| Summary: | Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). 3iacRs 21 0·822·4503 SEPTEMBER 1993 BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY 1be Chapter's primary goals are to promote species and habitat conservation and environmental education In the community, Inside Tracks BAS Activities • Evening birding at Mitchell Lake in September • REEZ proposal • San Antonio~ bats • Your public officials • Thanks to volunteers • Video library update • Environmental reform is SAEN topic September 14 • Foreign Assistance bills • Legislator listings • New info resources • Fall calendar Open Space Is Topic on Thursday, September 16 The September general meeting of BAS will be held at 7:30pm, September 16, at the Ruble ·Center. The meeting is free and open to the public. RefreShments will be served. The program, which will begin promptly at 7:30, will feature June' Kachtik, who will speak on Open Space in San Antonio. Kachtik, who earned an MS in urban planning and environmental management at UTSA, is chair of the Planning Commission's Neighborhood Advisory Committee and Chair of the Open Space Advisory Board. She is also vice president of Scenic Texas, Inc., and of the San Antonio Women's Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of San Antonio Coalition of Neighborhood Associations and Northside Neighborhoods Organized for Development. The Ruble Center is at 419 E. Magnolia, at the intersection of Carleton, south of Mulberry, east of McCullough; VIA Route 5 (St. Mary's/McCullough/North Star Mall) stops two blocks from the Ruble Center. Conservation Committee at 6:30pm Come to the Ruble Center at 6:30pm for the BAS Conservation Committee meeting. Catch up on local, state, and national issues. Conservation issues coordinators are needed. No experience necessary. Please volunteer. Southwest Regional Conference in SA Sept 29-0ct 3. Stimulating Program Offered-Save These Dates. Look for Registration Materials in the Mail Bexar Audubon will host the Southwest Regional Audubon Conference in San Antonio, September 29-0ctober 3, 1993. The conference hotel will be the Holiday Inn Airport. Hundreds of members and guests from Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Mexico, Central America, and Venezuela are expected to attend. We hope you will be one of them. Program plans indicate a full schedule on the theme, "Beyond Borders" (see conference at a glance on page 4). This reflects a major Society effort to protect migratory wildlife and wildlife habitat and to reduce environmental pollution by removing bureaucratic impediments to cross-border activities and international cooperation. To be included are Audubon's Birds in the Balance program, US/Mexico border concerns, rangeland issues, and culturally diverse community alliances. President Peter Berle; American Birds editor, Susan Drennan; and other members of the National Audubon staff will be on hand to discuss these and other issues during the conference. (continu«<, page 2) [iJ PageZ (continued . ) Bexar Audubon's annual auction will be held in association with the Saturday banquet, adding a new dimension to · this always enjoyable activity. If you have a donation of artwork, handcrafted items, books, bird feeders/houses, etc., please call me at 696-6868. A great selection of outings to area birding and nature sites will be offered Wednesday, September 29, and Sunday, October 3. A special4-day excursion to the Rio Grande Valley is scheduled Sunday, October 3, through Wednesday. More volunteers are needed to help with many of the planning details, on-site logistics during the conference, outings, and the auction. Please volunteer at the level you wish. This event has much promise and should be a great success for Bexar Audubon and for all attendees. Call me at 696-6868 to volunteer or if you do not receive your registration materi.als this week. -Susan Hughes '/llltchell Lake, Saturday J.F~ evening, Sept. 18 Mitchell Lake will be the site of our September outing. Meet at 5pm, Saturday, September 18, at the entrance gate on the east side of Moursund Blvd., 0.7 miles south of Southeast Loop 410. Phone Marge Flandermeyer for your reservation, 657-1665. Don't miss this event. Evening birding at Mitchell Lake is reported to be superb. ·' Joanne Strentzsch President's Letter On September 7, at 7pm at City Hall, the San Antonio Citizen's Advisory Committee for Solid Waste will hold its last public workshop on our solid waste situation. As you may have read in our local papers, Nelson Gardens Landfill is being closed and may not receive a permit to continue operation. The City of San Antonio is now having to landfill its garbage at the Tessman Road Landfill owned by BFI. The