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AND I AM, I AM CHAIRING THE, UH, LET'S SEE, NOVEMBER 13TH MEETING OF THE BCCP COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
IT IS 1:31 PM AND WE ARE MEETING VIRTUALLY AND, UH, ALSO ON THE DIETS IS MY CO-CHAIR RIDGID SHEA WHO'S TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR PRECINCT TWO AND OUR, UH, COMMITTEE SECRETARY KIMBERLY HARVEY AND HIS TONYA SUMMER, WHO IS A MEMBER EX-OFFICIO MEMBER REPRESENTING US FISH AND WILDLIFE.
TONYA, ARE YOU WITH US ALL SET TODAY? THANK YOU.
I THINK WE HAVE, UH, A WHOLE LOT OF STAFF HERE.
SO, UM, KIMBERLY, YOU MENTIONED THAT NO ONE HAD SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION SET, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WELL THEN WE WILL MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR AGENDA AND, UM, IT'S LIKE, WE'VE GOT A NICE QUICK AGENDA FOR, UH, IN FRONT OF US TODAY.
[1. Approve Record of Decisions for the September 25, 2020 Regular Meeting]
ONE, APPROVED RECORD OF DECISIONS FOR THE SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 REGULAR MEETING.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM COMMISSIONER SHEA? THANKS SO MUCH.
AND I'LL SET IT THAT ANY AMENDMENTS OR EDITS TO THE DOCUMENT AND THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT WOULD BE I, UH, ALL IN FAVOR, THAT'S UNANIMOUS, UM, ITEM NUMBER
[2. Update on End-of-Permit Options – BCP Staff]
TWO, UPDATE ON END OF PERMIT OPTIONS, VCP STAFF, MELINDA EIGHT HERE.UH, I JUST TRANSFERRED THE PRESENTER ROLE TO HER OR SHE IS OKAY.
I'M GOING TO SHARE MY BRIEF POWERPOINT WITH YOU GUYS.
SO, UM, WE'RE GOING TO KIMBERLY.
IS THAT, IS THAT SHOWING? YES.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A REVIEW OF THE PERMIT OPTIONS PROJECT AND WHERE WE STAND ON.
I HOPE THE PLAN THAT YOU GUYS APPROVE LAST YEAR, UH, TO REVIEW QUICKLY, WE, WE LOOKED AT THE FIVE PERMIT OPTIONS, UM, IN, UH, FROM ABOUT 2017 OR 2019, WE JOINTLY HIRED A COMPANY CALLED ICF THAT HAS SOME NATIONAL EXPERTISE IN, UH, HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANNING, AND THEY EVALUATED OUR PERMIT AND WORKED WITH US VERY CLOSELY TO, UM, WEIGHING OUT OUR, AS WE HEAD INTO OUR, UH, PERMIT TERMINATION DATE ABOUT COMING UP ON SIX YEARS FROM NOW.
SO THE, THE FIVE OPTIONS WERE, UH, QUICKLY TO ALLOW IT TO EXPIRE, WHICH NOBODY WAS INTERESTED IN, UM, TO EXTEND THE PERMIT FOR DURATION ONLY ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES TO MAKE UPDATES TO OUR, UH, RATHER OLD PERMIT, UH, TO DO MAJOR PERMIT AMENDMENTS OR TO REPLACE THE PLAN ENTIRELY WITH THE NEW HCP.
UM, FOR EACH OF THOSE OPTIONS, WE TOOK A CLOSE LOOK AT THAT, THE ADVANTAGES WE HAD AN IDEA FOR WHAT WE, UH, WHAT WAS WORKING, WHAT DIDN'T WORK.
AND, UM, WE BROUGHT A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU GUYS, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, OCTOBER 9TH OF 2019 TO DO A COMBINATION OF OPTION TWO AND OPTION THREE.
SO, UM, I'M GOING TO REVIEW WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ENTAILED OPTION TWO WAS JUST TO EXTEND THE PERMIT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO, UH, VERY SHORTLY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REALLY DO A TILT.
UM, MAYBE THIS TIME OR EVEN LATER, UM, AS WE APPROACH 20, 26, 20 LATE 25 OR EARLY 26, WE'LL BE FINE.
UM, AND ALL THIS DOES IS IT, IT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE CARRYING OUT THE PERMIT TERMS, UH, NOTABLY WE WOULD CONTINUE ISSUING, TAKE PERMITS THROUGH, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE COUNTY SIDE AND INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE CITY SIDE.
THE, UH, THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE PROCESS THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE A NEPA REVIEW.
WE SEND A LETTER TO THE SERVICE, UM, AND, UM, IT ONLY WORKS WHEN YOU HAVE TAKE AUTHORIZATION
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REMAINING ON YOUR PERMIT.SO ONE OF THE REASONS WE LIKED OPTION TWO IS I THINK THE MAIN ONE IS BECAUSE THE PLAN IS STILL WORKING FOR US AND WE WEREN'T REALLY NEEDING TO MAKE STUFFS SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE TO IT, TO THE, UM, TO THE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN ITSELF.
IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PRICES RIGHT ON IT.
IT REALLY, UM, WAS THE SIMPLE WAY TO GO, BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO DO BECAUSE OUR PLAN WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES IN THE COUNTRY.
THERE WAS A WISH TO, UM, CLARIFY, UH, SOME OF THE, THE PERMIT TERMS INTO SEPARATE THE ATP FROM THE EIS.
THAT'S SEPARATING OUR PLANS IN ITSELF FROM THE FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT TO MAKE THE, TO MAKE ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS JUST EASIER TO FOLLOW IN A MINISTER AND ALSO EASIER FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND.
SO I'M ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, THIS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T ADD SPECIES OR CHANGE SPECIES, OR REALLY ALTER THE TERMS OF THE PERMIT.
YOU CAN'T EXCEED THE AUTHORITY THAT THE PERMIT GAVE US TO ISSUE, TAKE PERMITS, BUT, UH, WE CAN JUST, UH, MAKE SOME EDITS AND UPDATE DOCUMENTS.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF, OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE ALREADY.
WE, UM, WE COMPLETED A CASE SUBSTITUTION POLICY AND WE ALSO, UH, DID AN INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT TO CREATE, UH, KIMBERLY'S POSITION FOR THE BCCP SECRETARY.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING PRIMARILY, THIS HAS BEEN A SO FAR WORK THAT THE PCP MANAGER'S GROUP HAS BEEN DOING TO REVIEW THE ORIGINAL LENDER, LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND, UM, EVALUATE WHICH OF THOSE THINGS ARE, OR REALLY REFER TO STARTING UP TO DCP RATHER THAN WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED JUST TO BRING IT INTO THE, UM, 25 YEARS, UH, CURRENT 25 YEARS LATER, BRING IT INTO THE CURRENT DAY.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT AND WE INTRODUCED IT TO OUR LEGAL TEAMS. AND SO WE WILL, UH, THIS COMING YEAR BE BRINGING THAT TO YOU WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW, UH, HOW WE WOULD LIKE TO UPDATE THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO WITH THE ILA WE HOPE TO DO IS MAKE IT SIMPLER AND EASIER FOR CITY AND COUNTY STAFF TO SHARE COSTS ON PROJECTS, UM, AND WELL, FASTER AS WELL.
AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S SOME LANGUAGE THAT WOULD LET US DO THAT.
UM, BUT THE REALLY THE NEXT TECH TASK WE HAVE BEFORE US IS TO SEPARATE THE ATP FROM THE EIS TO IDENTIFY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CLARIFIED AND CLARIFIED.
WE WANT TO UPDATE GRAPHICS, UM, MODERNIZE THE PLAN A LITTLE BIT.
AND, UH, I THINK THIS IMAGE OF KIMBERLY'S JUST TELLS IT ALL.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF, UM, OF PAPERWORK, BUT THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH TO DO THIS PROCESS, BUT, UM, WE'RE GOING THROUGH IT AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE TODAY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT'S THE TIMING ON, UM, THE REVIEW THAT THE CHILDREN DID YOU SAY NEXT YEAR, YOU WOULD HAVE SOMETHING FOR US TO, I, I THINK, UH, EARLY, UH, OUR HOPE IS THAT EARLY NEXT YEAR, WE'LL BE BRINGING YOU A REVISED, UH, INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT.
AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO GO AHEAD AND GO OUT TO BID AND SHARE COSTS TO HIRE A CONSULTANT, TO CARRY OUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST, MOST TIME-CONSUMING THINGS IS TO SEPARATE THE HCPC AND THE EIS WITHOUT CHANGING THE TERMS, JUST TO MAKE THE PLAN, UM, EASIER TO WORK WITH.
SO SOMETIME THAT STEER, WE WOULD HAVE, UM, THAT CONTRACT TO LOOK THROUGH.
YEAH, WELL, THE CONTRACT APPROVALS HAVE TO GO THROUGH COUNCIL AND COMMISSIONERS, BUT WE'LL BE BRINGING THE DOCUMENTS AND THE CONCEPTS TO YOU TO APPROVE AND RECOMMEND BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE TAKE THEM TO COUNSEL AND COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
YOU, YOU WILL WANT TO SCHEDULE, UM, MEETINGS WITH EACH OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO BRIEF THEM ON THE CHANGES SO
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THAT, UM, ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY BEFORE IT GETS TO A WORK SESSION OR THE COUNCIL MEETING, AND SOME OF THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO DO LIKE A SMALL GROUP.YOU KNOW, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO LIKE 10 SEPARATE MEETINGS, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN DO FOUR OR FIVE.
