[00:00:05]
HI EVERYBODY AND WELCOME TO THE BALCONES CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING FOR NOVEMBER 14TH, 2025.
WE'RE STARTING A FEW MINUTES AFTER ONE.
UM, WE ARE IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY MULTIFUNCTION ROOM.
I'M TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER BRIDGED SHEA FOR PRECINCT TWO.
AND JOINING ME IS AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT EIGHT PAGE ELLIS.
WE ARE THE CO-CHAIRS OF THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, WE HAD NOBODY SIGN UP TODAY.
[1. Approve Record of Decisions for the May 2, 2025 Regular Meeting]
ITEM NUMBER ONE ON THE AGENDA APPROVED RECORD OF DECISIONS FOR THE MAY 2ND, 2025 REGULAR MEETING.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT OR IS THERE A PRESENTATION ON THE RECORD OF DECISIONS? IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM, UM, MINUTES? IT'S, UH, RECORD OF DECISIONS.
RECORD DECISION IS WHAT WE CALL OUR MINUTES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I WILL MAKE THE MOTION AND I'LL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[2. Update on BCCP Permit Authority beyond May 2, 2026– BCCP Officer ]
IS UPDATE ON BCCP PERMIT AUTHORITY BEYOND MAY 2ND, 2026.UM, AND KIMBERLY HARVEY, OUR BCCP OFFICER IS GONNA PRESENT.
AND I DO WANNA MENTION THAT OUR PARTNERS AT THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE COULD NOT BE HERE WITH US TODAY, EVEN THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT HAS OFFICIALLY REOPENED.
THEY ARE WORKING ON A REENTRY PLAN AND THEY'RE JUST, UH, NOT FULLY RETURNED YET.
I'M JUST GLAD TO HEAR THEY'RE STILL STAFFED.
SO I'M GONNA TALK TODAY ABOUT THE BCCP PERMIT AUTHORITY BEYOND MAY 2ND, 2026.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST 30 YEAR TERM EXPIRES ON MAY 2ND, 2026.
AND SO I'LL BE WALKING YOU THROUGH WHY THE BCCB PERMIT AUTHORITY CONTINUES BEYOND THIS ORIGINAL TERM DATE AND HOW WE ARE ENSURING UNINTERRUPTED PERMITTING DURING THE RENEWAL PROCESS.
SO THE BCCP IS CURRENTLY IN AN ACTIVE RENEWAL PROCESS WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.
SO THIS ALSO INCLUDES UPDATES TO THE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
SO THE GOAL IS TO ENSURE CONTINUED COMPLIANCE WITH THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT AND LONG-TERM HABITAT PROTECTION.
SO THIS REGULATION, UM, YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM OR AT THE TOP HERE, UM, EXPLAINS THAT ANY PERSON HOLDING A VALID RENEWABLE PERMIT LIKE THE BCCP MAY CONTINUE THE ACTIVITIES AUTHORIZED BY THE EXPIRED PERMIT UNTIL THE SERVICE ACTS ON THE APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL.
SO WE ARE OFFICIALLY IN THE RENEWAL PROCESS.
AND ON THIS SLIDE YOU CAN ALSO SEE AN EMAIL COMMUNICATION FROM THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE THAT, UM, UH, ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE IN THE RENEWAL PROCESS AND THAT OUR EXISTING PERMIT WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL THE RENEWAL PROCESS IS COMPLETED AND A NEW PERMIT HAS BEEN ISSUED PROVIDED THE BCCP CONTINUES TO SHOW PROGRESS ON COMPLETING THE RENEWAL PROCESS.
AND WE ARE DEFINITELY MAKING PROGRESS AND WORKING ON THAT AND MOVING FORWARD.
SO BEYOND MAY 2ND, 2026, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE RENEWAL PROCESS, THE BCCP WILL REMAIN FULLY AUTHORIZED.
THERE WILL BE NO DISRUPTION TO THE BCCP PERMITTING PROCESS PERMITTING SERVICES.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY WITH STREAMLINED DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PERMITTING.
SO THIS REGULATION IS A STANDARD FEDERAL SAFEGUARD TO ENSURE THAT CONTINUITY.
SOME OF THE OLDER BCCP INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMITS, WE USED TO CALL THEM PARTICIPATION CERTIFICATES, UM, MADE MENTION OF THE BCCP PERMITS, EXPIRATION DATE AND TERM.