City (finally) is in the process of developing a long-range plan to deal with this region's solid waste. One of the proposed "solutions" is a "state-of-the-art solid waste facility called a regional environmental enterprise zone (REEZ)." The REEZ is intended to combine several waste-handling facilities at one site, including a sanitary landfill, composting facili ty, material recovery facility, and administrative facilities. The REEZ might also include some privately-owned businesses involved in recycling. As it is currently envisioned, the facility is planned for a life of 50 to 75 years. Proponents believe such a facility might profit from recycling and be able to accept other areas' garbage. The proposed facility is intended to be "environmentally correct'' and "economically sound." At our planning meeting in August, participants saw the video the Solid Waste Committee prepared about the REEZ and solid waste. We also received a questionnaire concerning site selection criteria for BEXAR TRACKS, September 1993 a REEZ. The questionnaire did not deal with mariy of the larger issues surrounding solid waste management, but cards, letters, and calls to the Mayor, Council, and this committee can. If you have any interest in the solid waste issues facing San Antonio, please attend the September 7 meeting and express your ideas there, or call Irene A. Guzman-Abrams at 222-1591 for more information on how to hear a presentation. - Walter G. Barfield 'I Tolunteers Recognized r & Thanks Delivered Tatjana Terauds baked cookies for the August special lecture. Wally Berkholtz has volunteered to serve on the regional parks advisory committee. Members Wallace Berkholtz, Valerie Camilli, Barb DeLuca, Wanda I. Fill, Doris C. French, Harlan Patterson, Susan P. Rust, and Joanne Strentzsch joined board members Walter Barfield, Marge Flandermeyer, Susan Hughes, Betty Minyard, Richard Pipes, and Bill Woller, and committee chairs, Dan and Kristy Davis and Thelma Nungesser, to participate in the annual planning meeting. Thanks to HEB for hosting the annual planning meeting, as well as providing breakfast and lunch for attendees. The facilities were terrific and contributed to the success of the meeting. Joanne Strentzsch provided terrific artwork for this issue of Bexar Tracks. Thanks to David Bamberger for leading a fully-booked tour to Bracken Cave to witness the evening emergence of the resident free-tail bats. It is a remarkable experience-even if you've been there i~kl~l5l~ before. For first-timers . mind-boggling. The regional conference committee is · hard at work. More about these folks soon. •;~\'~ We'd like you to join us. Call Susan at '7 ~iR 696-6868 to see what's happening . .• : •. :·; .)l Tew Audubon Mission ~!j:l. W Statement . f :. ~ National Audubon Society has published . :' a new mission statement "The mission of . . ·the National Audubon Society is to con, . .v;./;:h·::.:·'"".· ) serve and restore natural ecosystems, ·. . .·• •. · . :.' f/ focusing on birds and other wildlife for . r;~ly,)f,( the benefit of humanity and the earth's ifi' (j/1' 1! biological diversity." BEXAR TRACKS, August 1993 Page3 [iJ Bexar Audubon Society Video Library. Attracting Birds to Your BackyardRoger Tory Peterson, 60 minutes Bats of America-Bat Conservation International, with script, 15 minutes Bats: Myth and Reality-Bat Conservation International, with script, 30 minutes Condemned~ Falls City Hazardous Waste-KMOL, 15 minutes Condor-National Audubon Society, Robert Redford, teaching guide, 60 minutes Conservation I1iologg and Natural Resources Management: Seeking Common Groutitl and New Directions-le~tures by Dr. Thomas Lovejoy and Dr. Stanley Temple, for · college age and. above, 40 minutes Coyotes ·in Texa$: A Matter of Perspec.tive-Texas Agricultural Extension Seniice, 23 minutes Dolphins, Our Friends from the Sea; Frogs and How They LiveEducational Favorites, Nature Series, all ages, 30 minutes Eagles: Music and Natural Sounds~ Escape Tapes, free of narration, 40 minutes Eco, You, and Simon, Too/Educatiol) al, ecological, original songs, fun, and games for ages 1-6, 40 minutes Edwards Aquifer: A Texas 'IreasureWitte Museum, 20 minutes 'Elephants and Other Unusual . Animals-Educational Favorites, Nature Series, all ages, 30 minutes Endangered Species Act: A ·Commitment Worth KeepingNational Audubon Society, 8 minutes · Finding the Balance: Efforts toward a Stahle Population and a Sustainable Planet-released in October 1992, this is a sequel to the acclaimed "What Is the Limit" video. National Audubon Society, 42 minutes Friendly Gray Whales-1988 Wonder Visions, all ages, 30 minutes Galapagos: My Fragile World-World of Audubon Special, Cliff Robertson, teaching