| Summary: | Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). 21 0.822·4503 NOVEMBER 1992 BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY The Chapter's primary goals are to promote species and habitat conservation and environmental education In the community. Inside Tracks • Exciting auction October 30 • Bexar Land Trust challenge grant received • President reports on outing to Honey Creek and volunteer conservation plans • New population video tapes • October 25-31 is World Population Awareness Week • Be an Armchair Activist • Don't forget to vote November 3 (early/absentee voting available through October 30) HAS Member Activities Caves of Belize and Guatemala Are November Topic George Veni, a hydrologist specializing .in cave research, will speak on Thursday, November 19, at our monthly general meeting. His topic will be the _ _ .,r_,,_,_,,l National Geographic expedition to caves in Belize and Guatemala, in ' which he was recently a participant. Veni is a member of Bexar Grotto, a local spelunking organization. and has special interest in endangered cave species and archaeological remains. In his work as a hydrologist, Veni deals with local and national aquifer issues. ·· The meeting will be held at the Ruble Center, 419 E. Magnolia, and is free and open to the public. . . . . Refreshments are available at 7pm with the pro- ':: '~)~f ;, ,., ~ gram following at 7:30. ~}, . -· . : . · ·- · · Come at 6 and attend the ·. ~,f,.-~:~· . . K·'o ~ Central America .-. ,,_ ·-- ~oo:f.'.:. Chapt~r Con~ervation Comm1ttee Meetmg, too. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area Is Outing Destination Saturday, November 21 Call Marge Flandermeyer, 684-2668. to make your reservation, or sign up at the November meeting. Then, meet in the parking lot at Pen Foods (Callaghan Road at I-10 W, outside Loop 410) at 9 am on the 21st to make the pleasant journey to Enchanted Rock, just 18 miles north of Fredericksburg, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. The subject of romantic folklore and site of historic events, Enchanted Rock was sacred to area Native Americans. The enormous granite batholith-a gigantic mass of molten rock that rose to the earth's crust millions of years ago-continues to inspire awe in all who see it. The formation that is the focus of the 1643 acre state natur.al area is just one "small" exposed part of the batholith that extends about 100 square miles. Enchanted Rock is the second largest rock mountain in the US; only Georgia's Stone Mountain is larger. From a distance the rock appears barren, but during your mile-long climb to the summit, you 'll be impressed by the lichens, cacti, grasses, lizards, insects. and other life that make Enchanted Rock their home. After rains, there are ponds, marshes. and vernal pools that dot the granite mound and promote the weathering that will someday erode away even this mammoth. Since its granite is too coarse for commercial quarrying, Enchanted Rock has escaped the fate of Bear Mountain, some 14 miles south , and Granite Mountain, near Marble Falls, which have been extensively quarried. Enchanted Rock was privately owned until 1978, when it was purchased by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. in cooperation with the Nature Conservancy. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy with your fellow Auduboners, and invite your friends to come along for the day. ~ BEXAR TRACKS, November 1992 Bexar Facts President's Letter October's outing to Honey Creek State Natural Area was lightly attended and very cordial. Audubon members Harold and Emily Scott and I met at the entrance to Guadalupe River State Park and proceeded to the adjoining Honey Creek SNA. There we were met by Penny Solis. Ms. Solis is a volunteer docent at Honey Creek and was our guide for the morning tour. Several other visitors (two of which were also named Scott) also joined the tour. Penny gave a brief talk on the history of Honey Creek SNA and the early German immigrants to the region. She spoke of "free" land deals and German nobl emen, bankrupted colonization enterprises and hardships the settlers faced, and the peaceful relations the German settlers developed with the Comanches. She also told us how agricultural practices helped to change the face of the Hill Country from a vast grass and oak savannah to the scrubby woodland we see today. Our tour began at the turn-of-the-century Rust House and passed stands of ashe juniper, live oak, hackberry, and cedar elm. At one point. Penny stoped the tour