| Summary: | Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). l L spe-c Co\-\ t=;110 •~ QLle,gtf ~ lt.f 13 41 Help Wanted Newsletter Editor-As some of you know, our Newsletter Editor of the last few years, Claire Drenowatz, has been having some medical problems and has been ordered by her doctor to start cutting back on her workload. Like the rest of us, work comes first, so Claire has had to step down as our Editor. Claire has earned our sincere thanks for many issues of award-winning p.nd informative Bexar Tracks. Susan Hughes, ably assisted by Tom Wilson, has stepped in to temporari ly fi ll the void, but we are seeking a permanent replacement. Tom Wilson has offered his continued assistance as a news gatherer and editor, so we are looking for someone to assist him with the · layout of the newsletter. If you are interested and are computer literate, please call Bill Sain (408-7731) or Susan Hughes (532-2332) . Accountant-BAS is currently operating on a cash basis, but would like to explore converting to an accrual basis. ·Any accountants out there among our membership? Attorney-From time to time, BAS has a need for legal advice on a variety of fronts. If you have some free time to devote to our chapter, we would love to have you. Membership Chair-We are looking for an articulate, organized person willing to lead our efforts in recruiting new members and retaining current ones. Please call Bill Sain, 408-7731, for more information. Chapter Meeting Preview Aug 23 BAS annual planning meeting, 9am Sep 1 8 Kim Hoskins-Bats Oct 16 Dr. Mel Richardson-Gorillas Nov 20 Jo Ann Wells-Life stages of Lepidopterous or Planting for Butterfl ies Dec 18 Annual holiday slide show and party Field Trips Honey Creek - July 20 Devil's Sinkhole- Aug 16-17 more details on page 2 To sign up and/or for more information contact Dawn Garcia or Mel Richardson, 226-3807 or e-mail drmel@sprintmail.com. BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY San Antonio Texas Flowing Rivers, Healthy Lakes, Productive Estuaries: The Implications of Senate Bill 1 Thursday, July 17, 1997 - 7:00pm • Free and open to the public Ruble Center, 419 E Magnolia (east of McCullough; take Mulberry exit ott 281) For VIA public transportation, take route 5 (St. Mary's/McCullough/ North Star MaiO to Magnolia. Dr. Larry D. McKinney, Senior Oir~ctor for Water Policy and Resource Protection, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, has programmatic responsibilities for natural resource issues including freshwater inflows to estuaries, instream flows for rivers and reservoirs, wetlands, endangered species, and other issues related to the ecological health of river and estuarine ecosystems. He will speak about the omnibus water bill passed in this session of the Texas Legislature and its consequences from a wildlife perspective. Dr. McKinney received his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, served as a research associate and instructor for TAMU in Galveston, was director of the Texas Environmental Engineering Field Laboratory in Galveston, and has more than sixty scientific and technical publications and reports to his credit. Following is a brief article by Dr. McKinney that we hope will encourage you to attend this meeting on a.timely and important topic to Texas, Texans, and Texas fish and wildlife. The omnibus water bill (Senate Bill 1) will be considered, and, if we fail to do so, is landmark legislation that will direct decision-makers will know the consewater development and management for quences of their decisions. the foreseeable future. It provides conser- We have simply not had the tools to vationists with the tools that, if diligently date to adequately support that decisionapplied, will assure that fish and wildlife making process, yet we have had to make resources will be a part of the water equa- those decisions as best we could. Many tion in Texas. problems about water allocation and man- The legislation includes four provisions agement that we now face come from the that are of particular importance to con- poor information upon which decisions servatiori. The first is a new focus on grass were made. roots planning. For the first time, conser- Finally, the bill provides a mechanism vationists across the state can have a direct that not only identifies and protects future role in planning bow we allocate water for reservoir sites, it also allows for the identi-the future of Texas. It will be very fication and protection of rivers, important that those interested in streams, and other aquatic sites conserving our natural resources that are of unique ecological