guide, all ages, 60 minutes Help Save Pla.net Earth: Easy Wags to Make a Big Difference- Ted Danson and other celebrities, 1 hour 11 minutes How to Make a Difference #2: Wetlands-Produced by Audubon Activist and National Audubon Society .in 1992. More than 300,000 acres of wetlands in the UnitedStates alone were lost forever-just in 1992. This video teaches strategies and skills for protecting wetlands, 30 minutes Human Population and Wildlife: An Audubon Perspective-National Audubon Society's innovative "Population, Wildlife, and the . Environment" Project matched sanctuaries in the U.S . with protected areas in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This video overview includes slide footage of case studies in Kenya, Guatemala, and Pakistan . . National Audubon Society Population Program, 52 minutes Integrated Pest Management-BIRC, 30 minutes ·Jurassic Ark: IfOnlg Dinosaurs Had Had the Endangered Species ActNational Audupon Society, narrated . by 11-year-old environmental hero . from Florida. Affirmative and entertaining information about endangered wildlife and suggestions about what young people can do, 9Y.! minutes Little Sandy Wildlife Refuge: Wood County, Texas-Ed Video Network, Huntsville, TX, 15 minutes Loop and the Wilderness Park: KENV Earthheat #3-KLRN, 15 minutes Mysterious Black-Footed FerretNational Audubon Society, I,.oretta Swit, teachers guide, 60 minutes Mysterious Elephants of the CongoJane Fonda, a: National Audubon video, <60 minutes Native Texas: Ecologg-45 minutes On the Edge of Extinction: Panthers and Cheetahs-National Audubon Society, Loretta Swit, teaching guide, 60 minutes Owls Up Close-National Audubon Society, 55 minutes Pointless Pollution: America's Water Crisis-narrated by Walter Cronkite, produced by LCRA, 27% minutes Rain Forest ImperativeConservation International; for high school, college, and adults, or advanced juvenile and elementary, 25 minutes Save the Earth: A How-To Video- 60 minutes Texas Nature Celebration: An Ecological Adventure-San Antonio Museum Association tour of the six major ecological regions of Texas, all ages, 2611.! minutes. Water: "Thirst," Edwards Aquifer; "Blackburn Deposition," and "Texas Springs" . Whatever Befalls the Earth-open space planning, Collin County, 30 minutes What Is the Limit?-a National Audubon Society study on ttopulation, discussion guide, pamphlets, 23 minutes · World Conservation Leadership ·Award Presented to President Carlos Salinas de Gortari of Mexico in New York on October 8, 1992- 11 minutes · World Population [revised]-a graphic simulation of the history of human population growth. Zero Population Growth. 6lh minutes. Wrath of Grapes-United Farm Workers, high school and above, 15 minutes [iJ Page4 BEXAR TRACKS, September 1993 REGIONAL CONFERENCE AT A GLANCE Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday • Outings •Culturally •Rangeland • Berle Keynote • Concurrent Sessions Diverse Issues • Pre-Conference Reports • Hospitality Suite . Community Pre-Conference • Birds in the Balance • Outings Alliances • Dinner on Own • NAFTA Pre-Conference • Drennan Keynote • Buffet Lunch •Dinner on Own • Video Previews • Concurrent Sessions •Bat Cave Outing • Bookstore • Plenary Session • Hospitality Suite • Hospitality Suite ~n Antonio's Natural ~Insect Control Tonight I sat for a time on the stairs on the hillside behind our house. I was waiting to see the bats. And, sure enough, they came. Half a dozen or so came sweeping the skies for flying insects. I was at their home last night . at Bracken Cave. Well, that may have been their base. Maybe these individuals were from the railroad tunnel near Comfort But, wherever their home may be, they were surely welcome here tonight. Their acrobatic swoops and dives; punctuated with abrupt reverses and turns, are music to the eyes. Each night the Mexican free-tail bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) from Bracken depart the cave in a spectacular flight that takes hours to complete and results in a column of bats miles long waving across the Texas sky. The bats' nightly search covers thousands of square miles. Individuals sometimes climb to altitudes of more than 10,000 feet and reach speeds of 60 miles per hour with the benefit of tailwinds. Bracken is a maternity colony, meaning that the adult bats that spend the summer in the cave are females. About 20 million pregnant bats make the journey north from Mexico each spring, and each gives birth to only one pup. So the colony grows to about 40 million after the births occur. This single colony consumes a quarter of a million pounds-or more-of insects nightly . insects that would otherwise make it more uncomfortable to be