and pointed out an area where a prescribed burn was conducted several years ago. The contrasts were striking. The road where we stood had ser\led as a firebreak. One side of the road was fairly heavily wooded with juniper and other woody plants. The burned side was more akin to a sparsely w,ooded glade, with mature oaks and junipers standing over a carpet of tawny grasses. As we walked along, Penny pointed out several varieties of grasses: silver bluestem, little bluestem, brushy bluestem, indian grass, side-oats gramma, and the ubiquitous exotic, King Ranch bluestem. We came upon a stand of big muhly growing in a moist area at the foot of a Glen Rose riser. They were in full bloom, with spectacular silverywhite inflorescences. We passed rock fences and over the old wagon road to Sisterdale. Then we descended a long-dormant basalt intrusion and reached Honey Creek. Here we stood in the shade of contorted sycamores and upright bald cypresses. In the limestone below, Penny showed us a recently re-exposed shell casting of a long-dead Navitiloid. She said that Honey Creek had never gone dry, and debris high above our heads spoke of the power of recent Hill Country floods. Old folk wisdom of "not building homes where palmettos grow" certainly held true here, on the banks of Honey Creek within sight . of the Guadalupe. We ascended the high bank and then traveled back along Honey Creek. In this transition zone between grassland and creek, we saw a greater diversity of trees than before. Added to the upland trees were walnut, basswood. black cherry, post oak, shin oak, red oak, buckeye, and bumi lia; many with branches festooned with silver-gray bromeliads or multihued lichens. Evidence of woodpeckers abounded, with tree bark scarred from their tappings. The trail again passed near the creek. Honey Creek now formed a series of deep pools filled with clear blue water. Stems of water lilies and other aquatic plants were clearly visible, as were sunfish, bass, and carp. High above, the ruddy canopy of bald cypress traced the path of Honey Creek. Further upstream, a small riffle announced the creek passage over more resistant stone. It was at this point Penny told us that Honey Creek SNA had been slated for development into creek frontage lots, complete with roads and trailer houses. Had the Nature Conservancy not purchased this tract. none of what we were seeing would have been accessible to the citizens of Texas. We returned to the Rust House following a slightly more direct route and ate an impromptu lunch. Penny said that Texas Parks & Wildlife is going to reinstitute the volunteer program to continue the restoration work at Honey Creek SNA. I have already signed up. I invite you to support the program as well. You may call me at 736-0355 for more information or contact the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. - Walter G. Barfield Page2 Jl Tew Population Videos 1. W Mark World Population Awareness Week Three new videos added to the BAS video library are on the subject of population. World population trends are startling, and human population is having a devastating effect on the health of the planet. People and organizations throughout the world are working to help bring earth's population into balance with its resources and environment. While the issue is intimidating, and the sheer size of the issues-defined in millions and billions-can defy comprehension, each of us can make a difference. population is something we can do something about. The challenge is to do it. through education and empowerment. "Finding the Balance: toward a stable population and a sustainable planet." This brand new video from National Audubon Society is a sequel to the acclaimed, "What Is the Limit?" "World Population [Revised]." It's only six minutes long, but it is probably the best-ever graphic simulation of human population growth. "Population and Wildlife." This National Audubon Society video examines Audubon's international "Sharing the Earth" project, in which nature preserves with like problems but in different parts of the world, are paired for study, exchange, and mutual benefit. World Population Awareness Week is October 25-31. Why not check-out a population video to share with your school class, civic organization. co-workers, or another group? Please contact Betty Minyard at 344-6128 for information. The BAS video library is available for use at no charge by teachers or groups for educational purposes. Interested individuals may also borrow video tapes. When possible, Betty