participate as fully as possible value. The legislation provides at that regional level. these tools, and others, to con- A second area is the Texas tinue the process started Water Trust. There is now a more than ten years ago, as vehicle whereby individuals U~-yttA~!e""/ part of the last significant or groups may purchase or overhaul of water law in Texas. donate water rights and place At that time a similar, but small-them into the trust and be er, tool set :illowed for the first assured they will contribute to time consideration of fish and maintaining healthy rivers, lakes, and estu- wildlife in water allocation and managearies. As water marketing becomes a more ment.Today all water permits include conviable tool in water development, this sideration of those issues. mechanism will become more important. The process was an educational one The bill provides direction and funds initially, because there was truly no real to develop data so that when we decide understanding among most of our state on how to allocate water between agricul- leadership about the consequences of not tural uses, industrial uses, and municipal recognizing that assuring the health of our ' uses, fish and wildlife (the environment) rivers, lakes, and (continued, page 5) Honey Creek Outing Uplands of mixed oak woodlands and open grasslands divided by a beautiful, cypress-lined, .clear spring run; flycatchers, chickadees, and the occasional Green Kingfisher; an abundance of diverse wildflowers; cool shade and dappled sunlight; visible remnants of early ranching activities. These and much more are to be found in what has been called "the brightest gem of the Texas Hill Country"-Honey Creek Wildlife Management Area. Honey Creek is the destination of the July 20th outing for Bexar Audubon Society members and friends. Adjacent to Guadalupe River State Natural Area, Honey Creek Ranch was purchased by the Texas Nature Conservancy in 1980 and later transferred to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. Susan Rust, local ecologist and bird enthusiast, is well acquainted with the property and will be leading us on a relaxed, but exclusive, tour of this special place. The trip is limited to 15 participants on a. first response basis. Some folks may want to Sain Reflections Drought followed by flooding. Isn't that the Texas way? Don't forget the heat. Since it has been too wet or too hot to do much birding, we at Bexar Audubon have decided to spend the summer planning for the future. We are lookipg at our stated parallel goals of preserving wildlife and habitat and providing environmental education to our community to ensure that these are truly the chapter goals. We are looking at our constitution, bylaws, organizational structure, and programs to determine if we are meeting these goals. We will be identifying which programs we should continue and where we need to develop new programs. As with any organization, our people and financial resources .are limited, and we have to ensure that we are utilizing those resources in the most effective way possible. Each and every one of you is invited to join us in this planning effort to ensure that Bexar Audubon is doing the best job possible. Next year is the 15th year of BAS's existence, and I hope that this planning effort will kick off our. next fifteen years of successful work to preserve the wildlife and habitat of Bexar County and the surrounding region. We will continue our planning efforts at our next Board meeting, at a meeting in early August, and at our Annual Planning Meeting which is scheduled for 23 Aug. If you are interested in participating in this planning process, please call me and I will let you know the timing and locations of our future meetings. -Bill Sain July 1997 CHAPTER NEWS camp at the park on Friday night; others may want to stay at the park on Saturday, the rest of us will be leaving SA at 7:00am and be back by 1 :30pm. For campers, you must call and make reservations at (512) 389-8900, ASAP as it is a summertime weekend. There is an entrance fee at the park for campers and possibly for us field trippers. Conservation Passport holders get in the park for free. What to bring? A sack lunch to eat at the park, sunscreen, hat, binocs, and water. Devil's Sinkhole Outing The Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area features a collapsed cave formed about 1 0,000 years ago and discovered by Anglo settlers in 1867. It has a vertical drop of approximately 140 feet and a 40x60 foot opening. WOW! The cavern is used by a large population of Brazilian freetail bats and cave swallows. We'll watch the swallows return to roost