outside in the evenings, that might have munched on your garden, or that might have attacked farm crops. These tiny mammals (weight 11 to 15 grams) choose prey 2 to 10 mm in length, including moths, flying ants, June beetles, leaf beetles, leafhoppers, and true bugs. •Auction, Banquet, Speaker This has been a tough summer for central- Texas bats, and many other creatures. Now it's more than sixty days without rain. Many of the insects the bats depend on have died or new generations have failed to hatch to keep the food supply up. The bats that live at Bracken-and those that live under the Congress Street bridge in Austin-are leaving their roosts earlier and earlier each night in search of food. Sometimes they turn around and come back within a half hour, deciding the likely return on their energy investment is not high enough to justify the expenditure. If they stay out, their return is often later than usual. It's hard, hard work to make a living. If conditions don't improve, the populations may suffer significantly. The departure for their wintering grounds may occur earlier than usual. Their physical condition may be so degraded that their ability to survive the migration and overwintering may be impaired. These are unique circumstances. We really don't know what the full, long-term effects will be. "Hang in there, bats. We love you." (Information adapted from publications of Bat Conservation International and David J. Schmidly's The Bats of Texas, Texas A&M University Press, 1991.) -Susan Hughes Audubon~ Response to NAFTA Events The following release was issued by NAS from their Washington, DC, office on August 13: The National Audubon Society today commended the Clinton administration on its efforts in negotiating the NAFTA supplemental environmental agreements, but expressed concern that a number of issues have yet to be resolved. "Because we have yet to review the final text of the side agreements, it is too soon to cast final judgment, however, if the Clinton side agreements live up to their promise, they represent a big step forward in the way to address the environmental impacts of free trade," said Peter A. A. Berle, President of the National Audubon Society. "This is the first time that parties to a trade agreement have addressed its environmental impacts, and the Clinton administration deserves praise," added Berle. Berle also praised the formation of an advisory committee of nongovernmental organizations to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Other positive aspects of the side agreements include: guaranteeing Mexico's citizens access to its national courts, limiting trade in products that contain toxic substances which are banned in the U.S. and public participation in the dispute settlement process. However some issues remain unresolved, such as the level of funding for the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, how infrastructure financing will resolve monumental cleanup issues, and timing and effect of adding existing international environmental agreements to the NAFTA. Berle also expressed concern that the Environmental Secretariat would be located in Canada. "The Secretariat should have a significant presence on the border," commented Berle. Berle added, "Although pleased that the process and production methods are being discussed, we are concerned that these discussions are relegated to the Commission level and that no deadlines have been set for establishing process and products standards. (Editor's note: Don't forget, NAFTA will be a hot topic at the SW Regional Conference.) Texas Air Control Bd. Smoking Vehicles Hotline-1(800)453-SMOG-provide date, time, location, & license. BE X AR _TR_A_ c x s_, _ Se_p_t_e_JD_b_e_r_t_9_9_3_ ____________________________________________P _ag~e-_5 _ ~ xas~ Role in National • Ancient Forests: Rage over Trees • Wolves Environmental Reform • If Dolphins Could Talk With its abundance of natural resources, • Arctic Refuge: A Vanishing Wilderness great size, frontier perspectives, and politi- • Danger at the Beach • Wildfire cal clout, Texas has always been a force in • Hope for the Topics (Tropical Rain Forests) Washington. Because so many of the criti- • The New Range Wars (Overgrazing) cal natural resources management issues • Great Lakes, Bitter Legacy of the nation are also at the center of polit- • Battle for the Great Plains • The Environmental Tourist (Eco-tourism) ical debate in Texas, it seemed appropriate • Greenhouse Gamble (Global Warming) for the National Wildlife Federation to •Sex,Lives&HolesintheSkies(Population) open a southwest regional office in Austin • Caribbean Cool this spring. • Hawaii: Paradise in Peril Russe~l Hyer, Regional