| Summary: | Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). Bexar Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society. Its primary goals are to promote species and habitat conservation and environmental education in the community. Bexar Tracks Volume XXVI, No. 11 For the latest news and updates, see www.bexaraudubon.org and www.sa-naturecenter.org. Inside this issue: Controlling Giant River Cane 2 War on Salvinia 3 Mitchell Lake FlyingWILD 4 Community Events 5-7 Hardberger Park Grand Opening 8 May-July 2010 World population has more than doubled since 1960, with Texas’ popu-lation over twice that of 1970. This growth—with the associated demands placed on water, food, energy, waste disposal sites, infrastructure, and other human necessi-ties— is generating one of the great mass extinctions in earth's history, mainly due to wildlife habitat destruc-tion. Dr. Balin will discuss the implica-tions of exponential growth, recognizing that there are limits to this expansion and potentially devastating conse-quences for our future. She will examine historical growth trends, globally to the regional level. Dr. Balin received her Bachelors de-gree in Geology from the University of Texas at Austin, and her Ph.D. in Geol-ogy from Cambridge University in Eng-land. Her work experience includes aca-demia, the petroleum industry, and the US Geological Survey conducting geo-logic field work in the Brooks Range of Alaska. Dr. Balin holds one of two environmental positions on the South Central TX Regional Water Planning Group and served as a member of the Citizens Working Group for Water Policy in the late 1990s. She was a member of the San Antonio Open Space Advisory Board for seven years, and cur-rently works as a research and consulting geologist in San Antonio. Human Population Growth: Impact on Resources and Wildlife Habitat with Dr. Donna Balin The Impact of Human Population Growth Bexar Audubon Society Meeting Thursday, May 13, 2010 Trinity University, Cowles Life Science Bldg., Room 149 (map on pg. 6) Announcements at 6:45 PM, Program begins at 7 PM. Everyone Welcome! Bexar Audubon Field Trip Land Heritage Institute Saturday, May 29, 9 AM Land Heritage Institute (Old Applewhite Property) on the Medina River Meet at the entrance; we'll take a hayride to the historical homestead where Mark Op-pelt, Land Heritage Institute President, will give us an overview of this place: History, Ar-chaeology, Environment, and more! We will then take a leisurely walking tour highlighting historical features and the natural habitat. Info/directions: pasztor@ix.netcom.com or 210.837.0577 or check www.bexar audubon.org . "Land Heritage Institute interprets, maintains and develops 1,200 acres of open space on the Medina River as a living land mu-seum, thereby preserving archeological, cultural, edu-cational, environmental, historical and recreational resources" The Land Heritage Insti-tute is located on the south-ern bank of the Medina River between Applewhite Rd. and Neal Rd. It’s 1,200 acres within ten miles of downtown San Antonio in-side Loop 1604 south. Ac-cess is by appointment only or through a field trip such as this. Meet at the en-trance on Neal Rd. www.landheritageinstitute.org Human Population Growth & Our Future Controlling Giant River Cane to Economic Advantage Jim Earhart, Ph.D. Director of the Rio Grande International Study Center Cane Control Project Unfortunately for the vegetation and wildlife of the riparian habitat along the Rio Grande, this American heritage river was made part of the border between the United States and Mexico. The historic economic disparity between the two countries, cou-pled with the recent “war on terrorism,” has created a “war” on water quality and habitat for native plants and animals along the river. To stop the flow of illegal traffic across the border, US Homeland Security has proposed among other measures to eradicate giant river cane (Arundo donax,A.donax) by mechanical removal with heavy equipment and application of a broad spectrum herbicide by helicopter. This invasive plant conceals illegal activity, replaces indigenous plants that provide habitat for native species, and uses large quantities of water, but we believe the means will be highly detrimental to the ecology of the Rio Grande. Giant river cane was introduced by