UM, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT MORE LATER, BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU, UM, REACH OUT AND EVEN IF IT'S WITH THE CHIEF OF STAFF OR, OR A POLICY AID TO EACH OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY KNOW AND DON'T KNOW ABOUT PCC, THAT'LL HELP WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CONTENT.
I HAD A QUICK QUESTION, UM, HTPS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THE PERMIT, OR ARE WE THE FIRST, SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT THE FIRST TAB.
UM, ONE THING WE LOVED ABOUT ICF WAS THAT THEY THEY'VE ALREADY DONE THIS FOR OTHER PLANS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAD A RANGE OF EXAMPLES.
THERE'S A REPORT THAT KIMBERLY HAS AVAILABLE TO YOU, THE FULL REPORT THAT ACTUALLY COVERS SOME OF THE OTHER ONES.
I FORGOT BRIEFED US ON IT BEFORE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BEEN AWHILE.
AND, UM, BUT THE, UH, THERE WERE SOME HCPS THAT DID JUST REBOOT AND START OVER, BUT, UM, THERE WERE OTHERS THAT, THAT TOOK THIS ROUTE, SO THEY BASICALLY HAD EXAMPLES EACH.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PLAN AND BEYOND MAKE A GOOD BURGER PERSON.
ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S IT FOR ME.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS ONE, KIMBERLY, JUST LETTING YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND, UH, LETTING YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
[3. Wildfire Mitigation Outreach – BCP Staff]
IS A WILDFIRE MITIGATION OUTREACH, AND IT'S ALSO BASICALLY STOPPED.SO, UM, I'M JOHANNA AREN'T AND I AM THE COMMUNITY LIAISON FOR THE BELL.
KOENIG'S, CAITLIN'S PRESERVE FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND I'LL BE TALKING WITH YOU GUYS TODAY ABOUT THE WILDFIRE OUTREACH THAT WE DO ON THE, UH, COUNTY BCP TEAM.
UM, SINCE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR BOTH THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY AND THE VCP, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PUT A LOT OF ENERGIES TOWARDS, AND I'M EXCITED TO TELL YOU GUYS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
UM, SO LET'S SEE, CUT THE SHARE SCREEN ABILITY.
IT LOOKS LIKE I'M NOT ABLE TO ADVANCE THE SLIDES.
IT'S, UM, I'M HITTING THE ARROWS AND IT'S NOT MOVING JOHANNA SCROLLING IT WITH NO.
I THINK I GOT THE HANG OF IT NOW.
SO, UM, JUST TO START OUT WITH THE PURPOSE OF OUR, UH, ALL FIRE OUTREACH THAT WE DO HERE ON THE BCP AT TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, THE GOAL OF IT IS TO IN GENERAL, REDUCE THE WILDFIRE RISK, UM, BOTH FOR THE, UH, NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES, THE RESIDENTS AROUND THE PRESERVE AND FOR THE PRESERVE ITSELF, SINCE THE, UM, HABITAT THAT IS ON THE PRESERVE WOULD BE IMPACTED PRETTY SEVERELY BY A SIGNIFICANT FIRE AND COULD TAKE MANY YEARS TO RECOVER.
UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR, FOR ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE AREA TO REDUCE THE RISK OF WILDFIRE.
UM, AND WE ALSO DO IT BECAUSE, UH, WE ARE HOPING THAT SOME INCREASED EDUCATION WILL HELP THE AMOUNT OF ILLEGAL CLEARING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON THE BCP.
SINCE A LOT OF FOLKS, IT SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS THAT THEY
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DO THIS ILLEGAL CLEARING IS, UM, OUT OF FEAR OF WILDFIRE, BELIEVING THAT CUTTING DOWN TREES ON THE BCP NEAR THEIR PROPERTY WILL ACTUALLY REDUCE THEIR WILDFIRE RISK.UM, AND NOT ONLY DOES THIS DAMAGE IMPORTANT HABITAT, UM, BUT IT ALSO ACTUALLY INCREASES RISK IN A LOT OF WAYS, UH, OR IN A LOT OF CASES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CLARIFY FOR PEOPLE TO HOPEFULLY REDUCE THAT, UM, HAPPENING.
AND OF COURSE, EDUCATION, ISN'T THE ONLY THING WE'RE DOING ALSO, UH, PURSUING, UM, LEGAL ACTION AND A LOT OF CASES, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT EDUCATION WILL PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
OH, AND ON THE, UH, THE RIGHT THERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF ILLEGAL CLEARING THAT HAPPENED IN THE BCP RIGHT BEHIND SOMEBODY'S HOUSE TO SHOW YOU EXAMPLE OF THE LARGE SWATH OF TREES THAT, UM, HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT BEHIND SOMEBODY'S HOUSE.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY SEEMS TO HAPPEN QUITE A BIT.
UM, SO ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS, SO WE WANT TO CONVEY WITH OUR OUTREACH ABOUT WILDFIRE IS THE BCPS COMMITMENT TO REDUCING RISK AND ALL OF THE, UM, RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE PUT TOWARDS THE SHADE OF FUEL BREAKS.
AND IN SOME CASES PRESCRIBED BURNS THAT WE DO ON THE PRESERVE.
UM, WE ALSO WANT TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE SORT OF CURRENT SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT RISK IN THIS AREA AND ABOUT THE BEST WAYS TO REDUCE THAT RISK, UM, AND THAT WE HOPE WILL HELP PEOPLE FOCUS THEIR ENERGIES TOWARDS ACTIVITIES THAT WILL REDUCE THEIR RISK, UM, IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY AND DIRECT THEM AWAY FROM THINGS THAT DO NOT AND ARE DESTRUCTIVE.
UM, AND ALSO THE OUTREACH IS A GREAT WAY TO FOSTER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, WE WORK WITH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND THE MORE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE, THE MORE COHESIVE, UM, ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE AS A COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SAFER WE ALL ARE.
SO OUTREACH IS A WAY TO START BUILDING AND, YOU KNOW, UH, MAINTAINING THOSE, THOSE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS.
SO THE CHANNELS THROUGH WHICH WE DO THIS OUTREACH, UM, BEFORE COVID, WE DID QUITE A BIT OF IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS ON THE RIGHT THERE.
YOU CAN SEE JULIE MARIE, ONE OF OUR BIOLOGISTS, WHO IS OUR LEAD ON FUELING UNIT FUEL MITIGATION FOR THE COUNTY, UH, FOR COUNTY BCP.
AND SHE, THERE IS SPEAKING TO THE ANNUAL, UM, UH, WILDFIRE COALITION EVENT THAT THEY HAVE FOR THE PUBLIC EACH YEAR.
SHE'S TALKING ABOUT FUEL MITIGATION ON THE BCP.
WE ALSO DO QUITE A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, UH, GOALPOSTS ABOUT WHEN THERE'S A BURN BAN WE'LL POST WHEN WE ARE DOING FUEL MITIGATION, UM, AND JUST SORT OF CONTINUAL OF WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN REDUCE RISKS.
SO WE DO THAT ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AND NEXT DOOR TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THE PRESERVE.
WE ALSO WRITE ARTICLES FOR COMMUNITY NEWSLETTERS, UH, LARGELY STEINER RANCH, BUT ALSO A COUPLE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
WE WRITE ARTICLES FOR THE NEWSLETTERS ABOUT WILDFIRE MITIGATION, WELL FOR RISK MITIGATION.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE, SO WORK PRESERVED NEIGHBORS ABOUT WILDFIRE RISK AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT NEIGHBORS CAN DO.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY PLANNING TO DO A LARGER SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT FUEL MITIGATION IN STEINER RANCH.
UM, SO THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF OUR, UM, OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ABOUT WILDFIRE IS CONVEYING WHAT WE DO EXPLAINING, UM, THAT THE SHADE OF FUEL BREAKS, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE DO IN TERMS OF FUEL MITIGATION.
AND TO SOME EXTENT THAT PRESCRIBES CRIES, BERMS, WHY WE DO IT, HOW IT WORKS.
UM, AND WE ALSO, UM, LIKE TO GIVE EVERYBODY A HEADS UP THAT THAT'S HAPPENING IN CASE THAT'S GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY IMPACTING THEM.
SO WE NOTIFY NEIGHBORS THROUGH, UM, ACTUAL PHYSICAL LETTERS, EMAILS, NEXT DOOR POSTS, UH, AGAIN, COMMUNITY NEWSLETTERS.
AND, UH, WE EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHY WE'RE DOING IT AND WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT TO SEE WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, EQUIPMENT IN THE AREA, POSSIBLY SOME NOISE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME OVER ON THE RIGHT THERE.
YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THE MAPS THAT WE INCLUDED IN OUR, UH, OUTREACH TO SHOW THE LOCATION OF THE, IN THAT CASE.
IT WAS A PRESCRIBER AND THAT WAS BEING, HE ALSO BEEN ALIVE QUESTIONS THAT JUST COME UP IN CONVERSATION, OR WE'LL HEAR PEOPLE SAY THINGS THAT WE, UM, KNOW THAT WE CAN CLARIFY.
UH, SO THAT'LL COME UP ON, YOU KNOW, UH, GUIDED HIKES OR OTHER PUBLIC EDUCATION EVENTS.
UM, WHILE WE'RE WORKING WITH VOLUNTEERS, SOMETIMES IT COMES THROUGH EMAILS OR POSTS, UM, COMMENTS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
UH, SO WE GET A LOT OF ANY INTERACTIONS WE HAVE WITH THE PUBLIC WILDFIRES, YOU KNOW, PRETTY HIGH PRIORITY FOR MOST FOLKS.
UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES UP A LOT.
AND SO WE, WE DO A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS JUST THROUGH ALL OF THE CHANNELS THAT WE INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC.
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AND WE OFTEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, CORRECT OR CLARIFY SOME COMMON MYTHS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS THAT FOLKS HAVE ABOUT WILDFIRE IN THIS REGION, WHICH AGAIN, HOPEFULLY HELPS PEOPLE FOCUS THEIR ENERGIES IN THE BEST, MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS.SO ONE OF THE MAJOR AREAS OF, UM, CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE OF COURSE IS WILDFIRE RISK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO CONVEY IS THAT WHILE MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT WILDFIRE RISK IS CONSTANT THROUGH THE YEAR, IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT.
IT'S VERY DEPENDENT ON CONDITIONS.
AND, UM, THE MATURE CLOSED CANOPY, UH, JUNIPER OAK WOODLANDS THAT WE HAVE PRIMARILY ON THE BALCONIES CAITLIN'S PRESERVE ARE ACTUALLY CONSIDERED TO BE LOW RISK FOR IGNITION DURING NORMAL CONDITIONS.
UM, DURING PERIODS OF DROUGHT, ESPECIALLY EXTENDED DROUGHT AND, UH, HIGH WINDS LIKE WE SAW IN 2011, THEY CERTAINLY CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE.
AND WE NEVER WANT TO, UM, CONVEY THAT WE'RE SAYING THAT THERE ISN'T A RISK HERE.
THERE IS, OF COURSE, AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE COMMITTED SO MANY RESOURCES TO HELPING TO MITIGATE THAT RISK.
UM, BUT WE JUST WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSPECTIVE ABOUT WHAT THE NATURE OF THE RISK IS.
UM, AND SO THIS, UH, FACT THAT THEY, THIS VEGETATION TYPE TENDS TO BE LOW RISK FOR IGNITION IS BORN OUT BY THE ACTUAL HISTORICAL RECORD.
UM, LISA GUNNEL MY COLLEAGUE OVER AT THE CITY, UM, BELTWAYS CANYONLANDS PRESERVE, PUT TOGETHER A REPORT THIS PAST YEAR ABOUT, UM, KNOWN FIRES ON THE LANDS THAT CURRENTLY MAKE UP THE PONIES CANYONLANDS PRESERVE.
SO THAT'S BOTH SINCE THEY'VE BECOME PRESERVED AND GOING BACK BEFORE THEY WILL PRESERVE AS FAR BACK AS SHE COULD FIND RECORDS, IT'S A GREAT REPORTER RECOMMENDED IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT YET.
UM, AND SHE FOUND THAT IN THE 60 YEARS THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO FIND RECORDS FOR, THERE WERE ONLY 27 DOCUMENTED INDIVIDUAL FIRES ON THE BCP LANDS THAT 85% OF THEM BURNED LESS THAN TWO ACRES.
UH, SO THAT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT PICTURE THAN, THAN MOST PEOPLE HAVE WHEN THEY THINK OF WILDFIRE, ESPECIALLY AS THEY'RE SEEING NEWS REPORTS FROM CALIFORNIA OR AUSTRALIA.
UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE JUST A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION HERE.
UM, SO ON THAT POINT, THESE TWO MAPS ARE FROM A FAIRLY NEW WEBSITE, UM, CALLED WILDFIRE RISK.ORG.
THAT'S A, UM, PROJECT OF THE U S FOREST SERVICE, AND IT HAS, UM, MAPS OF THE ENTIRE NATION LOOKING AT RISK OF WILDFIRE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE, UM, LEGEND DOWN AT THE SOUTH OF TEXAS, THEY'RE SHOWING LOWER TO HIGHER, AND THIS IS RISK TO HOMES.
THAT'S THE METRIC THAT THEY'RE USING.
AND YOU CAN SEE CALIFORNIA HAS A LOT OF VERY HIGH RISK AREAS.
WHEREAS TEXAS IS CONSIDERABLY LOWER, ESPECIALLY WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A SMALL CIRCLE, UM, JUST TO THE WEST OF AUSTIN, THAT KIND OF ZEROES IN ON THE BCP AREA.
THIS IS AN ACTUAL ZOOM IN OF THE BCP AREA.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT MOST OF IT IS ACTUALLY CLASSIFIED AS LOW RISK TO HOMES.
UM, AND IT, IT GETS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AS IT GOES FURTHER WEST, BUT IN GENERAL, IT'S, IT'S CONSIDERED TO BE LOW.
AND THEN THIS IS ANOTHER CHART FROM THAT SAME WEBSITE THAT LOOKS AT A RISK TO HOMES AGAIN, AND IT'S COMPARING AUSTIN TO OTHER COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS.
AND IT ACTUALLY HAS AUSTIN IN THE 17TH PERCENTILE, UH, WHERE IT ON AVERAGE HAS, UM, A HIGHER RISK THAN 17% OF THE COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND SO IT HAS A LOWER RISK THAN, YOU KNOW, 83% OF THE COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS.
AND THAT'S, UH, YOU CAN SEE ON THE CHART, THE METRICS ARE WELL WILDFIRE LIKELIHOOD.
SO HOW LIKELY IT IS TO BURN AND THEN WELFARE QUANTS CONSEQUENCE.
SO HOW LIKELY WHEN IT DOES BURN, IT IS TO BE A FIRE THAT IMPACTS HOMES.
UM, A LOT OF FOLKS MOVING ALONG TO ASTROGEN VERSUS IS ANOTHER COMMON THING THAT WE HEAR IS THAT, UM, CEDARS ARE ASKED JUNIPERS ARE, UM, REALLY BAD TO HAVE NEAR YOUR HOME BECAUSE THEY ARE FULL OF OILS AND ARE, ARE VERY FLAMMABLE.
AND THAT IS A MISCONCEPTION THAT WE TRY TO CLARIFY WHENEVER WE HEAR IT.
UM, THERE WAS THE 2014 STUDY FROM BAYLOR UNIVERSITY ABOUT A WILDFIRE RISK ON THE BCP SPECIFICALLY.
UM, IT WAS AN, UH, APPENDIX TO THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.
AND THEY, UH, TALK ABOUT HOW WHILE AS JUNIPERS DO CONTAIN, CONTAIN TURPINES, WHICH IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE SAYING THERE'S AN OIL, UM, AND THAT CAN BE VOLATILE IT'S ABOUT THE SAME, UM, OR AT LEAST IT'S NOT SIGNIFICANTLY
[00:25:01]
HIGHER THAN THE AMOUNT OF TURPINES IN OTHER COMMON TREES LIKE LIVE OAK OR ELM OR WALNUT.UM, AND THAT STANDS OF TREES DOMINATED WITH JUNIPER SHOULD BE CONSIDERED LOW FIRE RISK.
UH, THE US FOREST SERVICE WEBSITE ALSO SAYS THAT MATURE ASH JUNIPERS AND MODERATE TO DENSE STANDS ARE RESISTANT TO FIRE.
UM, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO JUST CLARIFY, AS I DO WITH THE PUBLIC, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY DO NOT BURN IT'S COURSE THEY CAN BURN.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY, BUT WE JUST WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A ACCURATE PICTURE OF, OF THE RISKS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, DRY GRASSES ARE ACTUALLY MUCH MORE LIKELY TO IGNITE THEY, UH, BECAUSE PART OF THEIR NATURAL LIFE CYCLE IS TO BE, IS TO DRY OUT.
THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY READY TO BURN.
IF ANYTHING, IF EMBERS OR ANOTHER IGNITION SOURCE TOUCHES THEM, THEY'RE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO CATCH FIRE THAN A LIVING TREE THAT HAS MOISTURE IN IT.
UM, NOW WHEN THE MOISTURE LEVELS IN THE TREES GO DOWN DURING EXTENDED DROUGHT, THAT DOES MAKE THEM MORE FLAMMABLE, BUT THE NORMAL CONDITIONS, UM, TREES ARE MUCH, MUCH LESS LIKELY TO BURN THAN, THAN GRASSES.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT COMES UP A LOT IS HOW DO WILDFIRES EVEN START? A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST ASSUME THAT IT'S A LIGHTNING, AND THAT MAKES SENSE.
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WILD, WILD LANDS.
WHAT'S A WILD, NATURAL WAY THAT A FIRE COULD START IT'S LIGHTNING, RIGHT? AND IT'S JUST WHAT PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR MIND A LOT OF TIMES.
UM, BUT THE TRUTH IS A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF, UM, LIGHTNING STRIKES.
I'M SORRY, A FIRES ARE STARTED BY LIGHTNING.
UM, AND THAT MAY BE PARTLY BECAUSE THEY GENERALLY HAPPEN DURING, YOU KNOW, TIMES WHEN THERE'S A STORM WHEN THERE'S HIGH HUMIDITY.
UH, BUT I, I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THAT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO, UH, UM, SPEAK OUT OF TURN ON THAT ONE.