Executive of • Backlash in the Wild (Wise Use Movement) NWF's texas Field Office, will be the • Cathedrals in the Sea (Coral Reefs) • National Wildlife Refuges speaker for the September public forum • Giant Blue Fin Tuna on environmental issues sponsored by the Mail your contribution, along with the San Antonio Environmental Network. name of the video(s) you wish us to purHyer is a certified wildlife biologist and chase, to BAS Videos, PO Box 6084, San worked for the Kansas Department of Antonio, TX 78209. And, thanks for your Natural Resources before joining the staff support. of the Federation. He will discuss activities of the Federation on national environmental legislation affecting Texas, including Endangered Species Act reauthorization, Clean Water regulations, and Grazing Rights reform. The forum, to be held at the Witte Museum Auditorium at 7:00 pm, Tuesday, September 14, is free, and the public is encouraged to attend. For more information, call 826-4698. The Videos Pleas BAS has a good collection of video materials, but it falls far short of offering the range of educational materials to the community that it might. The video library is an excellent community relations tool for BAS, and we hope to provide more publicity for the library during the coming year. There are 28 Audubon-produced TV documentaries that we do not have in our library. We have secured an offer from National Audubon that we may purchase these for $25 each, a discount for the chapter from the regular $40 price. Won't you consider a donation to BAS to purchase one or more of these videos? • Common Ground: Farming & Wildlife • Ducks under Siege • Wood Stork, Barometer of the Everglades • Whales! • Messages from the Birds • Sea Turtles: Ancient Nomads • Sharks • Greed & Wildlife: Poaching in America • Crane River 'Dt/wards Aquifer Video .1:J Documentary "A Journey Through the Edwards Aquifer" is now available to the public. The film is the third in a series of educational documentaries about the Edwards Aquifer. At 12-minutes, the film is suitable for elementary school students and introduces them to the concepts of groundwater, recharge, hydraulic pressure, artesian wells, and the unique species living in the springs of the Edwards Aquifer. A teacher's guide is also available. Video copies of the film were distributed to elementary schools throughout the 5- county region of the Aquifer. The video is also available for free loan by calling (210)222-2204 or (800)292-1047. HEB Video Central and Blockbuster Video locations also have copies. Oak Wilt Slide Show Available from NPSOT Oak wilt has been confirmed in 46 Texas counties. A 30-minute slide show on oak wilt, prepared by Susan Crawford Tracy, a Bandera County rancher, includes information on a treatment for this dread disease of live oak trees and motts, as well as suggestions for control, To book this program, contact Susan Tracy at (512)589-7124, Box 1434, Medina, TX 78055. Quality & the Environment- CEQ Report The U.S. President's Commission on Environmental Quality released a report giving companies information about the common ground between two business issues: environmental protection and total quality management (TQM). Entitled "Total Quality Management: A Framework for Pollution Prevention," the report profiles quality environmental management (QEM) at twelve companies, including AT&T, Chevron, and Dow Chemical. Kenneth T. Derr, chairman and CEO of Chevron, said, "The TQM methodologies used to root out and eliminate product imperfections or service deficiencies are the same systematic approaches and tools needed to reduce environmental emissions or to prevent pollution." For information on the report, contact the CEQ, 722 Jackson Place, NW, Washington, DC 20503. (From /ABC Communication World, September 1993.) "1'/me to Write to or Call ~ Your Legislators Last month the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee marked up an FY 1985 Foreign Assistance Authorization bill. This bill (no bill number yet) would begin to reform the U.S. foreign assistance program, including changing its focus from short term geo-political security concerns to long-term sustainable development. The bill would also increase funding for international family planning to $400 million and provide an additional $50 million for the United National Population Fund (UNFPA). The bill, which may go to the floor as early as September, is expected to face a difficult full Senate vote for final passage. In September, the Senate Appropriations Foreign Operations Subcommittee will begin work on the Foreign Assistance Appropriations bill. This bill (again, no bill number) will implement funding for the sustainable development