early Spanish settlers, who used it to construct crude housing, weave baskets and mats, make musical instruments, and, very likely, feed live-stock. Lacking natural enemies, it grows prolifically in this warm, moist environment, far more successfully than in its na-tive Mediterranean region. Dense stands extend for hundreds of miles along the Rio Grande. The Rio Grande International Study Center, in conjunction with Laredo Community College (LCC), is investigating the po-tential of this invasive giant grass as food for livestock. Most US ranchers along the river do not graze livestock on the cane for fear of theft or fever tick infestation or because they believe animals will not eat it. In Mexico, opposite the LCC Campus, we see horses, goats, cattle, and donkeys drink from the river. Concomitantly we observe very little cane growing on the Mexican bank; it’s lined with large trees that shade the flowing water. These observations, along with reports that goats suc-cessfully controlled cane growth in California, prompted Tom Miller, Director of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Sci-ence Center, and Dr. Tom Vaughan, Texas A&M International University Biology Professor, to compare US and Mexican cane growth by canoeing the 90 miles between Laredo and Eagle Pass. They estimated cane cover on the US river bank at 95 to 98 percent compared to 3 to 5 percent on the Mexican side. During three nights on the river the dense cane forced them to camp either in Mexico or on islands in the river. They reported no mammals—domestic or wild—on the US river bank. A Word From the Wood A Message from the BAS President, Tony Wood Things are looking better for Bexar Audubon Society. Maybe it’s partly because we’re having a wet spring, the drought is broken, and the Edwards Aquifer is 10 feet above normal. Maybe it’s partly because this is the best year that I’ve ever seen for south Texas wildflow-ers and that the lands and watersheds that I’ve been walking here in south Texas have what appear to be a healthy crop of forbs, birds, and wildlife. Or maybe I’m just a bit more in tune to the pulse of our organization than I have been in quite a while. But it seems to me like Bexar Audubon Society and environmental aware-ness of groups and individuals across our city are changing. For a while our organization, like many of the others across the city, seemed to be limping along. We had a group of the same dedicated environmentalists and conservationists who would always turn up at our meetings. We lost a few active members who moved away. Some of our spin-off projects had waned, at least for a while. But things are looking up lately. There are fresh ideas, a new website design, an educational program, and perhaps most important, new dedicated individu-als who are breathing new life into our efforts. We are entering a new era for Bexar Audubon Soci-ety. We’re getting back to the basic themes of our south Texas conservationist organization. Our last two meetings and our last two outings have had a definitive bird theme. We’ve been learning about birds and their natural history lately, although I’ve learned as much about native plants as I have about the birds. But if you’re not a “bird person,” don’t worry. Bexar Audubon Society remains as one of the largest and most prag-matic civic environmental groups in south Texas. We continue to listen to all sides of an environmental argu-ment before taking a position, if at all. We usually di-versify into the core habitat issues such as land and water resources, recognizing that avian habitat is our region’s “coal mine” and that our canaries range from hummingbirds to turkeys. Bexar Audubon co-sponsors and/or supports most water and land conservation programs in the region. Our board members are active on the boards and management of many of the regional water planning, watershed cleanup and management, land trust, and land heritage organizations. If you want to get involved with any of these bird, wildlife, land, or water conserva-tion projects in the San Antonio area, get or stay in-volved with Bexar Audubon. If you are looking for a way to spend a weekend or a few hours in a conserva-tion effort, please visit our website. There is something for everyone, regardless of age or physical capacity. Photo by Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times Jim Earhart leading Poncho & Filemon Page 2 May-July 2010 Bexar Tracks Page 3 May-July 2010 Bexar Tracks Photo Contest National Wildlife Federation 40th Annual Photo Contest From the dazzling bluebirds visiting your birdhouse to start a family to the resourceful squirrels drinking from your birdbath, be sure to enter your photos in the National Wildlife Photo Contest. Winning photographs receive cash prizes and will be published online. A selection of winning photos will appear in the December 2010 issue of the magazine. Enter today! • More than $30,000 in Cash Prizes • Two $5,000 Grand Prizes Pro, Amateur and Youth divisions Categories for Entries: Mammals; Birds; Other Wildlife, Backyard Habitats; Connecting People and Nature; Land-scapes and Plant Life; Global Warming. Visit our 2010 Contest page for entry details and categories at www.nwf.org. Deadline July 6. Enter today! Texas Declares War on Salvinia The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department launched a public awareness campaign asking people to help control one of the most dangerous invasive aquatic species the state has ever known, giant salvinia. A native of Brazil, giant salvinia is a floating, rootless fern that can double its coverage area in less than a week. The invasive plant, first discovered in a small pond near Houston in 1998, has been reported in 17 Texas lakes, including some of the state’s most popular recreational water bodies: Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn, Caddo Lake, Sheldon Lake, Lake Texana and Lake Conroe. Left unchecked, giant salvinia can choke off boating and fishing access to an entire lake, clog power plant water intakes, and displace beneficial native plants needed by fish. “Not only is giant salvinia endangering the ecol-ogy of our Texas lakes, it’s threatening the econo-mies of lakeside communities that depend on fish-ing, boating, and tourism,” said Carter Smith, TPWD ex-ecutive director. “The truth is most invasive species can-not be eradicated; we can only hope to slow their spread or prevent their arrival,” said Peter Holt, TPW Commission chairman.” With the arrival of the spring outdoor recreation season, TPWD is launching a campaign to educate the public about ways to identify, report and stop giant salvinia, which is usually spread unknowingly by people moving their boats from lake to lake. “It only takes one little tiny section of a plant to start a new infestation,” said Howard Elder, an aquatic vegetation control ex-pert in TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Divi-sion. Transporting giant salvinia is pro-hibited by state law. Because it grows so fast, mechanical methods to remove the plant are imprac-tical and the use of herbicides amounts to a costly, after-the- fact control measure. “No one has enough money to fix the problem once this plant gets established,” Elder said. What we can do: • Learn to identify and report giant salvinia and other invasive aquatic species. • Clean your boat, jet ski, trailer and gear and place plant material in a trash can before leaving a boat ramp area. • If you see giant salvinia, report it at giantsalvinia @ tpwd.state.tx.us or 409.384.9965. • Learn more online at www.texasinvasives.org. From Texas Parks & Wildlife Clean Air Act Update A group of concerned citizens of San Antonio met in early April at the Federal Building for a press conference followed by a meeting with Stephanie Smith from the of-fice of Rep. Charlie Gonzalez. Besides Public Citizen (from Austin) and Energia Mia, the Sierra Club, and our own Audubon Society there were 2 students from a UTSA environmental group that expressed concern about the numerous House bills that are being proposed to ei-ther admonish EPA for the recent use of the Clean Air Act or to modify the Act directly. The United States fed-eral government has enacted a series of clean air acts, beginning with the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955, and followed by the Clean Air Act of 1963, the Air Quality Act of 1967, the Clean Air Act Extension of 1970, and Clean Air Act Amendments in 1977 and 1990.The current at-tempt to amend the Clean Air Act are all spon-sored by certain Republicans in the House of Representatives. HR 391 is the largest out of seven filed and has 153 