in the cave just prior to the bats exiting the cave for the night. Our guide, park manager [)ave Stewart, .says we BAS Happenings As usual, I've had a busy month representing BAS. Despite rumors to the contrary, I do actually work for a living (I have to support my volunteer efforts somehow!). Over the last month I have met with SAWS representatives and discussed BAS views on the water issues, welcomed various public officials to a Wetlands Celebration held by the Mitchell Lake Wetlands Society, participated in National Audubon Membership and a Texas Audubon Society Chapter President's conference calls, and attended a S.A. Parks Dept. Planning session. I also attended and provided comments a TPWD Public Hearing on th~ Government Canyon SNA, the first two of three sessions in preparation for a SAWS endorsed planning charrette for the former Applewhite properties on the Medina River, and a meeting exploring the need for and interest in a land trust for Bexar County. Then there was the BAS Board, General, and planning meetings. It was not all work and no play. I also attended the BAS outing to Walker Ranch and enjoyed a hot couple of hours birding Mitchell Lake with Cecelia Riley (Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Bird Obs~rvatory). There were, of course, many other BAS members out representing the chapter before City Council and various city Boards and Commissions. Others were calling or writing public officials on a variety of environmental issues. Folks like Katie NavaRagazzi, Betty Minyard, Tracy Tiller, and Joyce Pipes were-setting up a display on birds at the SA Children's Museum. Still others were doing the mundane, everyday tasks required to keep our organization running. All these 2 may have another side~how: raptors waiting to pick off bats as they leave the cave. Devil's Sinkhole is located near Rock Springs, so it is quite a drive. How about camping overnight, at the South Llano River State Park? It is about 40 miles from the sinkhole and has all the amenities: campsites, showers, fire rings, and picnic tables. I hear of nice hiking trails along the riparian corridor. Here's the plan. Drive to S. Llano park and set up camp on Saturday, Aug. 16th. Drive to the Sinkhole, hook up with Dave, watch bats and learn about their behavior and natural history. Back to Llano for the night and either stay and hike, tube, swim, or drive home the following day, Aug. 1 7. The fee? $8.00 per person for the Sinkhole unless you have a Conservation Passport = $4.00. I'm checking on camping prices, but we need to reserve soon. We can take some goodies to the Sinkhole while we wait for bats and take in the geology. Contact information on page 1, column 1. Please call for reservations and information. folks are working hard on your behalf, trying to make our world a better place to live for present and future generations. I hope that you will consider coming out to join us. Outings: BAS held two outings in June. The first was a trip to Government Canyon State Natural Area. Kyle Cunningham led us on a wonderful hike and there were Painted Buntings in nearly every tree. Thanks to James Middleton for providing birding expertise, especially finding a lifer for me . an Olive- · sided Flycatcher. Our second outing was a little wet, but fun nonetheless. Thanks to Dawn Garcia and Sumner Dana for allowing us to join them on ap early Saturday morning as they set up their mist nets in preparation for banding any birds caught in. the net. Unfortunately it began raining soon after sunrise, so we never caught any birds. Thanks also to SAWS for granting permission for our outing to their Mitchell Lake property. Dawn and Mel are going all out to schedule exciting outings for us. Be sure to attend one of our future outings and get to know the wonders of nature that exist all around San Antonio. Congratulations to the Wild Bird Center which recently celebrated its first anniversary with a special sale and event. In addition to a Bexar Audubon table manned by .Tracy Tiller and Harry Noyes, there was entertainment by David McKelvey and Raptors by Last Chance Forever. I really enjoyed the Golden Eagle and the Peregrine Falcon.A special thanks also go to Wild Bird Center which donated $450 to the Mitchell Lake Wetlands Society's Science Coli)lnittee. This is Phil and Libby's second major contribution to that group in the last year. Stop by and give them a personal thank you whenever you're in the area ofWest and NW Military. Thanks should also go to Tracy and Harry for representing BAS. -Bill Sain Bexar Tracks CHAPTER & LOCAL NEWS Parks lnRut Meetings Please Attend! Do you care about