BUT, UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT MORE THAN 95% OF WILDFIRES ARE STARTED BY PEOPLE OR BY MAN-MADE INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE POWER LINES.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER BIG REASON THAT WE DO THIS PUBLIC EDUCATION BECAUSE, UM, IF PEOPLE KNOW THE WAYS THAT THEY'RE WHAT THEY'RE DOING THAT IS HIGH RISK FOR CREATING FIRE, THEN SINCE 95% OF THE FIRES ARE STARTED BY PEOPLE REDUCING THAT BEHAVIOR IS GOING TO GO A LONG, LONG WAY TO, UM, KEEPING THE FIRES FROM STARTING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, START FIRES, MOST PEOPLE WOULDN'T EVEN BE GIVEN A SECOND THOUGHT TO LIKE PARKING ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, IDLING YOUR CAR WHILE YOU'RE CHECKING DIRECTIONS ON YOUR SMARTPHONE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE PARKED OVER A DRY GRASS THAT COULD IGNITE IT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THAT IT WAS IGNITED.
UM, AS THEY DRIVE AWAY THINGS LIKE THROWING A CIGARETTE BUTTS OUT THE WINDOW ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ALL THESE LITTLE THINGS, UM, WE TRY TO, YOU KNOW, TELL PEOPLE ABOUT, AND WE ALSO POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN THERE'S BURN BANS.
AND WE REFER PEOPLE TO OTHER RESOURCES LIKE THE TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHALL SITE FOR, FOR BEST PRACTICES TO REDUCE RISKS AND THINGS LIKE WELDING AND GRINDING AND OUTDOOR COOKING, ALL THAT, ALL THAT STUFF.
UM, ANOTHER THING, UH, HOW, HOW DO HOMEOWNERS PROTECT THEIR HOMES? UH, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THE FIRST PEOPLE THINK PEOPLE GO THROUGH IS CUT DOWN ALL THE TREES, ESPECIALLY THE CEDARS AROUND THEIR HOUSE AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT CAN BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF DEFENSIBLE SPACE.
UM, BUT WE WANT TO ALSO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT, UM, 85 TO 90% OF STRUCTURE FIRES ARE CAUSED BY EMBERS RATHER THAN BY FLAMES APPROACHING.
UM, MOST PEOPLE AT SEEMS HAVE SEEN PHOTOS, ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA OF THESE, YOU KNOW, LARGE FIRES CREEPING ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE.
UM, BUT IN GENERAL STRUCTURES THAT DO BURN IT'S OFF, IT'S NOT 85 TO 95% OF THE TIME.
IT'S FROM EMBERS THAT FIND A PLACE TO LAND THAT HAS FUEL.
SO ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT HOMEOWNERS CAN DO IS REDUCE THE CHANCES OF THOSE EMBERS WHEN THEY DO LAND CATCHING SOMETHING ON FIRE.
UM, AND BECAUSE EMBERS CAN TRAVEL MORE THAN A MILE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT MORE IMPORTANT TO MAKE YOUR HOME HARD TO HARDEN YOUR HOME, TO KEEP THOSE EMBERS FROM CATCHING FIRE THAN IT IS TO REDUCE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE VEGETATION NEAR YOUR HOME.
CAUSE YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, CONTROL THE VEGETATION A MILE OR MORE AROUND.
SO THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO, TO KEEP YOUR HOME HARDENED.
UM, AND SO CLEANING GUTTERS GOES A LONG WAY, SCREENING VENTS, UM, REMOVING WOOD OR DEBRIS PILES, UH, REPLACING WOODEN FENCES AND DECKS, JUST, YOU KNOW, DOING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TO KEEP YOUR HOME FROM BEING FLAMMABLE.
UM, AND SO WE DO A LOT OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, UH, ON THAT.
AND, AND LARGELY WE REFER PEOPLE TO, UH, RESOURCES THAT CAN, CAN, UH, HELP THEM WITH THAT INFORMATION.
UM, THIS IS A PICTURE THAT IS FROM TEXAS A AND M FOREST SERVICE REPORT CALLED 2011, TEXAS WILDFIRES.
[00:30:01]
TO CHECK OUT.UM, AND I INCLUDED THIS AS AN EXAMPLE TO SHOW HOW A LOT OF TIMES HOUSES WILL BURN AND THE VEGETATION NEXT TO THEM WILL NOT HAVE BURNED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SHOWS THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE TREE NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR PHOTO WE WERE, WERE CONTACTED BY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO SAW THE PRESENTATION ONLINE AND, UM, HAPPENS TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE SPECIFIC HOUSE AND, UH, HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE CHARACTERIZATION THAT THE FOREST SERVICE HAD LISTED UNDER THE PHOTO, THAT IT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF, UM, STRUCTURED STRUCTURE IGNITION AND, AND LIKELY EMBERS THAT HAD BURNED IT.
SO, UM, SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT CHARACTERIZATION IS ACCURATE.
SO I'M JUST GONNA SET THAT ASIDE AND SAY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO FURTHER, BUT THAT THE PRINCIPLE STILL HOLDS TRUE THAT, UM, THAT EMBERS ARE, ARE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST RISK.
AND YOU DO SEE CASES WHERE, UM, THE VEGETATION AROUND THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES ARE NOT AFFECTED WHEN THE BUILDINGS ARE ACTUALLY IN FIRE STEINER, RANCHES, A PIECE OF THAT.
UM, SO, AND THAT'S OF COURSE NOT TO SAY THAT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT AROUND BUILDINGS IS, IS A PART OF IT.
IT IS, BUT, UH, JUST SO PUT IT INTO THE LARGER PICTURE AND ALSO HOPEFULLY DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM CUTTING DOWN THE TREES ON THE PRESERVE BEHIND THEIR HOME.
UM, AND SO ONCE WE GET THAT CONVERSATION STARTED, USUALLY IT'LL BE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE DOING A GUIDED HIKE, I'LL POINT OUT SOME SHADED FUEL BREAKS THAT WE'RE WALKING BY AND TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THAT, OR SOMEBODY WILL MAKE A COMMENT AND I'LL BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, ACTUALLY I HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
AND THEN WE REFER THEM TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE BULK OF THE WILDFIRE, UH, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
UM, SO WE, YOU KNOW, UH, REFER THEM TO THE READY SET, GO, A BOOKLET THAT IS CENTRAL TEXAS SPECIFIC.
SO IT'S GOT SOME REALLY GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS IN THERE.
UM, WE REFER THEM TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHALL'S OFFICE AND TO AFD WHO CAN DO HOME ASSESSMENTS.
SO THAT'S, WE'LL GIVE PEOPLE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO FOR THEIR OWN HOMES, UH, TO LOWER THEIR RISK.
UH, AND, OR ALSO FIREWISE COMMITTEES OFTEN HAVE TRAINED VOLUNTEERS WHO CAN DO THAT.
AND THEN I ALSO REFER PEOPLE TO THE COUNTY BCPS WEBSITE THAT HAS A LITTLE SECTION ON REDUCING FIRE RISK.
AND THEN THAT ALSO SENDS PEOPLE OFF TO OTHER RESOURCES.
AND AS I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE, WE'RE PLANNING ON A, A LARGER SEPARATE SECTION FOR, UM, STEINER RANCH, FUEL MITIGATION.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND, UM, THE, A PICTURE OF THE FIELD STAFF, OR ACTUALLY THE DEPARTMENT STAFF FOR, UH, THE NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM AT TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO END WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE ALL PART OF A TEAM AND EVERYBODY WHO WORKS WITH THE PUBLIC, WHICH IS EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, COME, UH, ENCOUNTERS THESE QUESTIONS.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALL CONSTANTLY, UH, ADDRESSING AND TRYING TO CLARIFY SO THAT WE CAN ALL MOVE FORWARD IN A SAFER WAY.
UM, WHAT QUESTIONS ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR JOHANNA GOOD PRESENTATION COMMISSIONER? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT, UH, UH, COMPLIMENTS TO OUR STAFF.
THIS IS, UH, EXCELLENT EDUCATION.
AND, UM, UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE EDUCATION DURING THE FIELD OUTINGS.
UM, WE ARE ABLE TO POINT TO SPECIFIC CONDITIONS AND EXPLAINED TO PEOPLE AND IT GIVES REALLY IMPORTANT.
YOU WANT A GREAT JOB WITH IT? YEAH.
TANYA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NOPE.
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, WE HAVE A PART B TO THIS AGENDA ITEM.
UH, WE WILL BE SHOWING A VIDEO THAT THE CITY PUT TOGETHER.
UH, JOE HAD A, THE HONDA DID A REALLY GREAT JOB TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY DOES.
THE CITY DOES THE SAME THINGS AS WELL.
SO I'M GOING TO SWITCH THE HOST ROLE OVER TO ME SO I CAN SHARE A VIDEO AND THEN WE'LL HAVE KATE MCCANN WITH US.
SHE WILL BE NARRATING THE VIDEO BECAUSE OF THE PLATFORM THAT WE USE.
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO INCLUDE OUR, UH, AUDIO VIDEO.
SO SHE'S GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
YOU SAID THE VIDEO, IT INCLUDES, SOUNDED LIKE THE AUDIO WAS COMING THROUGH.
SO THIS IS LUKE BALL FROM THE AUSTIN WATER.
BUCKLEY'S CANYONLANDS PRESERVE.
HE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND CHRIS VETERAN MEAL WORKS FOR AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT'S WILDFIRE DIVISION.
[00:35:01]
SO, BECAUSE WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR THE AUDIO, I'LL BE SHARING THE WORDS THAT THEY TYPICALLY SAY IN THIS VIDEO FOR A LITTLE SURREALIST FUN ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON.AND SO WE SHOT THIS VIDEO WALL MEETING SHIT, IF YOU BREAK EARLIER THIS YEAR.
SO IT BEGINS BY SAYING WE'RE HERE TODAY TO MAINTAIN A SHADED ALONG THE BOUNDARY OF THE RESERVE.