co-sponsors, according to the Thomas web search program. All agreed in our hour long talk that Mr. Gonzalez has been a worthy carrier of environmental concerns as he serves on the subcommittee for Energy and the Environ-ment. In 2009 he received a 100% ranking by the League of Conservation Voters. The year before it was 74% so we were especially encouraged and Ms. Smith (the Spe-cial Project Manager) was quite appreciative of the gen-eral tone of the meeting. If you, too, are interested in Mr. Gonzalez and his worthwhile environmental concerns, feel free to leave him a message either by phone at 210.472.6195 or on the web site at www.gonzalez.house.gov. Try the following link for a Flying WILD activity: http://www.youtube.com/user/FlyingWILDbirdEd? feature=mhw4 Read more about Flying WILD on page 4. Page 4 May-July 2010 Bexar Tracks Mitchell Lake Audubon Center About Mitchell Lake Just south of downtown San Antonio, Mitchell Lake Audubon Center is located on a 1200-acre natural area. This unique and beautiful bird haven consists of the 600-acre Mitchell Lake, 215 acres of wetlands and ponds and 385 acres of upland habitat. Audubon Texas has partnered with the San Antonio Water Sys-tem (SAWS) to showcase this wonderful natural area and welcomes na-ture enthusiasts, school-children and families. MLAC programs held on Saturdays unless other-wise noted. Limited space, RSVP required for many programs. Some programs have fees. Info/ RSVP: mlac@audubon. org, 210.628.1639. Green program. Free, space limited, RSVP required. Starry, Starry Night June 19, 8:30—10:30 PM Astronomy Night with the San Antonio Astronomical Association. An evening of star gazing and astron-omy. Bring chairs and blan-kets! Free. Mitchell Lake Audubon Center 10750 Pleasanton Rd. San Antonio TX 78221 210.628.1639 www.mitchelllakeaudubon.org Susan Albert Center Director some to loan. Dress for a bird walk: long pants, dull colors, walking shoes, & a hat. $5/non-members; free for members. San Antonio Road Run-ners Bird Lovers 10K Monday, May 31, 8 AM The fourth annual fun run at Mitchell Lake sponsored by the San Antonio Road Runners! Come and enjoy running at our site. SARR has a 5K and 10K route. June TogetherGreen Commu-nity Gardening Day June 5, 9 AM—Noon Get MLAC Native Plant Gardens ready for the growing season. Help us with garden tasks and learn about these great native and drought tolerant plants and how to use your new skills in your home landscape. No experience necessary. Project funded through Toyota's Together May Ethnobotany Plant Walk May 15, 9—11:30 AM with Patty Leslie Pasztor Take a walk with Patty to learn the fascinating history and uses of many of the unique plants found at Mitchell Lake. Many of the plants you’ll see have been used for food and medicine and play an important role in our history. You’ll be amazed! Program fee: $5/non-members; free for members. Basic Birding for Adults May 29, 8:30—11:30 AM Do you enjoy watching birds & find birds interesting and beautiful? MLAC Docents Tom & Patsy Inglet share tools, tips, & techniques for you to build your birding skills. The class is 1.5 hours of in-struction and 1.5 hours in the field. Bring binoculars & a bird field guide; we also have Become a Class of 2010 Flying Wild Teacher Flying WILD makes it easy for teachers to educate their students about birds and their conser-vation. Hundreds of teachers in the San Antonio region will be trained in the Flying WILD curricu-lum that engages children in bird conservation and gets kids outdoors! • Are you a classroom teacher or environmental educator? • Do you work or volunteer for a locally based organization or group? • Do you facilitate other EE training programs? Become a Flying WILD Teacher! Help educators reconnect city kids with nature and build science and literacy skills through birds. Choose from these two upcoming training sessions, in May or June: May 25, 9 AM—4 PM Required Basic Training May 26, 9 AM—12 Noon Supplemental Training Cibolo Nature Center Pavilion, Boerne, TX June 9 and 10, 9 AM—12 Noon Eisenhower Park Pavilion Workshop registration, contact Mary Kennedy at mbkenned@sbcglobal.net (or nature@cibolor.org for CNC work-shop). Formal and non-formal educators will be trained in bird education with the Flying WILD program. Flying WILD provides interdisciplinary activities