AND SO OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN GETTING SOME PHONE CALLS FROM, UM, CONCERNED PERMIT HOLDERS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THEIR PERMIT AFTER EXPIRATION.
AND SO, UH, THIS MEMO, WHILE IT'S REALLY HARD TO SEE ON THIS SLIDE, THE MEMO IN ITS ENTIRETY IS ALSO POSTED AS BACKUP FOR THIS MEETING.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
BUT WE PUT THIS MEMO TOGETHER TO HELP RESPOND TO THOSE PUBLIC INQUIRIES TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT INDIVIDUAL BCCP PERMITS DO NOT EXPIRE.
THEY ARE DEED RECORDED, THEY RUN WITH THE LAND.
AND SO ALL VALID AND COMPLIANT BCCP, UM, INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMITS, PARTICIPATION CERTIFICATES REMAIN ACTIVE AND ENFORCEABLE, UM,
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DURING THIS RENEWAL PERIOD AND BEYOND.SO THE BCCB PERMIT IS NOT EXPIRING IN PRACTICE BECAUSE ITS AUTHORITY CONTINUES UNINTERRUPTED DURING THE RENEWAL PROCESS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, AS WE'VE MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS, WE DO HAVE TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL SPECIES THAT HAVE BEEN LISTED OR MAYBE LISTED, BUT AS WE GO THROUGH THE RENEWAL PROCESS, OUR AUTHORITY IS ONLY FOR THE CONDITIONS OF THE ORIGINAL PERMIT.
SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO ISSUE INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMITS UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF THIS FIRST TERM PERMIT.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO COORDINATE WITH THE SERVICE AND MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, WE'LL HELP PROVIDE CERTAINTY FOR DEVELOPMENT, CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND PLANNING ACROSS THE REGION.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNEW IT'LL BE BUSINESS AS USUAL, WHY WE WORK THROUGH OUR PERMITTING PROCESS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS AT ANY POINT WITH FOLKS WHO ARE HERE, BUT IF THERE IS, RAISE YOUR HAND OR SOMEHOW LET ME KNOW.
[3. BCCP Incidental Take Permit Process Moved To MyGovernmentOnline Platform- BCP Staff]
I THINK WE'RE ON, UH, NUMBER THREE BCCP INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT PROCESS.MOVE TO MY GOVERNMENT ONLINE PLATFORM, BCP STAFF.
AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THE UPDATE UPDATE FOR THAT.
I'M JUST GONNA ASK, EXCUSE ME, KIMBERLY, IS THERE A WAY TO TURN DOWN THE AIR CONDITIONING? I'M FREEZING.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO LET MEDIA KNOW? THEY DON'T CONTROL IT EITHER.
UM, SO, UM, THE BCCP INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMITTING PROCESS, WE HAVE A PROCESS FOR DEVELOPMENT THAT TRAVIS COUNTY ADMINISTERS, AND WE HAVE A PROCESS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ADMINISTERS.
AND PART OF, UM, OUR MODERNIZATION OF THE PERMIT HAS BEEN TO MOVE THIS PERMITTING PROCESS TO MY GOVERNMENT ONLINE, WHICH IS AN ONLINE PERMITTING PLATFORM THAT THE COUNTY HAS ALREADY BEEN USING FOR SEVERAL OF THEIR OTHER, UM, WE'RE NOT READY FOR THAT YET.
UH, SO THE, THE COUNTY IS ALREADY USING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, PROCESS.
AND SO WHEN YOU GET ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE TO LEARN ABOUT HOW TO GET THE BCCP INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMITS, IT WILL PROVIDE A LINK TO MY GOVERNMENT ONLINE, WHICH IS THE COUNTY PLATFORM.
ONCE THE, UH, PERMITEE OR THE PERSON APPLYING FOR THE PERMIT CREATES AN ACCOUNT, THEY'RE ABLE TO USE THAT DIGITAL PLATFORM TO APPLY FOR THE PERMIT.
THEY CAN, WHEN THEY LOG IN, SEE THE PROCESS AS THEIR PERMIT GOES THROUGH EVALUATION AND ISSUES THAT A FINAL PERMIT.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO SEE HOW THAT PROCESS IS MOVING THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
AND THERE'S ALSO A BIG IMPROVEMENT FOR FOLKS THAT HAVE TO PAY FOR A PERMIT.
WE'RE NOW OFFERING ONLINE PAYMENT WHERE BEFORE THEY USED TO HAVE TO ACTUALLY COME IN DOWNTOWN WITH A CHECK.
UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE PERMITTING PROCESS IS IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING TO THAT PLATFORM.
WE WILL BE LAUNCHING THE TEST OF THAT PERMITTING PROGRAM FOR INFRASTRUCTURE VERY SOON.
AND SO HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE USING MY GOVERNMENT ONLINE EXCLUSIVELY FOR BCCP.
INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMITTING FOR DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ENTERED INTO AN ILA THAT ALLOWS US TO, UH, HAVE CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE LOGINS THAT ARE HELPING TO PROCESS BCCP INFRASTRUCTURE PERMITS.
AND SO EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE AND WE'RE JUST MOVING FORWARD, UH, THROUGH THE TEST ENVIRONMENT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE ROLL IT OUT, IT'LL BE SEAMLESS FOR OUR, UH, USERS.
AND I'M SURE MOST PEOPLE KNOW THIS, BUT, UM, CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT KINDS, SOME EXAMPLES OF INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMITS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE SEEKING? SURE.
SO ON THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE, UM, INCIDENTAL TAKE IS, UH, TAKE IS DEFINED AS LOOSELY DEFINED AS, YOU KNOW, HABITAT REMOVAL, UM, IMPACTS TO THE SPECIES.
AND SO WHEN DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS HAVE A NEED TO REMOVE OR IMPACT THAT HABITAT, WHETHER IT'S THE OAK, UH, JUPITER FOREST FOR THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER, OR WHETHER IT'S GROUND DISTURBANCE IN OUR KARS, UH, SENSITIVE KARST AREAS, THEY CAN GET A PERMIT AND PAY TO TAKE THAT, UM, HABITAT.
AND SO FOR DEVELOPMENT, THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE A LARGE PLANNED COMMUNITY, UM, CO UH, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, CIP
[00:10:01]
PROJECTS FOR THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.SO WHEN THERE IS A NEED FOR THE REMOVAL OF HABITAT IN OTHERWISE, UM, LEGAL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, THEN THEY COME IN FOR THAT INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, UH, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL, IF THERE'S A NEED FOR A NEW WATER LINE THAT WILL CONNECT TO THIS NEW PLANNED COMMUNITY, THE PLANNED COMMUNITY AND THE NEW WATERLINE ARE ABLE TO USE THE BCCP PERMIT TO GET AN INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT COMPLIANCE.
AND GOING THROUGH OUR PROGRAM JUST IS A LOT FASTER AND CHEAPER WITH MORE CERTAINTY THAN WORKING WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE FOR THAT ESA COMPLIANCE.
AND SO ARE WE COMMUNICATING WITH THE LAND OWNERS ABOUT, UM, THIS NEW ONLINE PROCESS FOR GETTING THESE INCIDENTAL TAKES? YES.
AND IT'S ALSO BEEN UPDATED ON THE TRAVIS COUNTY WEBSITE.
AND ONCE THE PROCESS IS, UM, IN PLACE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER OUTREACH WHERE WE REACH OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPLIED INFRASTRUCTURE BEFORE.
AND FOR THE DIFFERENT INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WE'LL ALSO BE UPDATING THE WEBSITE.
SO IT'LL BE REALLY EASY FOR THEM TO CLICK ON THE LINK, WHAT'S THE ROUGH VOLUME? DO WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE KINDS OF PERMITS OR IS THERE A LITTLE BIT OF ACTIVITY? OR AM I STUMPING THE JUDGES HERE BY ASKING
AND SO FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, WE SEE A COUPLE A MONTH PROBABLY.
THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME SLOWER TIMES AND SOME, UH, MORE BUSY TIMES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE TRY TO GET THEIR WORK DONE RIGHT BEFORE BIRD SEASON BECAUSE OUR PERMIT FORBIDS VEGETATION MANIPULATION DURING THE NESTING SEASON, WHICH IS, UH, MARCH THROUGH AUGUST.
AND SO WE DO SEE KIND OF AN UPSWING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IN PARTICULAR AND FOR DEVELOPMENT.
DO YOU HAVE A, AN ESTIMATE ABOUT HOW MANY ARE COMING THROUGH THE, THE PROGRAM EVERY MONTH? EVERY MONTH? SURE.
WELL, IT'S A ROUGH ESTIMATE THAT ACTUALLY GET PROCESSED AND FULLY ISSUED A PERMIT.
UM, I'D SAY MAYBE 2 3, 2 OR THREE A MONTH.