AND THE COMMUNITY IS SHADED FOR BREAK CAUSE AN AREA WHERE WE REMOVED SOME, BUT NOT ALL OF THE VEGETATION ON THE PCP BOUNDARY, MAINTAIN THE CANOPY OVERHEAD TO THE RIGHT SHADE, TO PREVENT SMALL, MORE FLAMMABLE VEGETATION FROM GROWING.
IT ALSO PROVIDES A MOIST COOL ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN REDUCE THE INTENSITY OF A POTENTIAL WILDFIRE.
CISCO'S I'M JUST SAYING ABOUT THE SHOOTER WHO BREAK IS JUST ONE ASPECT OF OUR WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION STRATEGY.
WE ALSO WANT HOMEOWNERS TO BE ENGAGED IN HARDENING THEIR HOMES.
IT'S A CRICKET DEFENSIBLE SPACE.
HARDENING YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE SPACE IS VERY IMPORTANT, EVEN IF YOU'RE INSIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOT NEAR THE BOUNDARY BECAUSE MEMBERS FROM A FIRE CAN TRAVEL UP TO A MILE, UM, THROUGH COOPERATION WITH LAND MANAGERS, NEIGHBORS, AND THE FRONT OR DEPARTMENT, WE ALL CAN WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE THE RISK OF WILDFIRES OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT VIDEO IS KIND OF SHORT AND SWEET.
UM, AND ISN'T IT TO DRIVE HOME.
SOME OF THAT, THE IDEA THAT YOUR COMMENT TALKED ABOUT, UM, AND THAT'S AVAILABLE BOTH IN YOUR LETTER THAT WE PLAYED THIS ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING UP ON THE AGENDA AND ALSO JUST ON THE AUSTIN.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE VOICEOVER ON THAT, UH, ON THAT VIDEO.
CAUSE ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR KATE? JUST A QUICK NOTE.
I THINK THESE KINDS OF EDUCATIONAL MECHANISMS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH, UM, MISINFORMATION OUT THERE.
WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, PEOPLE WERE ALL LIKE, OH YEAH, THESE JUNIPERS ARE FULL OF OILS.
IF IT CATCH FIRE REALLY EASILY AND THEY'RE REALLY DANGEROUS AND THEY'RE REALLY FLAMMABLE, THEY NEED TO BE CUT DOWN.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S A REALLY COMMON NOTION.
AND SO, UM, ALL OF THIS EDUCATION IS REALLY CRUCIAL AND, UM, I JUST APPRECIATE, UM, THE STAFF'S ONGOING EFFORTS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVE WAYS OF COMMUNICATING THAT MESSAGE.
ONE FUN THING THAT WE GOT TO DO THIS YEAR WAS SHARE A COLORING SHEET FOR THE ROOTS AND WINGS FESTIVAL, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, ALL FROM HOME THIS YEAR.
AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO SEND NATIVE SEEDS AND ALSO, UM, OUR, OUR ROOTS THIS YEAR WAS ALL ABOUT ASH JUNIPER.
SO THERE WERE FUN FACTS ABOUT ASH JUNIPER AND GO LIVE ON SOME COLORING, SOME 3000 COLORING SHEETS THAT WENT OUT.
SO THAT WAS A SMALL PIECE OF THIS ONGOING EFFORT.
ANYTHING ELSE, KIMBERLY? ARE WE, UH, IS THAT IT FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? I'LL MOVE
[4. BCCP Coordinating Committee End-of-Year Letter – BCP Staff]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.THANK YOU TO JOHANNA AND KATE.
THE YEAR END LEVER, THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE YEAR IN LETTER.
UM, AND I THINK, UM, KIMBERLY, YOU WERE ASKING IF WE'VE GOT ANY EDITS TO LET ME KNOW, AND GIOVANNA WILL PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS A LITTLE BIT AS WELL, BUT THEN, UH, BCP STAFF, PARTICULARLY JOHANNA HAVE WORKED ON A LETTER THAT SHE HAS A LOT OF THAT REALLY GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT WILDFIRE AND OUTREACH.
AND THAT ALSO HAS A PATCH TO IT, A BEAUTIFUL FLYER THAT KATE PUT TOGETHER THAT I COULD LOOK ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH THE POOL AND THERE'LL BE PATH AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU LIKE THE MESSAGING IN THE LETTER.
AND THEN I'LL WORK WITH BOTH THE TEAMS. DO YOU GET YOUR SIGNATURES AND WE'LL GET THAT POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY AGAIN, IT'S TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THE STAFF? UM, I THINK THE LETTER IS EXCELLENT.
I MEAN, I KNOW JUST FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEXT TO THE PRESERVES, THAT THEY ARE FRIGHTENED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF, UM, A WILDFIRE STARTING IN THE PRESERVE.
AND I THINK YOU JUST, YOU, YOU EDUCATE THEM AND EXPLAIN THE REALITY REALLY, REALLY EFFECTIVELY, UM, AND ALSO PROVIDE ALL THESE GREAT LINKS FOR THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY AND, UM, AND LINKS TO THE VIDEO AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS.
SO I, I JUST SAY, BRAVO JUMP, HOLD ON.
[00:40:02]
SINCE I PRESUME IT'S GOING TO BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY, UM, I WOULD, UH, ENCOURAGE US TO SEND IT MORE WIDELY, NOT JUST TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ADJACENT TO THE PRESERVE.I THINK THIS, THIS SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE AND, AND POSTED, UM, LIBERALLY.
IT'S JUST VERY GOOD EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL.
UH, THE LAST FEW YEARS WE POSTED IT ON OUR WEBSITE AND THEN ALSO ON NEXT DOOR TO ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES ALL AROUND THE ENTIRE PRESERVE.
SO OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE, UM, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT IF, UM, IF THEY, YOU KNOW, ARE SUBSCRIBED TO TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, BUT WE CAN LOOK INTO OTHER WAYS TO GET IT OUT AS WELL.
WE ALSO USUALLY WILL POST IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THAT THING, THAT'S THE SORT OF THING AS WELL.
AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SHARE IT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY VALUABLE INFORMATION AND IT'S, AND IT'S, IT IS SURPRISING BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THE EXACT OPPOSITE TO BE TRUE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE BEST THING TO DO IS CUT ALL THOSE TREES DOWN WHEN THAT WILL IN FACT INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD.
I ALWAYS LIKED THE YEAR-END LETTER.
AND I THINK THIS ONE IS ESPECIALLY GOOD.
AND JUST THANKS TO JOHANNES, SO NICE TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND SHE REALLY DID THE LION'S SHARE OF THE WORK AND JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THAT THAT WENT INTO THIS.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE WORKING WITH YOU ALL AS WELL AND LOVE THE FLYER THAT KATE PUT TOGETHER.
IT'S REALLY VERY PRETTY AND SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE IN ALL KINDS OF OTHER APPLICATIONS AS WELL.
YOU MAY HAVE MY SIGNATURE, MY ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE FROM LAST YEAR.
YOU CAN USE THAT AGAIN, BUT IF YOU DON'T LET ME KNOW.
AND, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL EMAIL THAT TO YOU.
I'LL WORK WITH YOUR STAFF AFTERWARDS.
[5. Receive BCP Partner Reports – BCP Staff]
FIVE, BCP PARTNER REPORTS.WE'LL HAVE A REPORT TODAY FROM TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, FROM THE CITY AND THE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH REPORT AS WELL.
SO HOW ABOUT LINDA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FIRST FOR THE CARAMEL? UH, SURE.
HI, UH, I WANTED TO LOCK SUPERVISOR FOR TRAVIS COUNTY AND OUR FOURTH QUARTER REPORT THAT COVERS JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER IS IN THE MEETING DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO COVER A FEW HIGHLIGHTS.
SO DURING, UH, THIS QUARTER, WE TRANSITIONED FROM, UH, SUMMER MONITORING ACTIVITIES TO FOCUS MORE ON TO FOCUSING MORE ON, UH, LAND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS THAT CAN ONLY BE DONE DURING THE PERIOD WHEN THE WARBLERS AND VIREOS ARE WAY IN, ON LEERING BROWNS.
AND TWO OF ITS PROJECTS INVOLVE HABITAT RESTORATION.
UH, ONE OF THESE WAS A TWO ACRE SITE NEAR OUR FIELD OFFICE, WHERE WE, UH, CONDUCTED A PRESCRIBED BURN, UH, TO KIND OF KNOCK AT THE CARE BLUE STEM, WHICH IS AN INVASIVE GRASS.
AND THEN WE PLANTED IT WITH NATIVE GRASS AND FORBES SEEDS TO HOPEFULLY JUMPSTART A NATIVE PRAIRIE.
AND ON THE QUARTERLY UNIT, WE CONDUCTED A FIVE ACRE PRESCRIBED BURN, OR EXCUSE ME, WE CONDUCTED A FIVE ACRE, A FRESH MANAGEMENT PROJECT.
IT WAS NOT A PRESCRIBED BURN TO CREATE HABITAT SUITABLE FOR THE BLACK CAP AREA.
AND THEN WE ALSO COMPLETED A PARTIAL DEMOLITION ON AN OLD BARN ON OUR NUTSY TRACK THAT WAS COLLAPSING AND BECOMING A SAFETY HAZARD.
AND THIS EARLY 20TH CENTURY BURN WAS IN, CAME WITH THE PROPERTY WHEN WE ACQUIRED IT.
AND FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO RETAIN MOST OF THE STONEWALLS BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE SOME HISTORIC VALUE.