and environmental education for educators to help middle school students excel academically with a program that engages students in real inquiry, and meets national science standards. Flying WILD materials provides interactive, interdisciplinary, standards-based activities to help students understand the importance of migratory birds and their conservation. ***Activities are grouped as teacher-led, student-led, or volunteer-led. Teacher workshops: Teachers learn how to conduct WILD lessons, participate in hands-on activities from the activity guide which teaches basic biology, identification and ecology, and bird conservation service learning activities. ***Participants receive great ideas as well as the curriculum guide to take back to their school or organization. Flying WILD is a program of the Council for Environmental Education. www.flyingwild.org Community Events May Wildlife Field Research Event Monday-Saturday, May 3-8 CNC Park; free. Registration required. Info/register, call 830.249.8240. Be-come a citizen scientist! Interested in mammals, insects, reptiles, birds, grasses, trees, fishes or aquatic inver-tebrates? Volunteers receive training and hands-on experience doing sur-veys that monitor our land stewardship practices. Kid’s Club: Stop Buggin’ Me! May 8 CNC Backporch. Donations accepted; for kids from 3-103. No drop offs. Ever wonder why bugs “bug” us so much? Let’s take a closer look at bugs and get to know these little guys better. 2nd Saturday Volunteer Workday May 8, 9 AM—-Noon CNC Park. Bring family and friends to spend the morning pulling weeds, pick-ing up trash and other to-do projects to help keep the CNC beautiful. Art in the Park May 15, 10 AM—2 PM CNC Park; free. Cibolo Arts Council and CNC bring you this family event for expressing creativity inspired by nature. School-aged children and adults work together on art activities such as bead-ing, flower pot painting, outdoor pho-tography, water colors and more. Pro-fessional and student artists will be here demonstrating their talents. Chil-dren and adults create together. No drop-offs please. BAS & SAAS will have a Flying WILD station and par-ticipants will be making a mural on butcher paper on the wall of the back porch of the view of the birds at the feeding station. Rainwater Harvest Workshop May 15, 9 AM—Noon Repeated June 12, July 10 CNC auditorium and visit to Kight in-stallation. Pre-registration required; fee. Limited to 30. John Kight, engineer and rainwater catchment owner, gives the latest technological information and practical advice. Learn about design and materials from someone who has done it himself! The Kight home with no well or outside water source is in a tra-ditional development. Boerne Birders/Kiehl Park May 15, 8—10 AM Donations welcome. Info: contact Jerry gmcfarlen@mcfarlenlaw.com or Del-mar at 830.230.5551. Meet at Kiehl Park entrance parking lot. Come bird this new Kendall County Park on the Guadalupe River, with grassland and extensive wooded river frontage. Mother Nature’s Storytime: Wildlife Babies Tuesday, May 18, 10—11 AM CNC Visitor Center; donations gladly accepted. For children ages 3-5 and their caregiver. Our theme this month is nature’s littlest ones! Sustainable Concept House Workshop May 29, 9 AM—Noon Fee. The Adams family has lived in the Sustainable Concept House now for one year and will share their insights on what works/what doesn't in the home and yard. Program includes in-ground rainwater storage, sub-surface drip irrigation and gray water reclama-tion for outdoor watering. Second Saturday Beginners’ Walks Join San Antonio Audubon Soci-ety on the second Saturday of the month; start at 8 AM, meet at the Judson Nature Trails next to the Alamo Heights swimming pool, on Viesca street. More information, call 210.342.2073. Newbies Welcome! Page 5 May-July 2010 Bexar Tracks CIBOLO NATURE CENTER All listings are on Saturdays unless otherwise indicated CNC: 140 City Park Dr., Boerne. For more information visit www.cibolo.org/ calendar. Pre-registration for workshops, 830.249.4616 or nature@cibolo.org. Except where noted, workshops/seminars on Saturdays, varying fees. MEDINA RIVER NATURAL AREA (MRNA) 15890 Highway 16 South San Antonio TX 78264 MRNA located approx. 