our parks? Are you concerned about our lack of"natural" parks? Would you like to see more parks where you may walk, hike, birdwatch, look at wildflowers and trees, and just enjoy nature? Do you have other concerns and desires for our parks? Then by all means come to one of the Park Public Input Meetings held by the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Dept to gather input to be used in developing a Parks and Recreational System Plan. Your input is very important. You may attend any or all of the meetings. You don't have to live near the meeting location. At the meeting you are asked to complete ' a questionnaire on recreational activities and programs you would like to see provided. It includes such things as aerobic dancing, cheerleading, karate, soccer, volleyball, etc. Walking is a choice, but no other passive activities are listed. So, if you feel a need for other programs-for examp(e, programs related to nature study and enjoymentplease list them in the space: "Other __ ." Meetings held so far have been very poorly attended, and almost nobody is expressing the need or desire for passive recreational activities such as birdwatching, nature study, etc. Please attend and listen, learn, and speak up, or let your wishes be known by filling out the survey and comment form. You may also , write a letter. For more information, feel free to call Susan Rust of the Open Space Advisory Board at 826-4698, or contact Scott Stover, Superintendent of Park Design, at 207-3160. Final meeting dates are: Monday, July 14th (Melendrez Community Center, 5919 W Commerce), and Tuesday, July 15th (Oak Meadow Methodist Church, 2740 Hunter's Green). All are from 6:30- 8:00 pm. July 12th-Applewhite/ Medina River Design Charrette (info. 493-7375 or 828-8705) July 14th-SA Parks Dept. Plan public meeting, 6:30-8:00pm, Melendrez Community Center. (info. 207-7245) July 15th-SA Parks Dept. Plan public meeting, 6:30-8:00pm, Oak Meadow United Methodist Church. (info. 207-7245) July 24-26th-Managing Growth, Portland, OR, registration fee. (info. 503/223-8633) August 9-10th-Society for Ecological Restoration -T.X,Ann. Meet.,Junction,T.X, nominal fee. (info, 826-4698) Bexar Tracks Birdathon Report The date was Saturday,,26 April. I woke at 4 am to the sound of thunder and heard rain against the skylight. Soon after that the electricity went off. It rained for about 45 'minutes, and I was beginning to think that my Birdathon was in trouble. Being the dedicated birder that I am, I got up around 5:30 and hit the road about 6. I checked the rain gatige and found that it had already rained 1.2 inches and the Weather Channel did not give me much hope for a good day. I first headed out to Camp Bullis to a spot where I had heard an Eastern Screech Owl the weekend before. I picked up a ChuckWill's Widow on my way out but did not find the owl. I then went to Eisenhower Park, where I sat out another rain storm and watched the dawn. I found Eastern Phoebes and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks here. Not an aus-picious beginning: an hour already gone and only three birds. Driving down NW Military to 1604, I found a very wet Black Vulture and a Scrub Jay to add to my list. I was headed for Olmos Park to meet my partner for the day, Georgina Schwartz. Olmos Creek was flooding the park when I arrived, and the Park Rangers soon showed up to close the park. Not before I found Georgina and we foun<l the Barred Owl and the RedShouldered Hawk, and more.After the Ranger asked us to move our cars to higher ground, we w~nt behind the ball parks and hit the jackpot. Here we picked up, among others·, a Long-billed Thrasher, and both the Lesser and American Goldfmches. Our next stop was Avenue A, a deadend road in the middle of Brackenridge Park. The rain had stopped by then, and there were UPCOMING EVENTS August 16th- T.X Nature ConservancyAnn. Meet.,, Alpine, T.X, nominal fee, registration required. (info. 224-8774) September 4-7th-T.X Society for Endangered Species -Ann. Meet. , Temple, T.X. (info. 512/847-9480) September 26-29th-1997 National Land Trust Rally - Savannah, GA, registration fee. (info.202/638-4725 or 826-4698) October 17-19th-Native Plant Society ofT.X -Ann. Meet., Uvalde,T.X. (info. 828-5956 or 512/238-0695) October 23-25th-Texas Society of Architects 3 puddles and mud everywhere. A Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-crowned Nightheron, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet highlighted this stop.A quick drive through the rest of the park gave us the Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Wood Duck, Belted Kingfisher, and a Spotted