AND ANOTHER PROJECT WE CLOSELY MONITORED WAS THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN UNDER UNDERGROUND WASTEWATER LINE THAT RUN ONCE UNDERNEATH THE GREEN SHORES AND WOODS OF GREEN SHORES CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
AND THAT WASTEWATER LINE IS FOR THE WOODS OF GREEN SHORES SUBDIVISION.
AND THIS WAS A COMPLEX PROJECT THAT REQUIRED YEARS OF NEGOTIATIONS AND COORDINATION TO ASSURE THAT THE PROJECT COULD BE COMPLETED, UH, FOLLOWING OUR S OUR STRICT ENVIRONMENT, MENTAL REQUIREMENTS, AND THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION PHASE FOR THE PROJECT TOOK ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
AND IT WAS COMPLETED THIS SUMMER TO OUR SATISFACTION.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, WE CONTINUE TO FIND AN ADDRESS BACK OF THAT ISSUES.
UH, THE MOST SERIOUS OF WHICH IS THE TREE CUTTING, SOME OF WHICH,
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, JOHANNA SHOWED, UH, AND WE TYPICALLY WILL SEND OUT A NOTICE OF VIOLATION LETTERS, AND THEN WE WORK WITH THE, THE NEIGHBORS TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.UH, BUT IN ONE CASE THOUGH, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO, UM, SETTLE AMICABLY AND THE COUNTY IS SEEKING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ONE OF THE NEIGHBORING LAND OWNERS.
AND THAT CASE IS STILL PENDING.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I'LL COVER UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, COMMISSIONER, UH, JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
I'M READING HER PROBLEMS WITH READING SHORES DEVELOPMENT AREA ADDRESSED.
CAUSE IT WAS JUST A SOURCE OF CONSTANCE.
I THINK SEWAGE SPILLS IN THE PRESERVE OR JASON TO THE PRESERVE AND, UM, IT WAS JUST AN ONGOING PROBLEM.
SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR GETTING THAT ONE FIXED.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE UP NEXT TO TALK ABOUT THE CITY RECORD AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO GIOVANNA AND MAYBE KATE WE'LL SEE.
I'M NICO HOWARD I'M PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE AUSTIN WATER ABOUT TWENTIES.
CAN YOU THEN PRESERVE PROGRAM? AND SO AGAIN, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS STAFF REPORT THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR, IN YOUR AGENDA.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS IS THAT AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE ACQUIRED THE KERO ELITE TRACK, WHICH WE'D BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS, CAROL LEE PRESERVED.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND WE'VE BEEN, UM, WORKING A LOT WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THE, IN THE PREVIOUS OWNERS THAT WILL HAVE A DEVELOPMENT NEXT TO US.
THERE WILL BE A SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER AND, UM, THE NEIGHBORS ARE IN PARTICULAR CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WILDFIRE AS WE DISCUSSED.
AND SO, UM, A YEAR AGO THERE WAS A DISCOVERY, A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE HOMELESS CAMPS ON THE PRESERVE ABOUT 30 OF THEM, WHICH WE HAVEN'T SEEN SINCE.
UM, BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, TEXTILES AND IN THE PREVIOUS OWNER TO PUT FENCING ALONG 22, 22 TO TRY TO GET PERHAPS MORE CONTROL OF THE TRACT THAN WHAT'S BEEN IN THE PAST THAT, UM, THE NEIGHBORS WERE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT CAMPFIRES, YOU KNOW, IGNITING THE FOREST, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS A VALID CONCERN.
UM, SO WE ACQUIRED IT AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE TRAINED TO, UM, WORK ON THE TRACK TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT, UH, MAKE IT A BCP PRESERVE.
AND, UM, SO NEXT ONE WE'RE WORKING ON NOW, HOPEFULLY WHAT WE HOPE TO ACQUIRE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
IT'S A BRIGHT LEAF RESERVE, WHICH IS, UM, FURTHER DOWN 22, 22, YOUR MOUNT PANELLE, AND THAT'S ABOUT A 216 ACRE TRACK WHERE WE'VE BEEN, UM, HOPING TO GET FOR A LONG TIME.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT ONE SALE AND ALSO TRYING TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORS ON THEIR CONCERNS.
AND A LOT OF THEM ARE WILDFIRE RELATED CONCERNS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO HELP LOOK AT THAT, BUT AS JOANNA SAID, YOU KNOW, THE WILDFIRE RISKS HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN REALLY LOW.
AND PART OF THE REASON IS THAT WE DO MANAGE THE TRACKS TOO.
IN ONE OF THE THINGS ARE THAT WE CONTROL ACCESS TO THE TRACKS.
AND THAT'S WHEN ONE OF THE WAYS WE ACTIVELY MANAGE THEM THROUGH REDUCE WILDFIRE RISKS.
IN ADDITION TO KEEPING THE TREATS THERE, WHICH JOANNA SAID, YOU KNOW, IS THE SCIENCE SHOWS, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY REDUCES YOUR RISK WILDFIRE.
UM, WE, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL, UM, TRACKS OF OURS THAT ARE DUAL MANAGED WITH US IN PARKS AND RECREATION.
AND THEY HAD, UM, THEIR STAFF HAD RECENTLY, UM, GAVE GIVEN TO US, UH, A DRAFT LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN OR A COMMENTS ON IT.
UM, A LOT OF IT WAS FOCUSED ON, UM, REMOVING THE TREES, LIKE ASK JUNIPER AND, AND, UM, X'S PERSIMMON NATIVE THREES.
UM, AND SO A LOT OF OUR COMMENTS WERE THIS, THAT THIS IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH PCP MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, AND OUR MAIN COMMENT WAS THIS DON'T, DON'T APPLY THESE TO BCP PLANS THAT ARE PART OF LANDS.
AND SO WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK YET IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO THEM OR NOT.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A, UM, INTER-DEPARTMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH WE WERE WORKING ON ALSO LAST YEAR THAT WE HAVE A ROW DEFINE CLEAR ROLES AND HOW WE'RE MAINTAINED THE DUAL MANAGED.
UM, ALSO THE, UM, AND AS I MENTIONED LAST TIME, WE, WE, WE, BECAUSE OF COVID, WE DIDN'T GET TO DO QUITE AS INTENSIVE AS SURVEYS WE USUALLY DO.
UM, BUT WE WRAPPED UP THE, THE END OF THE YEAR SURVEYING.
WE FOUND A LOT MORE BLACK CAB BARRIOS AND, AND, UH, THE NUMBERS ON THE
SO WE SUSPECT IT HAS TO DO WITH, WITH THE FEWER PEOPLE OUT.
UM, AND, UM, SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS INTERESTING.
WE WON'T HAVE REALLY GOOD NUMBERS.
[00:50:01]
HECK WE USUALLY HAVE ON THE INTENSIVE SURVEY BECAUSE OF THE SHORTENED MONITORING, THE REDO ALSO, UM, THIS QUARTER, WE, WE, UM, CALLED ABOUT 55 FERAL HOGS FROM THE BCP PRESERVES ON THE AUSTIN WATER SIDE.AND, UM, THERE WAS A, UM, A STORY CAKES IN, DID A STORY ON, ON THROW HOGS THAT WERE IN A NEIGHBOR'S BACKYARD ADJACENT TO PCP PRESERVES, UM, ON OCTOBER 12TH CAKES AND DID A STORY ON IT WHERE THIS FERAL HALL HAD GOT IN THE YARD AND ATTACKED AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER, UM, AND IN THOSE YARDS AND, AND, AND ADJACENT TO THAT PARTICULAR SITE AND ALSO OUR, THE PRESERVES, WE HA WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM IN THAT, UM, WITH, UH, LIKE WHAT JOANNA SAID, HIS NEIGHBORS WOULD GO CUT HOLES IN THE FENCES TO THE BCP PRESERVES, GO INTO THE BCP, PROVES A HIKE OR TO CLEAR TREES, UM, WHICH WE SAW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENT TO WHERE THIS FERAL HOG WAS.
AND THE FERAL HOG SEEMED TO BE USING THE HOLES IN THE FENCES TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE YARDS.
AND SO THAT ONCE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, ACTIVE MANAGEMENT OF KEEPING THE FENCES UP AND PATROLLING AND MAKING SURE THE NEIGHBORS DON'T CUT HOLES IN THE FENCE ALSO HELPS THE NEIGHBORS SAFETY IN REGARDS TO FARROW HOTBOX.
CAUSE WE AREN'T, WE AREN'T TRAPPING FOR HAWKS AT OUR PROPERTY, BUT IF THEY CUT HOLES IN THE FENCE, WE CAN'T KEEP THEM FROM, THEY'RE VERY ATTRACTED TO YARDS FOR THE WATER AND THE, IN THE FOOD IN THE YARD.
SO, UM, THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO TO KEEP THEM FROM GOING INTO THE YARDS IF THE NEIGHBORS CUT HOLES IN THE OFFENSES.
SO, UM, WE, WE MENTIONED THAT LAST TIME THAT THERE WAS A PROBABLY CRAZY AND INFECTION AT EMMA LONG PARK, UM, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS.
AND ALSO, UM, GIVE NOTICE TO PEOPLE ARE COMING TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT KIND OF CREATES THE ANTONYM ALONG PARK.
AND THE LAST THING I WAS GONNA MENTION IS JUST THAT, UH, ON A VERY PRESERVED, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF RESTORATION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF RESTORATION PROJECTS AND ALSO A LOT OF TRAINING TO PEOPLE ABOUT FOREST ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND TRYING, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WAS A SITE THAT HAD BEEN KIND OF CLEAR CUT BACK IN THE FIFTIES BY THE OWNER AND, AND THE, AND HAD A HUGE WILDFIRE AS A RESULT OF ALL THE CRUDE TREES THAT WERE LAYING IN PILES.