4½ miles south of Loop 410 on SH 16 South Reservations requested for all MRNA events. Information or RSVP for any event in the MRNA call 210.624.2575. SECOND SATURDAY PROGRAMS Celebrate Mother Earth May 8, 9—11 AM With Apache del Rio Intertribal or-ganization as they honor the earth with Native American dancing and storytelling. Native American kid friendly craft included. SNAKES ALIVE! June 12, 9—11 AM With the South Texas Herpetology Association. View up close Texas native non-venomous and venomous snakes. Kid friendly snake mobile activity included. Rocks, Minerals and Stones July 10, 9—11 AM With gemologist Emmett Jackson. Discussion of rock and mineral for-mations. View display of different types of minerals and semi-precious stones. Kid friendly activity of polish-ing rocks and stones. www.sanaturalareas.org Suggested donation for each program is $3/person or $5/family SUMMER CAMPS at MRNA: You Rock! Get Outdoors Camp June 21-25, 8:30--11:30 AM Campers learn about ethnobotany, geological forces of nature, compass and natural area inventory tech-niques with nature craft activities in-cluded. You Rock! recommended for pre-teens (4th–7th grade). Suggested donation for one week of camp is $50. Pre-registration required by June 4, limited to 15 campers. Lim-ited scholarships are available. For more information or to register for this or other summer camps in the MRNA, call 210.624.2575. Page 6 May-July 2010 Bexar Tracks First Saturday Nature Walks Tree Walk Crownridge Canyon Natural Area 7222 Luskey Blvd. May 1, 10 AM—12 Noon With all the rain and the cooler weather, everything is incredibly green this year. The meadow at Crownridge is covered with wildflowers and the trees are lush with foliage. Join us on this Nature Walk that will focus on the trees of this gem of a Natural Area. See which ones fared well in the drought and get some ideas for native plantings at home! Reservations suggested; hikes occa-sionally change. Call 210.372.9124 or peggy.spring@sanantonio.gov. Partici-pants limited to 15/hike. $2/person suggested donation. Upcoming Walks: June 5 Friedrich Park Family walk with crafts July 3 Walker Ranch Family walk with crafts Aug 7 Eisenhower Park Family walk with crafts Walks from 10 AM—12 Noon. Family walks with crafts end at 11:30. Info and reservations at 210.564.6400 or email peggy.spring@sanantonio.gov. www.sanaturalareas.org May Day SPRING WILD FLOWERS May 1, 9—11 AM Take a guided walk with Lottie Milsaps, Texas wildflower expert, to view and identify the local wildflowers in the park. Make a kid friendly May Day Basket of flowers to take home. This event is located at 12000 NW Military. Bus Shuttle available at the (HEB) Alon Shopping Center, just south of Wurzbach Pkwy/NW Military. Tails on the Trails June 5, 8—10 AM Join the Search and Rescue Dogs, Guide Dogs of Texas, SA Big Dawgs and Military Dogs in exploring the ways dogs have helped in the com-munity! You are welcome to bring your dogs to this event; Pets Must Be Leashed and Controlled by Owner. Event at 13203 Blanco Rd. entrance, just north of Wurz-bach Pkwy. SAN ANTONIO NATURAL AREAS For more information on listings below, visit www.sanaturalareas.org or www.bexaraudubon.org Plants of the Canyon Crownridge Canyon NA June 12, 10 AM—12 Noon Janis Merritt, local native plant ex-pert, will lead a walk focusing on identification, ethnobotany and poten-tial landscape uses. Growing Up WILD Eisenhower Park July 10, 10 AM—12 Noon This program targets children ages 3- 7 and their families with nature games, crafts, hands-on displays and other activities. Second Saturday program suggested donation $3/individual, $5/family. Neighborhood Birds Friedrich Park (note location!!) Friedrich Wilderness Park Classroom 21395 Milsa, San Antonio 78256 May 8, 10 AM—12 Noon Do you enjoy watching the birds out-side the window in your yard squab-bling over a seed, splashing in a pud-dle, or cruising around the flowers? Why are humans so interested in birds? Explore your interest in birds and learn the basics of binocular use and bird identification. Bring your fam-ily (recommended for children 7 and over) and join Tom and Patsy Inglet for this great program. Reservations recommended, 210.372.9124 or peggy.spring@sanantonio.gov. Second Saturday Programs Co-sponsored by Bexar Audubon Society and City of San Antonio Hardberger Park Events Phil Hardberger Park has entrances at 12000 NW Military