 1836 appearance, a new Visitor’s Center and Museum, among other improvements.

JASPER, Texas — Favorable winters and high water levels have contributed to the spread of Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) in Toledo Bend Reservoir, one of dozens of lakes affected by exotic aquatic water weeds statewide. Infestations once confined to the backs of a small number of creeks and bayous in both Texas and Louisiana have now spread throughout the reservoir. Giant salvinia is easily spread overland to new locations by boat trailers, propellers, or even the intakes of jet-skis. The possibility of giant salvinia reaching neighboring Sam Rayburn Reservoir by this fall is extremely high, considering the number of boaters and anglers that utilize both reservoirs. The threat giant salvinia poses to Sam Rayburn is very real and should be of primary concern to anyone who utilizes this premier bass fishery. Under ideal growing conditions in Texas, the invasive plant can double every 5-8 days, is resistant to cold weather, and can live for weeks out of water if kept moist. Once established, the invasive fern forms dense mats that eliminate all other aquatic vegetation in the area, introductions may be apparent as early as spring of 2005. Meanwhile, the potential threat to Sam Rayburn and many other popular reservoirs in Texas and Louisiana continues to grow. The magnitude of the problem has reached such proportions that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is now forced to concentrate all control efforts near boat ramps and other access points in an attempt to simply contain the infestation to Toledo Bend. TPWD has begun large-scale introductions of a bio-control agent in the form of a weevil that is totally dependent on giant salvinia throughout its life cycle. Although it may take as long as two years for reproducing populations of giant salvinia weevils to establish, results of these introductions may be apparent as early as spring of 2005. Concerned anglers and other resource users can help by inspecting and cleaning their boats, trailers, jet-ski intakes, and other equipment of all aquatic vegetation before leaving an infected area. Anglers fishing Sam Rayburn should be aware of any suspicious floating aquatic vegetation, particularly around boat ramps and the backs of nearby creeks. Most new infestations of invasive species occur at or near boat ramps. Giant salvinia typically has oblong floating leaves from .5 to 1.5 inches long. Leaves have a velvety surface and are usually a shade of green. Younger plants closely resemble common salvinia and have smaller leaves that lie flat on the water surface. In more mature plants the leaves are much larger, folded, and compressed into upright chains. When viewed with a magnifying glass, the tips of leaf hairs on giant salvinia resemble an eggbeater. In contrast, leaf hairs of common salvinia are forked and do not form the identifying “cage-like” structure. Common salvinia, a close cousin to giant salvinia, has been do*****ented on both Sam Rayburn and B.A. Steinhagen. Although a serious problem on B.A. Steinhagen, common salvinia persists in relatively small populations on Sam Rayburn primarily isolated to the Harvey Creek and Stanley Creek arms. TPWD personnel, the Sabine River Authority, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) have been waging a pitched battle with giant salvinia on Toledo Bend since its discovery in 1998. Aggressive herbicide treatments by TPWD and LDWF soon after its discovery held infestations in check for the first two years. An unplanned and extended drawdown in 2000 helped to suppress the invasive fern, stranding many plants on dry land. Lower water levels during the summer normally help contain the spread of giant salvinia, although small populations will continue to thrive in the backs of creeks and drainages. Possession or transport of giant salvinia is prohibited by State and Federal law. Any possible sightings of giant salvinia on Sam Rayburn should be reported to TPWD immediately. Any suspicious plants found should be left in place and their exact location do*****ented.