UM, AND AS A RESULT, WE HAD LOST A LOT OF SOIL ON THE SITE.
SO IT'S A VERY MUCH A, UH, A SITE THAT'S IN NEED OF RESTORATION.
IT'S VERY DEGRADED, UM, FROM THE TREE CLEARING AND THE SUBSEQUENT FROM THERE AS A RESULT.
AND SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE RESTORING THAT SITE, SOME OF OUR OTHER SITES HAVE SIMILAR.
UM, SO THE DEGRADATION WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO BUILD UP.
AND SO WE'RE ALSO BRINGING THAT DOUBLE G AND T AND SOME OF OUR OTHER RESERVES AS WELL.
AND I'M GOING TO STOP THERE FOR THE STAFF REPORT.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WHAT'S YOUR DOG'S NAME AGE? AND YOU JUST CAME IN BEHIND HIM.
THIS IS A GREAT THING ABOUT, UH, ALL OF US WORKING FROM OUR HOMES IS OUR, OUR PETS ARE USUALLY SOMEWHERE IN THE BACKGROUND
UM, NICO SAY THAT AREA THAT WAS BURNED AGAIN.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS DEGRADED AS RESULT.
SO THE VERIO PRESERVE AND THE WILD BASE SCENARIO WAS HEAVILY BURNED IN 1960 BY THE WESTBANK FIRE THAT HAPPENED WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST FIRES IN THE AUSTIN AREA IN HISTORY.
AND WHAT HAPPENED IS THE BEVIN PORT RANCH FOLKS.
LIKE MOST PEOPLE, THEY CLEARED THE BIGGER RANCH LAND SO THEY CAN HAVE CATTLE.
SO THE CATTLE CAN EAT THE GRASS.
AND THAT DOESN'T HELP IF YOU HAVE PRODUCE EVERYWHERE, ESPECIALLY AS JUNIPER.
SO THEY CLEARED, UM, A LOT OF THE SITE EXTENSIVELY TILED THEM ALONG ST.
UM, SOMEBODY DRIVING BY THE ROAD, THREW THEIR CIGARETTE OUT INTO A PILE AND IT STARTED THIS HUGE.
AND THEN NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE THESE PILES, BUT THEN YOU HAVE ALL THIS GRASSLAND THAT CATCHES VERY EASILY.
SO VERY QUICKLY, YOU HAD A VERY LARGE AREA OF BERLIN JUST AT A TIME WHEN, WHEN AUSTIN WAS STARTING TO FORM A FIRE DEPARTMENT AT THAT TIME.
SO IT WAS A VERY DEVASTATING FIRE AND WE CAN SEE THE RESULTS AND THE EXTENSIVE LOSS OF SOIL ON OUR SITES OF SORES ARE VERY DEGRADED AS IT WAS SOLD TO THAT.
I, UH, I HAD HEARD ABOUT THAT FIRE FROM SOMEONE WHO ASSUMED THAT IT STARTED, UH, WITH THE ASH JUNIPER AND BURNED BECAUSE OF THE CEDAR TREES AND THEIR OBSERVATION WAS THAT YOU COULD TELL THAT THERE'D BEEN A DEVASTATING FIRE THERE BECAUSE ALL OF THE TREES WERE SMALLER AND OF THE SAME HEIGHT.
SO THEY'D GROWN UP SINCE THEN, BUT THIS IS PART OF THAT MYTHOLOGY AND THAT, AND THAT FRANKLY, WRONG, UH, UNDERSTANDING OF, UM, HOW THESE FIRES START AND,
[00:55:01]
UM, FALSELY BLAMING CEDAR TREES, UM, FOR THE FIRES.THE WAY THEY WERE CEDAR TREES, BUT THERE WERE JUST CLEAR, CLEARED AND PILED AND DRIED OUT CEDAR TREES, BUT IT WAS JUST QUITTER.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO MENTION TOO, IS THAT THIS STORY IS IN WILLIS.
OTHERS WILL BE IN LISA'S, UM, HISTORY OF WILDFIRE REPORT.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ ABOUT IT THERE, THE TRUE STORY.
I HAD A SEPARATE CALL COMING UP.
UM, I CAN'T REALLY, I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
WE'RE STILL WANTING TO REVIEW IT REALLY EXTENSIVELY.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOT COMMENTS BACK FROM AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT ON IT THAT SHE'S JUST GONNA INCORPORATE.
UM, AND SO I'VE BEEN WANTING TO LOOK AT IT SOME MORE TOO, BUT HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME WE HAVE THE NEXT MEETING IT'LL BE AVAILABLE.
UM, SO I'LL, I'LL TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT THE, UM, EDUCATION, UH, PARTNERS REPORT AND KATE, PLEASE JUMP IN.
UH, BUT I'LL GO OVER THE, UH, WHAT WAS IN THIS QUARTERLY REPORT FIRST.
UM, SO ACTUALLY, I GUESS I WILL SHARE MY SCREEN AGAIN AND SHOW YOU SECOND SHEET FLIP BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PAGES OF THE REPORT.
UM, SO, UH, WE HAD 376 EVENTS REACHING 429 YOUTH, UH, ABOUT 1500 ADULTS WITH ABOUT 970, UH, HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK.
UH, THIS IS A BIT HIGHER THAN LAST QUARTER SINCE ALL OF THE BCP PARTNERS HAVE BEEN SLOWLY FIGURING OUT WAYS TO, UM, GET BACK TO MOSTLY VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES, BUT ALSO SOME GUIDED HIKES AND BIRDING, YOU KNOW, UH, TRIPS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO WE HAD A SLIGHT UPTICK, UM, FROM LAST QUARTER, ACTUALLY IT WAS 150%, UM, OF THE YOUTH.
UH, SO I GUESS A 50% INCREASE FROM LAST QUARTER OF THE NUMBER OF YOUTH REACHED A 30% INCREASE ON THE ADULTS REACHED AND AN 8% INCREASE ON THE VOLUNTEER HOURS.
UH, WE ARE STILL OF COURSE, MUCH LOWER THAN WE WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS.
UM, 70% FEWER CANTS REACHED THEM LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, 50%, FEWER ADULTS AND 42% FEWER VOLUNTEER HOURS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE FINDING DIFFERENT WAYS TO PIVOT AND DO THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SMALL GROUP OUTDOOR, UM, SOCIALLY DISTANCED VOLUNTEERING ACTIVITIES.
UM, I KNOW AT THE COUNTY WE ARE STARTING TO DO MORE SOLO ACTIVITIES.
WE ARE, UM, RAMPING UP TO DO SOME FUEL MOISTURE MONITORING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY BEEN DOING FOR QUITE A WHILE.
AND WE'RE STARTING TO DO THAT AS WELL, AND THAT'S SOMETHING VOLUNTEERS CAN GO OUT AND DO ON THEIR OWN.
UM, AND ALSO SIMILARLY, WE'RE DOING A CAMERA TRAP STUDY, UM, WHILE BASIN HAS BEEN DOING THAT FOR A WHILE, OR WE'RE ADOPTING THAT ON OUR TRACKS AS WELL.
UM, BUT LET'S SEE WHAT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS I WANTED TO COVER, I GUESS I'LL GO THROUGH.
SO THIS VIDEO THAT THE CITY DID ABOUT ASH JUNIPER JUST AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL, VERY WELL DONE.
UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SEE IT YET, IT REALLY HITS HOME.
A LOT OF THE POINTS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AND, UM, IS DONE WITH A LOCAL RANCHER WHO HAS BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
AND SO HOPEFULLY WILL CARRY WEIGHT WITH A LOT OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
AND I'VE BEEN HEARING THESE MYTHS OVER AND OVER, UH, THROUGH THE YEARS.
UM, LET'S SEE, MM, ACRE SANCTUARY HAD A, YOU KNOW, SMALL GROUP, UM, ACTIVITY WITH SOME BOY SCOUTS THEY'VE BEEN MOSTLY, YOU KNOW, UH, HAVEN'T HAD THE SAME KIND OF PROGRAMMING THAT THEY NORMALLY WOULD HAVE, UH, OUR WILD NEIGHBORS, UM, PARTNERSHIP SERIES.
THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP OF THE COUNTY VCP AND THE CITY BCP.
UM, THE MONTHLY WEBINAR SERIES HAS BEEN REALLY POPULAR AND IS CONTINUING, UH, WE ACTUALLY, THE NEXT ONE IS NEXT WEEK ON THE 20TH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, KELLY SIMA FROM TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE TALKING ABOUT URBAN WILDLIFE.
UM, WELL, ESPECIALLY WILDLIFE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE ON THE WOOEY, UH, WILDLIFE URBAN INTERFACE.
UM, AND SHE WILL TOUCH ON COYOTES AND HOGS, BUT WE'LL ALSO BE TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM FOXES AND ARMADILLOS TO OWLS AND SNAKES, AND JUST THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE.
[01:00:01]
OF INFORMATION.SO PLEASE TUNE IN THIS ONE, THAT'S PICTURED THERE IN THE REPORT WAS ONE THAT DR.
TANYA
SO YOU CAN VISIT THEM AT ANY TIME OR FORWARD THEM TO FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THOSE TOPICS.
I THINK IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT JOHANNA AND I, AND ALL THE CITY AND COUNTY STAFF USED TO DO TOGETHER IN PERSON.