Hwy. and 13203 Blanco Rd. Call for information at 210.624.2575. Donations welcome (donations fund the Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy). See the back page for information on the Hardberger Park Grand Opening on May 15th. Cowles is just uphill from Laurie Auditorium & between Library and Chapman Graduate Center. Park by Laurie or in lots or on streets to the west. Handicapped parking across from Cowles. Enter from Oakmont or Rosewood. Call Patty for addi-tional directions, 210.824.1235 or see additional map at bexaraudubon.org/map.jpg. Library Laurie Chapman Cowles May BAS Program at Trinity University Room 149, Cowles Life Science Building Bexar Audubon Society Contacts President: Tony Wood—210.867.2363; tonywood@sbcglobal.net Vice President: Anita Anderson—210.533.8726; ajandrsn@sbcglobal.net Treasurer: Caryl Swann—210.653.2860; c.swann@att.net Secretary: Susan Hughes—210.532.2032; susan@wordwright.com At-Large: Bill Hurley—210.823.1023, billhurley@satx.rr.com At-Large: Greg Pasztor—210.824.1235, gpasztor@ix.netcom.com Webmaster & At-Large: Harry Noyes—210.490.3124; harrynoyes@satx.rr.com Programs/Outings: Patty Pasztor—210.824.1235; pasztor@ix.netcom.com Education Chairperson: Mary Kennedy—mbkenned@sbcglobal.net Editor: Michele Wood—210.492.4684, editor@bexaraudubon.org Page 7 May-July 2010 Bexar Tracks Earth Share of Texas raises money for environmental and conservation or-ganizations through workplace giving. If your employer participates in such programs, please ask them to add Earth Share to your giving options. By des-ignating the Audubon Foundation of Texas (AFT), Bexar Audubon Society can benefit. BAS receives credit for our support and receives funding annually form AFT. For more information, call, email or log on: 800.GREENTX, ESTX@earthshare-texas.org, or www.earthshare-texas.org. Our two years of trials demon-strate that ram sheep, Spanish goats, Boer goats, and donkeys feed enthusiastically on A. donax. Poncho, one of our two donkeys, is thriving after almost two years browsing and grazing primarily on river cane. Our goat herd now comprises one Billy, four nannies and three kids. Most have fed on cane for about five months and appear healthy. Two nannies produced vigorous kids while feeding on cane. Feral dog prob-lems have impeded long term data on sheep and goats. We have built more secure fencing, set dog traps, and increased sur-veillance by our volunteers and by Border Patrol agents, who have generously helped us with the experiment. One question regards the live-stock carrying capacity of an acre of cane during different seasons of the year. In recent winter months the cane growth rate was low. Two donkeys and five goats decimated one acre of cane in a few weeks and had to be fed supplemental hay until they could be transferred to a new stand of cane. Now, April 6, 2010 seven goats and two donkeys are hav-ing difficulty keeping up with cane growth on the same acre. Other questions include: At what stage of development is cane more attractive and palat-able to animals? What, if any, supplemental nutri-ents will be required for long-term feeding with cane? How will cane be replaced with native spe-cies? Our work suggests one way in which cane may be controlled to economic advantage, rather than by spending large sums of taxpayer money to em-ploy environmentally damaging techniques. We wish to honor Susan Porter Smith, environ-mental visionary, science research editor, and artist who founded Save the Laja, Inc., and to thank the organization she established for its financial sup-port of our river cane project to safely and effec-tively improve habitat along the Rio Grande by less environmentally threatening means. Thanks for Ms. Nelly Hays, LCC Intern, who has worked above and beyond the call of duty to keep this project go-ing, and Ms. Penny Warren, RGISC Board Member and expert birder, for her input. To lend your sup-port, contact Dr. Earhart at LCC, Rio Grande Inter-national Study Center, West End Washington St., Laredo TX 78040. Controlling Giant River Cane Continued from page 3 Recycle a Milk Carton. It's for the Birds! Audubon Licensing and Audubon Adventures are proud to announce the Make Your Own milk carton birdfeeder promotion in association with Stonyfield Farm. Make use of your empty milk cartons, reduce waste