Sand-piper. Next we headed for Calaveras Lake. This was actually my first time at Calaveras, and we were not disappointed. Several long looks at a Bullock's Oriole were complemented by a last minute look at a Curve-billed Thrasher. A number of waterfowl were also found here. We picked up an American Kestrel, Redtailed Hawk, and Crested Caracara on our way to Braunig Lake, where we found Forestor's Terns along with three Osprey working the lake. Our last stop of the day was Mitchell Lake. The Dickcissels had arrived and joined the Red-winged Black-birds in serenading us everywhere we went. Cinnamon Teal, a Little Blue Heron, American Widgeon, and a Baird's Sandpiper were the best of the place. In all, Georgina and I spotted 92 different species that day. Teammate Patty Pasztor added another four species, for a team total of 96 for the day. Not a bad day for a Birdathon after all. A complete listing of all the birds sighted is available if you are interested. Last accounting, my team has pledges or actual donations of just over $700. I still have a long way to go to reach my goal of $1,000. If 'you have not yet pledged your support to anyone, please lend your support to me by sending a check, made out to Bexar Audubon, to me at Bexar Audubon Society, PO Box 6084, San Antonio T.X 78209. The funds will be used to support a variety of chapter educational programs. - Bill Sain -Annual Conference, Ft. Worth, T.X, registration fee. (info. 226-4979) October 30-Nov. 2-1997 Green Builder Conf -Austin, nominal fee. (info. 512/264-0004) November 2-5-National Urban & Community Conservation Conference - Columbus, OH, registration fee. (info. 703/440-8611; http://www.nacdnet.org) November 8-10-American Society of Landscape Architects -Ann. Meet. , Atlanta, GA, registration fee . (info. John Dupuy, 226-1246) See also recurring events, p6; BAS events, pl. July 1997 CONSERVATION NEWS TEXAS COASTAL WETLANDS DECLINE TRACKED A new report documents how one of Texas's most vital fish and wildlife habitat types has shriveled in size during the last four decades. While this news is bad, the timing is good, since the new data is now available to aid the implementation of Texas's first statewide plan to conserve its remaining w~tlands: The information is in Texas Coastal Wetlands; Status and Trends, Mid-1950s to Early 1990s, a new report produced jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and·Wildlife Department. The 32-page, full-color booklet is available to the public at no cost from TPWD. "Millions of Americans are concernedand rightly so-about the loss of tropical rain forest in Central and South America. Well, some of the wetlands referred to in this report are our rain forests, right here in Texas, and they are gradually disappearing from the landscape;' said Andrew. Sansom, TPWD executive director. "Fortunately, this data, sifted and compiled into meaningful information through computer technology, arrives as we are poised to implement the first state plan to guide Texas wetlands conservation into ·the 21st century, so there is some hope for the future:' The study focused on about 20,000 square miles ofTexas coastal areas.Aerial photos and other sources show the 12.8 millionacre study area contained about 4.1 million acres of wetlands in 1955 and less than 3.9 million acres in 1992, a net loss of about 210,000 acres. The greatest losses were of freshwater emergent and forested wetl;mds, with significant but relatively smaller losses of saltwater wetlands. Estuarine (saltwater) wetlands decreased by about 9.5 percent, with an estimated net loss of 59,600 acres, making the average annual net loss about 1,600 acres. This occurred mainly between Freeport in Brazoria County anq Port Arthur in Jefferson County. Palustrine (freshwater) wetlands showed a net decline of 151,000 acres, or 4.3 percent. Palustrine emergent wetlands, such as freshwater marsh and wet prairie, declined by about 29 percent,.withan estimated net loss of 235,100 acres, an average annual net loss of about 6,400 acres. One of the most sobering trends is the loss of forested wetlands, including hardwood bottomlands, one of Texas's most important wildlife habitat types in terms of the density and diversity of species it supports. These wetlands declined by 96,000 acres, a 10.9 'percent decrease. The result of four years of work, the new report is the product of the Coastal Texas Project, a cooperative wetlands mapping effort of the National Wetlands Inventory of · the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and TPWD. July 1997 Dr. Dan Moulton ofTPWD's resource protection division spent four years on