AND SO WE WERE REALLY LAMENTING AT FIRST, NOT HAVING THE HIKE AND LECTURE FORMAT.
YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S JUST A WEBINAR, BUT I THINK IN SOME WAYS IT'S, IT'S MADE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE EQUITABLE.
I THINK MORE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO JOIN US FROM HOME.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ALL SICK OF LOOKING AT SCREENS, IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN TO GET TOGETHER AND KIND OF GET BIG, A PRETTY BIG CROWD, MAYBE THREE TIMES THE SIZE WE WOULD HAVE HAD IN PERSON, UM, AND TO BE ABLE TO THINK THEY STILL FREQUENCY TO MONTHLY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE GOOD THING.
AND IT ALLOWS US TO DRAW ON KIND OF A, A BIGGER POOL EVEN OF SPEAKERS BECAUSE FOLKS DON'T NEED TO BE HERE PHYSICALLY TO SPEAK.
UM, AND IT'S JUST, IT'S BEEN GREAT.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN AND IT'S ANOTHER SILVER LINING IS HAVING THOSE RECORDINGS THAT WE CAN REFER PEOPLE TO.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE IN PERSON TO HEAR THE INFORMATION, UM, WHILE BASIN, JUST MOVING ONTO THAT NEXT SECTION, AS YOU PROBABLY ARE AWARE, THEY REOPENED THIS LAST QUARTER WITH, UH, SELF GUIDED TOURS AND THEY MADE ALL THE TRAILS ONE WAY SO THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T BE, YOU KNOW, CROSSING EACH OTHER'S PATHS AND GETTING TOO CLOSE.
UM, SO THEY'VE HAD SUCCESS THERE AND THE WORKING THROUGH ALL THE KINKS AND ARE CONTINUING TO DO ALL OF THEIR GREAT WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, AUTO, UM, AUDIO SURVEYS OF THE WILDLIFE AND JUST ALL KINDS OF GOOD RESEARCH TO HAVE THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH A LOT OF THE ST ED STUDENTS GOING AROUND WITH IT.
AND WEST CAVE HAS ALSO REOPENED FOR SOME SMALL GROUP TOURS, UH, THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING SOCIAL DISTANCING BETWEEN, UH, HOUSEHOLD GROUPS.
AND, UH, THEY'VE ACTUALLY RAMPED IT UP QUITE A BIT.
MOST OF THE, UM, THE NUMBERS, HONESTLY FROM THAT CHART IS FROM WEST CAVE AS IT USUALLY IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A REALLY, UM, VERY ACTIVE PROGRAM OF GETTING PEOPLE IN ON THE TOUR AND OUT, UM, THEY'RE REALLY HAVE A, UH, QUITE AN EFFICIENT SYSTEM.
SO, UH, YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF MY OVERVIEW THERE.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD JAKE? NOPE.
I THINK THAT'S IT GO WATCH THAT VIDEO.
I'M SO GRATEFUL TO LISA O'DONNELL FOR SEEING THAT TOO.
IT'S A GOOD SHORT TOOL THAT REALLY TALKS ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THOSE ASH JUNIPER MYTHS THAT WE WERE REFERENCING EARLIER.
AND DON GARDNER IS LITERALLY LIKE THE DAWN OF ARBORIST.
HE'S, HE'S, HE'S A MAN I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR DECADES AND HE'S, HE'S JUST AN EXPERT AND A TREASURED RESOURCE ON THE SUBJECT.
I'VE BEEN CLICKING ON THE LINKS IN THE LETTER.
THAT'S GOING TO GO OUT THE YEAR-END LETTER AND IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN TO SEE THE, UH, THE VIDEOS THAT CAN BE EASILY LINKED THROUGH THIS.
SO WHEN PEOPLE GET THEIR, THEIR YEAR-END LETTER IN THEIR, IN THEIR EMAIL INBOX, UM, READ IT AND THEN CLICK THE LINKS BECAUSE IT'LL, IT'LL BRING YOU TO, UM, UH, A TREASURY OF, UM, RESOURCES AND FILMS AND GREAT EDUCATION.
ANYTHING ELSE? ANY OTHER REPORTS CAN RELAY THAT WE NEED TO RECEIVE ANY ACTIONS WE NEED TO TAKE FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM? ANY IDEA WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT OUR FIRST MEETING DATE WILL BE IN 2021, BUT YOU'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH US WITH THE PROPOSED LIST, RIGHT? WE'LL BE SCHEDULING THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
I'LL BE WORKING WITH YOUR TOOLS TO GET THAT SCHEDULED.
[6. Agenda Items for Future Meetings - Secretary]
LAST AGENDA ITEM THAT I'LL SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE READY, FIRE AWAY.UM, SO MUCH LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE FOR THE LAST FEW MEETINGS WITH WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND WILDFIRE OUTREACH, ECP STAFF IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT IN UPCOMING MEETINGS, WE'LL BE ROLLING OUT A SERIES OF TOPICS.
WE MADE IT TO THE PERMIT, UH, DEEP DIVE AND TO THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PRESERVE ITSELF GETS A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO THE CONSTIPATION THAT'S HAPPENING, UH, UH, OUTSIDE OF JUST THE PRESERVE BOUNDARY LITIGATION PROGRAM, OUR GOALS THERE, MACRO SITE ACQUISITION GOALS, UM, WELL, HCP HABITAT, CONSERVATION PLAN LESSONS LEARNED
[01:05:01]
WE'RE DOING THIS FOR, AS MELINDA SAID, PRETTY CLOSE TO 25 YEARS NOW.AND SO WE'VE LEARNED A LOT SINCE THEN WE HAVE, UH, TALKS PLAN TO TALK ABOUT PRESERVES VERSUS PUBLIC PARKS, FOREST PROTECTION, FIREMAN'S OUTREACH PROGRAMS. LIKE WE DO A LITTLE BIT EVERY, OR EVERY MEETING.
SO ECP STAFF IS EXCITED TO COME UP WITH A LIST OF TOPICS THAT WE'LL START OUT WITH.
AND WE'LL ALSO WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE ANY PRESENTATIONS OR SUBJECT MATTER THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE A DEEP DIVE INTO WHERE WE CAN BE VALUABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SEE DURING THIS MEETING.
UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO PUT THOSE TOGETHER AS WELL.
UM, LET'S JUST, UH, ANOTHER ASPECT OF HELPING EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVATION ALONG WITH THE PRESERVE.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
AND, UH, UM, AND IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, MOST PEOPLE REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PRESERVE.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY OF IT.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CONTINUE TO TELL PEOPLE, UM, WHEN I HEAR CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T WE OPEN THIS LAND UP FOR DEVELOPMENT, OR ISN'T THIS A HUGE FIRE RISK, UM, THAT THIS IS, UH, NOT ONLY PRESERVING, UH, REALLY TREASURED NATURAL SPACE, IT'S ALSO PROTECTING ENDANGERED SPECIES AND, OH, BY THE WAY, IT'S REDUCING ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON THOSE ROADS BECAUSE THAT'S THE MAIN COMPLAINT EVERYONE HAS.
AND I FIND THAT, UH, THEY ALL COMPLAINED AS SOON AS THERE'S ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT THAT'S SLATED FOR ANYWHERE NEAR THEM.
THEY DON'T WANT ANY MORE DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE, UH, EXCEPT FOR WHEN THEY COMPLAIN THAT, YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T WE OPEN UP THESE LANDS FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A WEIRD, UH, I THINK, UM, MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PRESERVES AND HOW MUCH THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE REGION.
AND I JUST THINK ANY DEEP DIVES WE CAN DO ON ALL OF THAT WILL BE HUGELY VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT.
SO BRAVO, I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THAT.
THE TREES ALSO CLEAN THE AIR MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN ANY SORT OF FILTER OR MANMADE, UH, SYSTEM EVER, EVER.
SO CARBON SINKS IN HUGE FILTERS.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CAUSE FROM ANYBODY? NO, JUST GREAT WORK.
GREAT SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE STAFF AND EVERYONE WHO'S CONTRIBUTED ON THIS AND HOPE EVERYBODY STAYS SAFE AND HAS A, A GOOD THANKSGIVING.
I'M THANKFUL THE 2020 IS COMING TO AN END.
I FEEL PRETTY GRATEFUL, UM, ABOUT, UH, UH, OF THE ELECTION LAST WEEK.
I THINK THAT SOME OF THAT PRESSURE, MAYBE OFF OF OUR GOOD FRIENDS WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE, UM, TANYA, IF YOU COULD EXTEND OUR GREAT HANGINGS AND YOUR END, UM, UH, APPRECIATION TO ADAM AND EVERYBODY, ALL THE STAFF THERE.
UM, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE KIND OF BEEN THROUGH THE RINGER, UM, BUT SHE HELD UP PRETTY WELL, SO PRETTY RESILIENT COMMUNITY.
AND I SO APPRECIATE EVERY LAST ONE.
I WILL PASS THAT ALONG TO ADAM AND OUR TEAM.
WELL, THERE BEING NOTHING MORE, UM, SPECIFIC FOR US FOR THE YEAR 2020, SO, SO LONG TO KIMBERLY AND JOHANNA AND DAVID AND PAINT AND LINDA AND MELINDA AND NICO AND SHERRY AND MY FAMILY AND HONOR COMMISSIONER SHANE, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T REPEAT ALL OF THAT, BUT YES, SAME, SAME WISHES AND, UH, AND, UM, ALL THE BEST FOR EVERYONE.