SO AN APPLICATION DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN AN INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT WILL BE ISSUED.
THERE IS NO FEE FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY, UM, TO SEE IF THERE ARE MITIGATION NEEDS FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT OR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL GET APPLICANTS THAT ARE JUST WONDERING WHAT THAT AVENUE FOR ESA COMPLIANCE LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO OUR STAFF WILL DO AN ANALYSIS TO SEE IF THEIR PROJECT OVERLAPS ON OUR BCCP HABITAT MITIGATION FEE ZONES.
AND WE HAVE FEE ZONES FOR THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER HABITAT, AND WE HAVE FEE ZONES FOR CARS HABITAT.
AND SO WHEN PROJECTS OVERLAP OF THE, ON THESE FEE ZONES, THE ACREAGE OF OVERLAP IS CALCULATED.
AND THAT'S HOW WE DETERMINE WHAT THE INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT NEEDS TO COVER.
AND SO, UM, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT ESTIMATE OF COST AND THEN THAT PARTICIPANT CAN DETERMINE WHETHER THEY WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH PAYING THAT AND GETTING THE, UM, THE FINAL PERMIT OR IF THEY WANNA WORK WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.
THAT'S THE, THE TWO WAYS AT THIS POINT, TO GET ESA COMPLIANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, WE READY FOR THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM? YES.
[4. National Habitat Conservation Plan Coalition Annual Meeting- BCP Staff]
CONSERVATION PLAN COALITION ANNUAL MEETING UPDATE.AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
AND I AM THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE BCP ON THE CITY SIDE.
SO I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU ALL A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE NATIONAL HCP COALITION'S ANNUAL MEETING.
UH, THIS MEETING OCCURS, YOU KNOW, ANNUALLY, UM, EVERY OTHER YEAR.
IT'S HELD AT THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION TRAINING CENTER IN WEST VIRGINIA.
AND IN THE OFF YEARS, WHICH IS USUALLY IN WHAT AN EVEN NO, AN YEAH, AN EVEN YEAR.
UM, IT'S HELD AT A CITY STATE THAT HAS MANY HCPS IN THE AREA, UM, AND 2022 IS ACTUALLY HELD HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND JUST AT DOWN THIS ROAD AT DOUBLETREE HOTEL.
AND IT WAS A FANTASTIC, UM, ANNUAL MEETING.
[00:15:01]
ON THIS NATIONAL STAGE, UM, WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY COME, UM, TO LEARN ABOUT HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANS, UM, AND TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT OTHER, UH, HCPS ARE DOING AROUND THE COUNTRY TO PROTECT, THREATENED ENDANGERED SPECIES.SO, UM, HERE I'VE ADDED THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL HCP COALITION.
UM, BUT IT IS ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, A GATHERING OF HCP PRACTITIONERS, UM, TO SHARE IMPLEMENTATION PRACTICES, POLICIES, AND LESSONS LEARNED, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S ON A SMALL SCALE OR LARGE SCALE, UM, HCP, UM, AND ALSO TO HELP FACILITATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE CONSERVATION OF THREATENED ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THEIR HABITAT.
SO THAT IS THE MISSION OF THE COALITION.
UM, SINCE ITS INCEPTION, UM, I CAN'T REM I CAN'T TELL YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHEN IT BEGAN, BUT, UM, IT STARTED IN CALIFORNIA AND IT BROADENED TO A NATIONAL, UH, VERSION WHERE WE CAN GATHER AGAIN, HCPS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
SO AGAIN, THIS YEAR IN 2025, WE HAD OUR ANNUAL MEETING, UM, AT THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION TRAINING CENTER, WHICH IS A US FISH AND WILDLIFE FACILITY.
UM, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE DOWN TO THE WIRE BECAUSE WE WERE THERE DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
BUT DESPITE THAT, WE STILL HAD STAFF THERE AT THE TRAINING CENTER THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP FACILITATE THIS MEETING, UM, AND PROVIDE ALL OF THE RESOURCES.
AND IT WAS A, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE, IF YOU EVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION TRAINING CENTER, UM, TO ATTEND BECAUSE IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
UM, AND THERE IS WILDLIFE AND YOU'RE RIGHT NEXT TO THE POTOMAC RIVER.