and help wild birds too! PLUS, kids (with permission from their parents) can submit their creations online from April 1st through August 31st. Five participants will be selected by Audubon to be displayed in an on-line art exhibit with their names, photos and outstanding milk carton bird feeders. The five featured participants will be posted on Stonyfield's website and Audubon's website. Visit http://audubon.org/educate/kids/ birdfeeder.html for details. Fall Alamo Area Master Naturalist Training Program Become a member of the founding chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists. This volunteer group provides education, outreach and volunteer service dedicated to the beneficial management of our region’s natural resources and natural ar-eas. Fall training program offers expert speakers on a wide range of subjects. Semester consists of ten Thursday lectures beginning Sept. 9th, plus four Saturday morning field trips. Tuition $125; scholarships available. Applications/instructions at www.alamomasternaturalist.org/join. Applications accepted starting June 1st; deadline August 23rd. Bexar Tracks is the official newsletter of the Bexar Audubon Society, a Chapter of the National Audu-bon Society. The Chapter’s primary goals are to promote species and habitat conservation and environmental education in the community. Your membership includes National Audubon and Bexar Audubon and subscriptions to both Audubon and Bexar Tracks. www.bexaraudubon.org Membership and Support for Your Environmental Voice in Our Community Bexar Audubon welcomes new members to join Audubon through the chapter. This brings 100 percent of the first year’s dues di-rectly back to support local work. The same applies to gift memberships placed through the chapter. Your additional tax deductible donation is greatly appreciated. Bexar Audubon receives only a few thousand dollars each year from National Audubon Society as dues share. The rest we must raise ourselves. Your help is needed, and your donations will be put to good use right here in South Central Texas to provide environmental news and education to the community, including the newsletter, programs, San Antonio En-vironmental Network Issues Forum, Second Saturday programs, and other activities you may or may not hear about. Individual intro-ductory memberships are $20; seniors and students join for $15. Please provide the following information for each personal subscrip-tion or gift: Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address with Zip Code: _______________________________________________________________________ Phone w/Area Code: _________________________________ e-mail ________________________________________ Do you wish to opt out of other mailings by Audubon or those with whom it shares lists? ____ yes ____ no Make checks payable to “Bexar Audubon Society” and mail to the address above. Enclosed: $__________ for subscription(s) $_________ additional donation NOTE: Renewals should be sent directly to National Audubon Society. NOTE: If you change address or cancel membership, you do NOT need to contact Bexar Audubon but MUST contact National Audubon (and we will automatically get that change when we download labels). Save time and energy by mailing your change of address information to National Audubon Soci-ety Membership Data Center, PO Box 52529, Boulder CO 80322-2529; phoning 800.274.4201; or e-mailing CHADD@audubon.org. For the latest information on environmental events and happenings throughout the San Anto-nio community and surrounding areas, check out www.bexaraudubon.org and www.sa-naturecenter.org Non-Profit Organization US Postage Paid San Antonio TX Permit #1527 Bexar Audubon Society PO Box 6084 San Antonio TX 78209-0084 Bexar Tracks May-July 2010 Phil Hardberger Park Grand Opening May 15, 10 AM Events throughout the day! Family Friendly (even the dog!) Phil Hardberger Park at 13203 Blanco Road is bounded by Blanco, Wurzbach Parkway, and NW Military. No public parking in Hardberger Park on Grand Opening Day—take the shuttle from Churchill HS on Blanco or from Alon (HEB) Shopping Center on NW Military. Come on out and enjoy the grand opening of the first phase of this beautiful 311 acre park. Relax, enjoy the wonder of nature, and have fun!
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