assignment to NWI to complete the project, and is senior author of the report. Other products of the project include . almost 500 new NWI wetlands maps, including digital data for each · map, covering the entire Texas coastal plain. These maps and data are available free on the Internet at ftp:/ /enterprise.nwi.fws.gov. Paper or mylar maps will become available, as they are completed, from the Texas Natural ·Resources Information System inAustin at 512/463-8337. Also, 21 county atlases containing reduced NWI maps covering the counties, wetland acreage, and other data about wetlands in each county are now in production. The first atlas, for Nueces County, should be available in July. All of these products will be invaluable in impiementing the newly completed Texas Wetlands Conservation Plan, a TPWD-sponsored project created with broad involvement from grass-roots agricultural and conservation groups, including groups ranging from the .farm Bureau and the Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association to the Nature Conservancy of Texas and Ducks Unlimited. The fmished plan drew nearunanimOl1S support from these groups and numerous others.· Through the efforts of public advisory groups representing all parts of the state, the plan integrates all state, federal and local wetlands efforts 'into a coherent framework to improve wetlands conservation statewide. It also stresses incentives more than regulations to enhance conservation on private lands. Because 97 percent of Texas land is privately owned, working with landowners to plan for wetlands conservation is vital, said Julie Anderson, state wetlands planner for TPWD. Regulations alone can't handle the job of protecti1lg Texas wetlands, nor are additional, stronger regulations necessarily desirable. . · Due to the large size and varied physiography of Texas, three Regional Advisory Groups-one each in East Texas, the Panhandle, and the Gulf Coast-were formed to identify regio~al or statewide issues. Three general categories of wetlands issues were identified: education, economic incentives, and conservation. In each of these areas, the advisory groups worked with wetlands experts to specify alternatives for addressing each issue. What resulted is a blueprint of options that landowners, citizens, and state leaders may use as they consider ways to conserve wetlands. The plan's primary contributions to wetlands conservation include: • Enhancing the landowners' ability to use existing incentive programs and other lang use options through outreach and technical assistance. 4 • Developing and encouraging land management options that provide economic incentives for conserving existing or restoring former wetlands. • Coordinai.ing regional wetlands conservation efforts, including mitigation and restoration. To obtain a copy of the coastal wetlands report, call Misty Goodson in Austin at 512/912-7055 or send an email message to dan.moulton@tpwd.state. tx. us. Eastern Warblers of N. America For an amazing look at the eastern warblers of North America, check out the following web address: http://www. blueearthfilms.com According to Scott Hedges, Texas Audubon's Director of Bird Conservation, the video by 'Mike Male and Judy Feith is incredible in its depth, accuracy, and film quality. Mike has a long history of shooting for National Geographic, Nature, etc. Wrote Scott, "There has never been anything of this caliber ever made." · Endangered Species News SPECIES CONSERVATION INCENTIVES: The U.S. Senate Finance Committee approved an amendment to the budget reconciliation that lifts the burden of the estate tax when landowners agree to preserv~ habitat for endangered specks and not develop the land, Environment & Energy Weekry reports. Sen. John Chafee (R-RI) introduced the tax reJief amendment, HR 499. SPECIES FRIENDS: As political pressures keep the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service from listing species as endangered, species threatened with extinction may have discovered a new friend in the federal courts, reports Mother jones. In several cases involving the Barton Springs salamander, tbe Canadian lynx, and the jaguar, federal judges reminded Interior Secretary Babbitt that listing should be based on science and not politics. The article contends th,at the jaguar case was especially significant since the judge demanded that the species be given protection under the ESA, in~tead of taking the normal route of requiring the Interior secretary to reconsider the previous decision. -GREENLines,Tues.,June 24, 1997, produced by GREEN, the Grassroots Environmental Effectiveness Network, a project of