and population programs outlined in the authorizing bill. Ask your senators to support the Foreign Assistance Authorization and Appropriations bills, particularly the sustainable development and international family planning components. (continued, p7) [iJ Page& BEXAR TRACKS, September 1993 BAS LOOKING FOR •NEw BLOOD" want to get involved with Bexar Audubon. I'm especially interested in the following committees/activities (please an "H" by those areas with which you would be willing to help): __·P hone bank . __I ssues monitoring __E ducation __ Letter writing __ Hazardous waste program __ Land Fund __ Newsletter/writing-illustration __ Newsletter mailing __ Outings __· L egislation __P rograms __R efreshments __ Fund-raising __ Special projects __ Publications P.,,., . ._. . ., hearings __ Planning __ Friedrich Wilderness Park/ Adopt-A-Park interests/expertise you could share or comments? · you willing to contact your elected officials regarding environmental issues? --- l~ ll•eciru needs NOW-October 4: Regional Conference: _Planning _Exhibits _Sponsors . .,., .• v . __ On-site Assistance _Program __ Publications _. _Publicity _Details! adct.ztz.om1l comments are welcome, or feel free to contact an offzcer or committee chair, listed on page 8 of this issue) _______________ DAYPHONE:_~ --- FAX ___ _ PHONE: FAX' --- --- ~DATE: _______ __ to Bexar Audubon Society •. POB 6084 • San Antonio, TX 78209 • or phone 736-0355 or 696-6868 WHOOPING CRANE T-SHIRT ORDER: ADDRESS ____________ _ QUANTITY & SIZE: S M L XL · XXL TOTAL SHIRTS ORDERED_ x $15.00 • $_.00 CI'rY/STATFJZIP --- ~AC/P.HONE SHIPPING/HANDLING: $3 minimum for 1 shirt-$ 3.00 --- '"-- $1.50 for each additional shirt. $ _.oo YOUR CHECK FOR THE TOTAL AMOUNT $ .00 PAYABLE Tq; BEXAR AUDUBON.SOCIET.Y. - MAIL TO: Bexar Ald.tbal, POB 6004, San Antalio 78209 . . Prices include sales tax. Pre-paid only. Allow 2 weeks. )OHN J. At.JDUION 1711-1)11 CUATIWBHMON 1986 MONTEREY COUNlY CABERNET SAUVIGNON BAS VIDEO LIBRARY GROWTH DONATION 0 Yes, I want to help the BAS video library grow. My tax-deductible donation of $ is enclosed. Please purchase this/these video(s) first __ -:-:--7"7.--: --- ,, --- :-:--;-:::-/ f this donation is a memorial or tribute, please provide infor-mation for notification regarding the gift on a separate sheet. DONORNAME _____ ~ --- ADDRESS ____________________________ __ CI1Y/STATE/ZIP --- PHONE --- ~ --- Make che.cks payable to Bexar Audubon Society. · Send this form and your check to: Bexar Audubon Society/Bexar Land Fund PO Box 6084 • San Antonio, TX 78209 AUDUBON ADVENTURES SPONSORSHIP Each school year. BAS sponsors sixty or more Audubon Adventures subscriptions for San Antonio area elementary classrooms. Your donation to support this effort will be appreciated by students, teachers, and the beneficiaries of environmentaHy aware generations to come: all of us. · Call Betty Minyard for more information, 344-6128. 0 Yes, I want to support Audubon Adventures. My taxdeductible donation of 0 $30 or '0 $ __ is enclosed. -An Audubon Adventures subscription is a fitting memorial or tribute or celebratory recognition. Please provide information for notification regarding gifts oh a separate sheet DONOR NAME _____________ ___ ADDRESS ____________________________ __ CI1Y/STATE/ZIP --- PHONE ______________________________ _ Make checks payable to Bexar Audubon Society. Mail to: Bexar Audubon Society • PO Box 6084 • San Antonio, TX 78209 BEXAR TRACKS, September 1993 October (continued) r;ltllillli~ 16 How Do Seeds Travel? 9:30am-noon. Friedrich Wilderness Park. $5/individual; $12/family. Reservations, 698-1057. ~)·••••••·~!~t~I1·~B.%~•~fi=~leti•·• 22-24 "Becoming an Outdoors-woman" workshop. Texas 4-H Center in Brownwood. -$100 per person. Contact TxPWD's Steve Hall or Bill Rutledge at (800)792-1112, ext 4999 or 4992. 26-28 Texas Agricultural Summit. Texas A&M Univ., College Station. (409)845-4747. (continued from page 5) Foreign assistance funds programs critical to environmentally sustainable development, womens' empowerment, child health, and other programs to increase the quality of life worldwide. Your voice is critical in support of these programs. • Remind your senators and representative that foreign assistance constitutes less than one percent of the federal budget-a small price to pay for global security and a sustainable future for everyone. • Ask for a specific spending level for family planning assistance-$725 million. • Ask them to support the $50 million requested by the Clinton administration forUNFPA. • Ask for an increase in funding for girls' education and womens' health care. Authorizing Legislation vs. Appropriations? Confused? Many are. Congress is made up