even delivers and picks up for schools and groups. Ask for a list of videos in the BAS collection. If you have video tapes that would be appropriate for the BAS library, please call Betty. Your donation would be appreciated by many viewers. PROJECT VOTE SMART VOTER INFORMATION HOTLINE-1-800-786-6885 ~ BEXAR TRACKS, November 1992 'rI'Mr '/ hooping Crane Will the destruction of tropical rain forests .1\ release viruses that have long remained iso- Numbers Up Jated? Will the sweeping changes predicted A record forty pairs nested this year, because of global warming alter animal producing an estimated 35 young. Fifteen habitats in ways that encourage the spread to twenty chicks survived and should of new lethal diseases? make the migration-meaning a total of -Peter Jaret. The disease detectives: 145 cranes are expected to spend the win- stalking the world's epidemics. National ter in and around the Aransas National Geographic 179(1) January 1991, 114-140. Wildlife Refuge on the Texas Coast. Evidemics & EIWironment: Are They Connected? "An epidemic is an experiment of nature," explains virus expert Stephen Morse of Rockefeller University. "Like all living things, viruses and bacteria are constantly evolving. At the same time, human communities are changing, creating new ways for diseases to spread." " . perhaps most worrisome." says Morse, "is disruptive environmental change. We know already that deforestation and sweeping agricultural changes can unleash epidemics. Major outbreaks of Rift Valley fever followed the construction of the Aswan High Dam-most likely because breeding grounds were created for mosquitoes, which spread the disease. In Brazil the introduction of cacao farming coincided with epidemics of Oropouche fever-a disease linked to a biting insect that thrives in discarded hulls." A Good Read with an Important Message Take one part action adventure, one part undercover law enforcement procedural. one part sensitive environmental assessment, and one part social profile. wrap it up in a finely crafted story. and you have a bit of an idea of the rich experience of reading Came Wars: The Undercover Pursuit of Wildlife Poachers (New York: Penguin, 1991). Written by Marc Reisner, for. many years a staff writer at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Came Wars was described by Newsweek as "one of the most disquieting books ever written about environmentalism." I can vouch for that. If you ever think that game wardens have a funfilled job wandering about enjoying nature. think again. These dedicated law enforcement officers are on the front line. seriously understaffed and overextended, and fighting an economic battle against the greed and exploitative nature Page4 of dangerous criminals and the common, everyday people whose lack of caring or understanding continues to keep them in their lucrative black-market business. When they are able to build a solid case against these criminals, the penalties provided for in the laws are often so minor as to be laughable. Three case studies form the core of the book. Their subj~ts ar~ alligators, ivory, and sacalait: a Louisiana game fish. Chapter four, entitled "Loss," recounts how this country has squandered its wildlife heritage, often purposefully. Reisner traces the history of beavers, heath hens, Carolina parakeets, passenger pigeons, and bison. In spite of today's somewhat more enlightened policies toward endangered species, however [themselves in peril of softening, degradation, or destruction, and difficult to enforce], we are still not doing what needs to be done to protect and preserve habitat. Reisner's careful look at the changes in the Mississippi delta region illustrate the severity of habitat loss there for waterfowl, shellfish, and freshwater marsh plants, in part because of saltwater intrusion into the estuaries and marshes. What causes this loss? The disruption of Mississippi River hydrology. Came Wars is a compelling read, and when you're through, you'll want to try to improve and increase support for this important group of professionals who work so hard to protect our wildlife and habitat - S. K. Hughes National Audubon Society Chapter Membership Application Armchair Activist You'll get monthly mailings on national and local issues telling you what to do and how to do it, sample letters, easy instructions-tools for quick and effective action. For more information call (512) 696-6868. 