UM, SO, UM, IT OFFERS A REALLY GREAT ATMOSPHERE FOR, YOU KNOW, SCIENTISTS, PRACTITIONERS, POLICYMAKERS, UM, CON, UH, CONSULTANTS TO GET TOGETHER, UM, IN A CAMPUS LIKE SITUATION, UM, WHERE WE CAN ALL JUST NETWORK AND COLLABORATE AND DISCUSS OPENLY.
UM, TYPICALLY THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE ATTENDS THIS ANNUAL MEETING, UM, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE SHUTDOWN THEY WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND.
UM, SO ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR WAS LOWER THAN IT WAS IN THE PAST.
WE HAD ABOUT 99 ATTENDEES AT THIS EVENT.
WE HAD IT AT PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, WHERE THERE WAS, UM, ABOUT 245 ATTENDEES.
UM, SO THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW MANY SERVICE MEMBERS ATTEND.
UM, AND, UH, NOT JUST SERVICE SERVICE MEMBERS, BUT STATE AND LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES ARE ALSO INTENDANCE, UM, TO LEARN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS FEDERAL, UM, PROGRAM.
UM, I WANTED TO NOTE THAT THE KEYNOTE, YOU KNOW, ORIGINALLY WAS GOING TO BE A SECRETARY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.
UM, BUT THE LAST MINUTE, YOU KNOW, DUE TO THE SHUTDOWN, SHE WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND.
SO WE HAD HEATHER DRYER FROM THE SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY, SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT.
UM, SHE'S THE CEO AND GENERAL MANAGER, AND SHE PROVIDED A FANTASTIC KEYNOTE FOR US, UM, THAT REALLY SPOKE TO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.
UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE SIMILAR CHALLENGES, CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, AN INCREASE IN, UH, URBANIZATION, UM, IN THESE REALLY CRITICAL HABITATS WHERE WE FIND OUR CERTAIN ENDANGERED SPECIES.
SO, UM, THIS YEAR WAS HELD IN, YOU KNOW, WEST VIRGINIA AND, UH, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHERE IT WILL BE NEXT YEAR.
UM, SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT WERE PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL MEETING.
UM, I JUST INCLUDED SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE.
UM, THERE WERE MANY MORE, UH, SESSIONS.
THESE ARE SESSION TITLES, AND UNDER EACH SESSION THERE ARE ABOUT TWO TO THREE PRES PRESENTATIONS UNDER EACH SESSION.
UM, I POINTED OUT SOME THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, RELATIVE TO WHAT THE WORK THAT WE DO AND MAYBE DOING IN THE FUTURE, UM, CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, MONARCH BUTTERFLY MAY BE LISTED ANY IN POTENTIALLY IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OR SO.
UM, BUT POLLINATORS AND PERIL, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING, UM, ENERGY HCPS, UM, AND THE THINGS THAT, WHAT IS AN ENERGY? HCP AN ENERGY HCP IS ESSENTIALLY, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UM, LCRA IS AN ENERGY HCP, UM,
[00:20:01]
THE SAN ANTONIO, UM, ELECTRICAL COMPANY.THEY'RE, THEY HAVE AN HCP AND THEY, THESE ARE, THESE ARE UTILITIES THAT, UH, ELECTRIC UTILITIES THAT HAVE, AND WHY DO THEY HAVE HCPS? BECAUSE THEY, UM, HAVE A LOT OF LAND AROUND THEIR POWER LINES OR, UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT.
UM, THEY EITHER ARE CENTERED IN AN AREA AND SERVICE IN AREAS WHERE THEY WILL HAVE TO DO, UM, MITIGATION FOR, UH, TAKE OF THREATENED ENDANGERED SPECIES, UM, YOU KNOW, TO HARM HARASS OR KILL A SPECIES.
UM, CPS ENERGY WAS ONE THAT I INVITED TO ATTEND FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR HCP, BECAUSE THEY DO, UM, WORK IN KARST FEATURES.
SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF KAR UH, THREATENED ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT THEY COULD IMPACT, UM, AND THEY HAVE TO MANAGE AND MITIGATE FOR.
SO, UM, AND ALSO TIED INTO THAT ARE BAT UH, CENTRIC HCPS THAT DO WIND TURBINES.
UM, ALSO SOME BIRD HCPS, UM, THAT ALSO HAVE TO, UM, YEAH, APPLY FOR THEIR INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMANENT AND HAVE A HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN TO MANAGE AND MITIGATE FOR, UM, UH, TO DO UTILITY FUNCTIONS.
SO IT'S AN INTERESTING CONCEPT.
UM, IT'S USUALLY A CONSULTING FIRM THAT SHOWS UP.