largely of authorizing committees-those that write legislation that authorizes or sets up programs, for example to improve water or air quality, to protect endangered species, or to provide a mechanism for foreign aid. These bills generally suggest spending levels to implement the program. It's the committee's best guess as to the cost of running the program. However, the appropriations committees in the House and Senate actually designate the money to fund the programs outlined in authorizing 30 Halloween Hike, Friedrich Wilderness Park. 6-8:30pm. $5/individual, $12/family. Register early, 698-1057. November 1-3 4th National Conference on Pesticides. "New Directions in Pesticide Research, Development, Management, and Policy." Richmond, VA. (703)231-8030, fax (703)231-6673 for more information. 4-6 Cowbird Symposium, Austin, TX. Contact Terry Cook at Nature Conservancy, (512)327 -94 72. 10 Wildlife Planning for Tourism Workshop. Sheraton, Corpus Christi. (800)460-5400. 11-13 National Watchable Wildlife Conf. Corpus Christi. (800)460-5400. 1~ . J\rcbaeology, Se(;Qjjd Saturc:l<tY)it ·. . ~itfo,~1~1~m~p~9~fo&i: b~t < 18-21 Bosque del Apache (National Wildlife Refuge) Festival of the Cranes. Near Socorro, NM. For tickets and information call (505)835-0424. legislations. As an example, while spending levels suggested in the Endangered Species Act may be $200 million/year, the appropriations committee may decide to give the program only $100 million/year. l"'fontacting Your Elected '-'Representatives President William Jefferson Clinton 202-456-1414 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC20500 VIce President Albert Gore, Jr. 202-456-7123 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC20500 United States Senators Phil Gramm (R) 202-224-2934 370 Russell Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC 205104302 Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) 202-224-5922 703 Russell Hart Office Bldg., Washington, DC 205104301 United States Representatives Djstrjct 20 Henry B. Gonzalez (D) 202-225-3236, fax 202-225-1915 2413 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515 21 Lamar Smith (R) 202-225-4236, fax 202-225-8628 2443 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515 Page7 §] 27 Trails and Trackways, 9:30am-noon. Friedrich Wilderness Park. $5/individual; $12/family. Reservations, 698-1057. Ongoing activities Texas Parks & Wildlife Department offers many nature activities for annual Texas Conservation Passport holders. Call (800)937-9393 for listing of events. Every Thursday, 1 pm, San Antonio City Council meetings, City Hall. National Audubon Society's Action line. Dial (202)547 -9009; ask for Actionline; after hours, press 4 on a touch-tone phone. Audubon Activist. Free with your commitment to make a minimal number of issueoriented contacts per year. Write NAS, 700 Broadway, New York 10003. Bexar Audubon Society general meetings are 3rd Thursdays at 7:30pm and Conservation Committee meetings at 6:30pm. BAS Board meetings are generally held on the 2nd Thursday at 7:30pm. Outings are usually the 3rd Saturday. 23 Henry Bonilla (R) 202-225-4511, fax 202-225-2237 1529 Longworth House Bldg., Washington, DC 20515 28 Frank Tejeda (D) 202-225-1640 323 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Governor Ann Richards (D) 512-463-2000 Lt. Governor Bob Bullock (D) 512-463-0005 San Antonio Officials Mayor Nelson Wolff 299-7060 City Manager Alex Briseno 299-7080 Error Patrol In the August issue of Bexar Tracks, in addition to a few typos, there was a significant error in fact: the date given for the first official meeting of Bexar Audubon Society was May 5, 1988-the OCR software misread the copy, which said "1983." The editor apologizes for this and other errors in the issue, including misuse of "complimentary" for "complementary." Land Fund Donations A donation to the land fund has been received from S. P. Rust, in memory of Steve Hanselmann. Thanks to all our founding donors. [il Page 8 BEXAR TRACKS, September 1993 Fall Planning Calendar- Clip and Save September 7 City Regional Environmental Enterprise Zone workshop (developing a long-range plan for handling solid waste). 7pm. City Hall. Info at 222-1591. 1~ : ~§~§@;tMam~wr·~m#m : u 1 9-11 South Texas Wildlife Conference. "Innovations in Practical Wildlife Management." Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institvte. Kingsville, TX. 11 Plants and People. Paul Cox of the SA Botanical Gardens, and Bill Woller, Pharmacist and VP of Dermatological Products of Texas [ & BAS Board Member]. San Antonio Botanical Gardens. 10-noon & 1-3. $20.821-5143. 11 First day of Friedrich Wilderness Park Interpretive Guide Training. Continues for 6 Saturdays (Sept 18 & 25 October 2,9, & 16). Call Patty Leslie at 698-1057. 