0 Yes, I'd like to join. Please enroll me as a member of the National Audubon Society and of my local chapter, Bexar Audubon Society. Please send Audubon magazine, Bexar Tracks, and my membership card to the address below. NAME ____________________________ _ 0 A $20 check for my introductory membership is enclosed. 0 I think an Audubon Society membership is a great gift. Send gift memberships to my friends and family listed separately ($20 each). NAME ________________________________ __ ADDRESS --- CITY/ STATE/ZIP --- PHONE --- Make all checks payable to the National Audubon Society. Send this form and your check to: Bexar Audubon Society P.O.Box. 6084, San Antonio, TX 78209 r --- wi-9 _____ 1 l Local Charter ! L __ 5:~:_?~-~---J A H Aududa-H S a-det&j memde~td-~ift id- t~e fte~t5ee-t ~a-tida&f 9ilt 5a-~t 5amit&f aHd l~tieHdd-. ADDRESS ________________________ _ CITY/STATE/ZIP _____________________________ _ PHONE(home) (bus.) (fax) ____ __ Desired Armchair Activity (check one or more): 0 Letter of the Month 0 Adopt-N-Issue 0 Village Voice 0 Armchair Outreach 0 Media Master o Any or all 0 Activity Coordinator 0 Telephone Rapid Response Team 0 AMOUNT ENCLOSED: $6.00 (annual subscription rate) (Payable to Bexar Audubon Society-Helps with postage and supplies) Mail to: Armchair Activist, Bexar Audubon Society, PO Box 6084, San Antonio, TX 78209 PageS Environmental Initiatives by the Military The San Antonio Environmental Network Public Forum on Environmental Issues will convene on Tuesday, December 8, at 7 pm. The location is the First Unitarian Church, 807 Beryl (on the access road, southeast of Loop 410 and I- 10; across I-10 from Crossroads Mall). Speakers will be Mr. David Kowalski, US Army Corps of Engineers, Construction · Engineering Research Lab, Champaign, Illinois; and Col. Jose Saenz, US Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence. Brooks Air Force Base, in San Antonio. Often the military is considered by the public to be a major player in causing environmental degradation and destruction. Thus, it may come as something of a surprise to discover that the Department of Defense is becoming increasingly involved in developing and implementing a number of significant programs to clean up and protect our natural resources. In the San Antonio area. with five active training bases, military activities are of great public concern, especially as they relate to the economy and the environment. What are these new environmental initiatives by the military and how are they likely to affect this region and the rest of the ·country? Col. Saenz will discuss the objectives and activities of the Center for Environmental Excellence and the Air Force's Installation Restoration Program. Mr. Kowalski will discuss the DOD's Legacy Program and several of the Army's new environmental protection and land management initiatives. Admission to the forum is free and the pui:S'lic is encouraged to attend. For further information, call 826-4698. Calendar, continued 8 San Antonio Environmental Network Public Forum: Environmental initiatives by the military. See above for more info. 12 BAS Second Saturday at Friedrich Wilderness Park. 9 am. Free. Call 698-1057 for topic. 17 BAS Conservation Committee Meeting. Ruble Center, 419 E. Magnolia, 6 pm. Call Dick Pipes,J-210-569-2452. All members and interested people invited. 17 BAS General Meeting at the Ruble Center, 419 E. Magnolia, 7 pm. Free & open to the public. Holiday party and member slide show. Start sorting your slides now! 19 BAS outing, destination to be announced. BEXAR TRACKS, November 1992 ~ NOTE: The Federal Facilities Compli- Methyl bromide has a relatively short (18- ance Act, which forces all federal facili- month) lifetime in the atmosphere. Thus, a ties to comply with the same hazardous reduction in the use of methyl bromide will and solid waste regulations as businesses yield rapid improvements in slowing ozone a_nd lo~al governments, was recently depletion. (Because chlorine compounds s1gned mto law. have a much longer lifetime, benefits rom More Armchair Activists NeededEnlist Today The Armchair Activist program will ramp up in November, and you are needed to join the ranks. Just send in the coupon on pae 4, or call 696-6868, to register your interest. You get carefully targeted, concise communications on important issues each month, ready for you to take action that requires only a few minutes of your time. Armchair Activist helps you make your voice heard on issues that matter to you. reducing CFCs, which is in process, will take longer to realize.) Under the Clean Air Act, methyl bromide should qualiJY as a Class 1 