Defenders ofWildlife. (202) 789-2844x290 or email rfeather@clark.net. Voter Information Project Vote Smart provides nationwide non-partisan voter information at (800) 622- SMART or http://www.vote-smart.org. · Bexar Tracks MASTER NATURALISTS GRADUATES CLASS #1! Congratulations to the first class of Master Naturalists. And thanks to all the dedicated folks of Natura/Initiatives who developed this exciting new happen! The next Master Naturalist class is scheduled to begin Thursday, September 11. Call 698-1057 tor information. Good tor and Flowing Rivers, Healthy Lakes, Productive Estuaries (cont'd from pg 1) estuaries had real consequences, both economic and ecological. Others, as noted in the following quotation, had recognized this shortcoming. "When these failures in tmderstanding ecological effects are combined with notions of cost-benefit analysis and tradeoffs that justify the demands for water beyond the river limit, the synergistic result may accelerate the destmction of the estuarine system involved," Rozengurt and Hedgpeth (1989). One of the key problems with water planning in Texas has been that fish and wildlife water needs, water to maintain healthy and productive rivers, lakes, and estuaries, have been ignored or relegated to secondary consideration for so long it is difficult for our decision-makers to think of them in the same terms as they do municipal, agricultural, and industrial needs. That we have been able to ignore those needs attests more to the abundance of that valuable natural resource in the past than to our careful stewardship of it. Others have not fared so well as Texas in this regard, and the cost of their failing to protect the health of their rivers and estuaries is not too high to ignore, but too costly to restore. . In Texas water has been treated much as the pioneer treated the American west: a limitless horizon. It is not. We first learned that lesson in the 1950s and responded accordingly. That response, an unprecedented burst of reservoir constmction, has helped the state to weather numerous drought conditions, but will not meet future projections of water demand for anticipated growth in Texas. As we move to solve that future problem, we cannot, as in the past, ignore the ecological health of rivers, lakes, and estuaries. They will not continue to provide Bexar Tracks the benefits we have come to expect and depend upon if we do. In looking to that future, we must adopt a new, more conservative approach. We can no longer afford to base water planning on meeting demand, but rather on meeting need-allocating a limited pie among those needs to the best benefit of all. The Economics of Healthy Rivers, Reservoirs, and Estuaries-Ecologically healthy rivers, lakes, and estuaries are one of those needs. A need that also supports a multi-billion dollar recreational industry in Texas. Hunting, fishing, and "non-consumptive" activities account for $3.6 billion in expenditures a year (Fiscal Notes, October 1993).That is the second highest total in the U.S.A. It is an economic base, an itidustry, that is non-polluting and selfregener, ating year after year, as long as we do not limit it through our actions to meet other objectives. One of the key limiters is water. The recreation and tourism industry is by some accounts the fastest growing industry in Texas and is currently the second largest economic contributor to the state. We must give it the necessary ingredients to continue that growth, and one of those impof!:ant ingredients is water. We are fortunate in Texas that we have an abundance of natural riches to provide economic benefit, even though we often continue to deplete, rather than conserve them. We have, for example, lost almost half of our coastal wetlands that are so important to our vast estuarine system. Nonetheless, Texas's estuaries remain some of our most productive resources. Consider that by some estimates the productivity of an acre of Texas , coastal wetlands is worth up to $2,312, compared to $1,200 an acre for Kansas farmland. Despite all the pressure we put on those systems, productivity remains high. 5 That is why Texas's coastal sport fisheries alone account for over one billion dollars in direct expenditures each year. Not all benefits can be so directly measured. Healthy estuaries provide millions of dollars of value in wastewater treatment each year that would otherwise have to be sperit on treatment facilities. The cost is now paid in having almost half of the total area of our estuaries closed to shellfish harvest. If these estuaries were not as healthy as they are, they would have quickly become nothing but