11 SA Audubon Beginners' Bird Walk at Judson Nature Trails, Alamo Heights. Call Georgina Schwartz, 342-2073. 15 Your Toxic Trash. 1t2 hour PBS-TV special on household hazardous waste ' hosted by Ed Begley, Jr. See local listings for time (7:30pm?) on KLRN, Channel 9/cable 10. 16-19 5th Annual Hummer/Bird Celebration. Rockport & Fulton, Texas. For more information, call (800)826-6441. 16-Nov 4. Botany.Eiizabeth Hughes, SABG Ed. Dir. San Antonio Botanical Gardens. Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm. $50.821-5143. •t:~• il~lm~i~leii~Y~io~•· 18 Using Herbs in the Landscape. Ed Ware, Master Gardener.10-noon. San Antonio Botanical Gardens. $10. 821-5143. 18 SA Audubon Field trip to San Antonio Botanical Center. Bam. Marge Hooks, 656-2553. Entrance fee. 18 8th Annual Texas Coastal Cleanup, 9amnoon. Caii1-800-85-BEACH for locations and more information. 18 Twin Falls nature trail walk, 9-10:30am. Pedemales Falls State Park. (210)868- 7304. Conservation Passport required. 19 Bird watchers' walk, 7:30-11am. Pedernales Falls State Park. (210)868- 7304. Conservation Passport required. 19-25 International Wildlife Management Congress. "Integrating People and Wildlife for a Sustainable Future." San Jose, Costa Rica. The Wildlife Society. (301)897-9770. 21 "Ecology and Economics in the Rain Forest." Prof. Richard Reed, Trinity U., will discuss the Guarini Indian tribe in Paraguay. Sierra Club. 7:30pm, Unitarian Church, 807 Beryl. 23 Primitive tour of Kickapoo Cavern SNA near Uvalde. 4-6 pm. Also bat flight and interpretation at Green Cave. Reservations and Conservation Passport required. (210)563-2342. 23 City Council Public Hearing on a tree ordinance for San Antonio. City Hall, 7pm. For information, call the Planning Department at 299-7941. 24 Partners in Policy Forum N: Toward a Texas Energy Policy. LBJ Auditorium, East Campus, UT Austin. (800)776- 5272/fax (512)473-4066. Register by September 14. ?Free. 25 Proper Pesticide Use for the Homeowner (beneficial insects, healthy cultural practices, and pesticides as a last resort). Carmen Lopez, Master Gardener, Cert. Pesticide Applicator, Horticulturalist. SA Botanical Gardens. $10. 821-5143. 25 SA Audubon monthly Mitchell Lake field trip. Bam. Ernie Roney, 656-4239. 25 Ecology of the Texas Hill Country, 9:30am-noon. Friedrich Wilderness Park. $5/individual; $12/family. Reservations, 698-1057. 25-26 Hawk Migration, Corpus Christi. Hazel Bazemore County Park. ==== ~W@~ 30-0ct 3 Rally '93. Land Trust Alliance. Big Sky, Montana. (703)356-8300. Fridays in September. S&K Horse Stables moonlight horseback ride at Pedernales Falls State Park, 8:30-9:30pm. Stargaze from a high ridge in a remote area of the park. Conservation Passport holders only. Additional fee and reservations are required. (512)479-9443, (210)868-0314. Saturdays in September. Guided cross-country trip through remote areas of the park to view 4,800 acres from a high ridge. Mounts and picnics are provided. Conservation Passport holders only. Additional fee and reservations required. (512)479-9443 or (210)868-0314. October 1-3 Texas Wildlife Expo, Austin. Free. (800)792-1112, ext. 4472. 2 First Saturday Hike at Friedrich Wilderness Park, 9-llam. 3 Work project at Friedrich Wilderness Park. Call698-1057 to volunteer. 9 Project Wild! Class. Call 698-1057. OFFICERS AND BOARD Walter Barfield President 736-0355 BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIE1Y ~-PROFIT ORG: U.S. POSTAGE Marge Flandenneyer Vice President 657-1665 P.O. BOX 6084 PAID Betty Minyard Treasurer 344-6128 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78209 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Caryl Swann Secretary 653-~860 Address Con-ection Requested Permit No. 590 Patty Leslie Pasztor Board Member 824-1235 Anita l Reeves Board Member 308-9254 Susan K. Hughes Board Member 696-6868 ~" ~-{ Richard Pipes Board Member 210-569-2452 ~ Bill Woller Board Member 696-3186 COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS ~0~ Conservation Richard Pipes 210-569-2452 ~0 Education Betty Minyard 344-6128 ~s~ Finance ~\I~ Membership Dan & Krist Davis 210-625-5678 Outings Marge Flan rmeyer 657-1665 P~rams Pub icity Thelma Nungesser 824-8199 Bexar Tracks Editor Susan K. Hughes 696-6868 PO Box 690028, Sari Antonio, TX 78269-0028•FAX 696-8053 Theedlor bEile~e~ thelriormallonln tljs publiciJIIon to be llCCUI'ZteM of August 31. We .!come anrlbttlons ol kllerest to membens. Suiinf . lons may be edfted. Deodllnels the day 5terthe generol mooting. ft Printed with soy-based ink on acid-free 50 perc«;nt •= \.J recycled paper~IO percent post<onsumer waste). 1
|
|---|