ozone-depleting chemical and, once it is categorized as such, must be phased out no later than 2000 or no more than seven years after it is listed. The EPA has failed to respond to environmental organizations' pressure to phase-out methyl bromide. The US Department of Agriculture, which plays a major role in these decisions, is not supporting the phase-out of methyl bromide. Countries will meet in Copenhagen in November to discuss adjustment and c:tdditions of chemicals to the Montreal Protocol list of recognized ozone-depletors. Listing J:.J by the US would have an impact on other nelp Ban Methyl Bromide nations. The Netherlands has already NASA scientists announced last month that the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica grew 15 percent since last year. A widely used pesticide, methyl bromide, has now joined the list of ozone-depleting chemicals, according to UN Environmental Programme scientists. Methyl bromide is used primarily to sterilize soil for agriculture. According to conservative estimates, human-made methyl bromide is currently causing 5 to 10 percent of ozone depletion. however. these figures could be as high as 20 percent. When methyl bromide breaks down in the stratosphere. bromine is produced, which is 30 to 120 times as destructive as chlorine on a per-atom basis. Bromine is also extremely toxic to humans and has directly caused many deaths. January 24 Where Does the Water Co? San Antonio River Authority at Cibolo Nature Center. 10-11 am. $2 donation. (210) 537-4141. February 13-21 The Llanos of Venezuela. Travis Audubon Society tour. Deposits by November 15. Approx. cost $1500. Call (512) 327-1173 or 471-1675. Ongoing The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department offers nature activities too numerous to list here. Buy your annual Texas Conservation Passport for $25 and get discounts phased out all uses of methyl bromide as a soil fumigant for health reasons and has not suffered economically nor suffered any loss in productivity or sales. Write USDA Secretary Edward R. Madigan, 14th and Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20250, (202) 720-4623, and urge USDA to support the listing of methyl bromide as a Class 1 ozone-depleting substance under the Clean Air Act. Tell him that alternative methods do exist for many, if not all. of the uses of methyl bromide. Ask for a written response. [Source: 20/20 Vision-Their sources: Friends of the Earth, National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides, Pesticide Action Network, United Nations Environmental Programme.] and other benefits. Call1-800-937-9393 for a complete listing of events. Every Thursday, 1 pm, San Antonio City Council meetings, City Hall. National Audubon Society's Action line-a weekly update. Dia1202-547-9009 and ask for the Actionline; after hours, press 4 when the line answers. Bexar Audubon Society meets every third Thursday for its general membership and Conservation Committee meetings. Board meetings are the second Thursday. tDon't forgtt to comt to tht auction. rchere'll be music, refreshments, lrien~ly people, a qreat selection of arts an~ crafts /rom here an~ San 11tique/ ~e Allen~e. an~ a lovely settinq at the Callery at l.os cPatios. ~ BEXAR TRACKS, November 1992 Calendar - October 12 BAS Board Meeting. 7:30 pm. Call Walter 25-31 World Population Awareness Week. Barfield, 736-0355, for location. 30 Last day for early/absentee voting. 130 Auction. See below for details. 31 Halloween Hike & Storytelling. Friedrich Wilderness Park. 6 pm. Call 698-1057. November 2 3 6 7 7 Bats Are Terrific. Kim Hoskins. 7-7:30 pm. SA Zoo Straus Education Center. 734-7184 ext. 113 for more information. ELECTION DAY. Be sure to vote. Last day for written comments on the San Antonio Master Plan. Contact the Planning Department at 299-7873. Friedrich Park. Hike-special for mobility impaired. 9 am. Free. Call 698-1057. Who Eats Who? Friedrich Park Young Naturalist Series. 10 am. Charge. 14 BAS Second Saturday at Friedrich Wilderness Park. Hill Country Crass Walk. 9 am. Free. Call 698 1057. 18 Mitchell Lake Photography Contest awards presentation. 19 BAS Conservation Committee Meeting. Ruble Center, 419 E. Magnolia, 6 pm. Call Dick Pipes, 1-210-569-2452. All members and interested people invited. 19 BAS General Meeting at the Ruble Center, 419 E. Magnolia, 7 pm. Free & open to the public. See page 1 for details. 20-22 Environmental Ethics Nature Interpretation Workshop. Ardmore, OK. Early registration, by Nov 1, is $100, including accommodations and meals. For more information call Gene Hargrove (817)565-2727. Page& 121 BAS outing to Enchanted Rock. See page I I 1 for details. 