sewers. That has happened elsewhere in the world. A key ingredient in maintaining that health is freshwater inflows. We depend on reservoirs to provide drinking water for most of our major cities. The treatment costs to bring water to drinkable standards is minimized by protecting their water quality and that of the rivers and streams that feed into them. The healthy aquatic communities that result provide not only that natural, cost-free treatment, but other direct economic benefits as well. A recent TPWD study demonstrated that fishermen on Lake Fort, Texas's premier bass fishing spot, expended $27.5 million (direct expenditures) between June 1994 and May 1995. The Lake Texoma sport fishery is worth more than $22 million a year. Our goal must be to preserve these ecological and economic benefits while meeting water development needs for the state as a whole. We can accomplish that goal by maintaining adequate instream flows for our rivers and streams and into our reservoirs, assuring adequate freshwater inflows to our bays and estuaries, and protecting the water quality of them all. Doing so will assure the health and productivity of these aquatic systems for present and future generations. -Larry McKinney July 1997 Bexar Audubon Society, Inc. P.O. Box 6084 San Antonio, TX 78209 Address Correction Requested Bexar Audubon Society POBox 6084, San Antonio, TX 78209 210-822-4503 Chapter of the National Audubon Society The Chapter's primary goals are to promote species and habitat conservation and environmental education in the community. Bexar Tracks is the monthly official newsletter of the Bexar Audubon Society. Introductory memberships to National Audubon Society (NAS), including a subscription to Audubon magazine, are $20. This includes membership in Bexar Audubon, as well, and a subscription to Bexar Tracks. Mail your check for $20 ($15 for seniors or full-time students)-payable to "National Audubon Society"-to Bexar Audubon at the address above. Include name, address, & phone of the new member. Makes a great gift, too. BAS Board Bill Sain President Richard Pipes Vice President Betty Minyard Treasurer Deborah Robinson Secretary Chris Dullnig Program Chair Kim Hoskins Member John Langan Mike Mecke Member Member 408-7731 281-2452 344-6128 408-7731 828-4017 696-3780 491-0692 520-6252 Katy Nava-Ragazzi Education 804-1226 Harry Noyes Member 490-3124 Harriet Wiygul Past President 534-7505 For newsletter submissions, contact Tom Wilson,492-4799, email twilsond@aol.com Non·profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid San Antonio, TX Permit #590 RECURRING EVENTS & GENERAL INFORMATION •Bexar Audubon Society general meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month except August, which is the annual planning meeting. - •BAS board meetings, usually on second Thursdays, are open to the membership. •Interested in volunteering with BAS? Call Bill Sain at 408-7731. Many opportunities! •Bexar Audubon sponsors the "Second Saturday" program at Friedrich Wilderness Park. For information and reservations, call 698-1057. •The first Saturday of each month, Friedrich Park offers a free guided general natural history hike. Call 698-1 057 for more info. •On the second Saturday of the month, San Antonio Audubon sponsors a beginners bird walk at the Alamo Heights Nature Trail. For details, call Georgina Schwartz at 342-2073. •On the fourth Saturday of each month, Ernie Roney leads a birding morning at Mitchell Lake. Meet at the lake at Sam. Call 733-8306 for more information. •Texas Parks & Wildlife Department offers many nature activities for annual Texas Conservation Passport holders ($50 per year). Call 800-937-9393 for a listing of events. •The San Antonio Environmental Network meets the first Tuesday of each quarter: March, June, September, and December, at the Witte Museum auditorium, 7pm. USEFUL Nl.lMBERS: 800-659-2622 National Audubon Action line 800-935-2473 National Audubon Membership Assistance 210-281-2452 Bird ID assistance (Richard and Joyce Pipes) 210-308-6788 San Antonio Audubon bird sightings recording 512-306-0225 Texas Audubon Society 210-698-1709 Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation 800-937-5236 Texas Parks & Wildlife Department events information 210-227-6143 Report local water waste 202-224-3121 U.S. Congressional switchboard 202-456-1111 President's White House comment line 210-207-7060 San Antonio Mayor's office 210-207-7040 San Antonio City Council offices 210-220-2626 Bexar County Judge's office 800-453-SMOG Smoking vehicle hotline TNRCC-Iicense #,date, time, and location
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