21 Last Chance Forever at Cibolo Wilderness Trail. 10:30-12. $2. (210) 537-4141. 21 Ethnobotany. Friedrich Wilderness Park. 9 am. Reservations, 696-1057. Charge. 21 Sierra Club Legislative Workshop. Austin. $30. Register by November 16. For information, call (512)477 -1729. 29 "Sex, Lives and Holes in the Skies," World of Audubon, TBS TV, 9pm CST. December 2 Birds of Paradise. Wendy Worth, Curator of Birds. 7-8:30pm. SA Zoo Straus Education Center. 734-7184 ext 113 for info. 5 Friedrich Wilderness Park. Natural History Hike. 9 am. Free. Call 698-1057. 5 Nature Crafts. Friedrich Park.10 am. Charge. Calendar continued on page 5 I•• Revere••ce a••d Retrospect Artists for Conservation c1nd Concern Opening reception 6:30 pm - l~ riday, October 30, 1992 Silent Auction from 6:30 to 8 - Live Auction from 8 to 9 The Gallery at Los Patios - 2015 NE Loop 410 You and your friends are warmly invited. T1Je fa vor of 11 reply is requested to !512) 684-2668. Both live and silent auction events will benefit Bexar Audubon Society and the San Miguel de Allende Audubon Society and will feature paintings, sculpture, ceramics, etchings, serigraphs, and other works by artists in the San Antonio and San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico areas. A selection of items of interest to birders and nature enthusiasts will also be available in the silent auction. Checks, cash, and credit cards will be accepted. For centuries San Miguel has been an artist community. Since the 1950s, San Miguel's international reputation as an art colony has attracted thousands of artists, as well as potters, jewelers, and practitioners of other crafts from the US, Canada, and Europe. San Miguel Audubon has a resident membership that probably includes, proportionately, more successful working artists than any other Audubon chapter in the world. Works by prominent San Miguel artists will be featured at the auction. You are encouraged to attend to view, bid on, and purchase works by these artists, many of whom are being seen here for the first time in the US. Also, visit with members of San Miguel Audubon who are coming north for the event. Proceeds that benefit the San Miguel Audubon Society will be used for their ongoing "parks project," an undertaking dedicated to the restoration and creation of protected parks and garden areas within the town's environs. In addition, 10 percent of sales from the gallery exhibit, which continues through November 29, will support Bexar Audubon education and conservation programs. Featured artists are David Bear, Michael Earney, Bill Fitzgibbons, Michel Pena, Ansen Seale, Michael Smith, and Joanne Tilton. Gallery hours: Monday-Saturday 10-5, Sunday ll-5. Phone (512)655-0538; fax 655-6317. Bexar Audubon Society is grateful to all the artists and businesses who have donated art and merchandise to support this event, and to the Gallery at Los Patios and Jane Schwartz, director, for this extraordinary opportunity. Please come and enjoy the evening at Los Patios. OFFICERS AND BOARD Walter Barfield President 736-0355 Marge F1andenneyer Vice President 684-2668 Betty Minyard Treasurer 344-6128 Caryl Swann Secretary 653-2860 Audrey Cooper Board Member 651-6054 Ronald "Rusty" Guyer Board Member 226-6808 Susan K. Hughes Board Member 696-6868 Thelma Nungesser Board Member 824-8199 Richard Pipes Board Member 1-210-569-2452 Conservation Education Finance COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Richard Pipes 1-210-569-2452 Betty Minyard 344-6128 Membership Thelma Nungesser 824-8199 Outings Marge F1andenneyer 684-2668 Programs Nathan Ratner 826-4462 Publicity Christina O'Connell 308-0959 Armchair Activist Tatjana Terauds 696-6868 Bexar Tracks Editor Susan K. Hughes 696-6868 PO Box 690028, San Antonio, TX 78269-0028•FAX 696-805:3 The editor believes the infomH\tion in this publi cati on to be ;u.::curate as of October 25. We wC'kome contributions of interest to members. Submissions nwy he edited. Deadline is the day after the general meeting. t.•". Print ed on acid-free 50 percent recyc led ~-~S._O Y';. C l • .,. paper(;.JO percent post-consumer was te). -· .• . BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY P.O. BOX 6084 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78209 Address Correction Requested NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Permit No. 590
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