WE TRY TO LEAN, THE COALITION LEANS TOWARDS HAVING THE, UM, THE ACTUAL HCP, UM, IMPLEMENT THE IMPLEMENTING GROUP.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE BCCP, UH, PRESENTED UNDER THE, UH, PROTECTING THE NEST HABITAT PLANNING FOR PROTECTING BIRDS.
SO SHOUT OUTS KIMBERLY HARVEY FOR, UM, GIVING THAT PRESENTATION ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.
BUT, UM, YES, SO YEAH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THERE'S, THERE ARE, YEAH, THESE UTILITY COMPANIES THAT NEED TO HAVE A HCP TO DO THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED A LOT FROM THE SESSION ON, FROM THE ASHES UNDERSTANDING WILDFIRE AND ITS IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEM.
THAT WAS A NEW SESSION ADDED, UM, YOU KNOW, CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCE, EXCUSE ME, A LOT OF WILDFLOWER WILD, NOT WILDFLOWER FLOWERS, THAT TOO, BUT THAT TOO
AND SO IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO, UM, DO SOME FIREWISE AND, UM, AND SOME OUTREACH TO EDUCATE THEIR COMMUNITIES ON, UM, 'CAUSE THEY DO PRESCRIBE FIRES AND, UM, THAT IN THE PUBLIC'S EYE IS SCARY BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF WILDFIRES THEY'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THEIR COMMUNITIES IS BEEN VERY, YOU KNOW, A NEGATIVE LIGHT.
SO, UM, IT WAS INTERESTING SEEING INTERESTING, UH, PERSPECTIVE THAT THEY HAD.
UM, AND THEY LEAN ACTUALLY ON THEIR, UH, TRIBAL COMMUNITIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF, UM, WILDFIRE MITIGATION, WILDFIRE PREVENTION, AND PRESCRIBED BURNS.
UM, AND THAT WAS LARGELY A CALIFORNIA CENTRIC, UM, PRESENTATION.
WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER TEXAS, UM, HCP WILLIAMSON COUNTY PRESENTED ON, UM, OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF DANGER, UM, MANAGING ENLISTED SPECIES IN CRYPTIC HABITATS.
AND THEY DID ONE ON THEIR CAR SPECIES THAT THEY, UM, MANAGE AND MITIGATE FOR CRYPTIC HABITATS BEING CAVES.
IT SAYS OUT OF SIGHT, NOT OUT OF DANGER.
SO, UM, NOT OUT OF DANGER, MEANING WE, THEY ARE DOING WORK TO PROTECT THOSE CAVE CAR SPECIES.
UM, NEXT THEY MAY BE OUT OF SIGHT, BUT THEY'RE NOT OUT OF OUR NO, I I GOT THAT
WE TRY TO MAKE 'EM A LITTLE FLASHY.
UM, SO IN 2026, AS I SAID, EVERY EVEN YEAR WE'RE NOT AT THE TRAINING CENTER.
WE, UM, WE WILL BE IN WASHINGTON AND WE'LL BE IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON FOR 2026.
WE'VE ALREADY SET THE DATE OCTOBER 26TH TO THE 28TH.
UM, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UM, GO TO OUR WEBSITE, THE, IT'S HARD TO READ ON HERE, BUT IT'S THE N HCP COALITION.ORG, UM, TO JOIN OUR MAILING LIST.
UM, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO SEE WHO ELSE IS INVOLVED IN THIS COALITION.
UM, WE PROVIDE A LOT OF UPDATES THERE AS WELL.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, ATTENDING THIS HCP COALITION JUST PROVIDES A WEALTH OF UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER HCP MONITORING, UM, EFFORTS, UM, RESTORATION EFFORTS, UH, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THE CONSERVATION STRATEGIES THAT OTHER HCPS ARE IMPLEMENTING ACROSS THE NATION, UM,
[00:25:01]
AND ALSO SHARING INSIGHT LESSONS LEARNED, WHAT HAS WORKED, WHAT HASN'T WORKED, UM, AND JUST SHARING THAT KNOWLEDGE.UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE IN, WE WILL BE IN, YOU KNOW, SUNNY SEATTLE
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, THEY HAVE, WE PICKED THAT, THAT'S THE COALITION, UM, DECIDED ON THAT STATE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN IN TEXAS, WE'VE BEEN IN CALIFORNIA, WE'VE BEEN IN FLORIDA.
UM, WASHINGTON HAS A LARGE, UH, BAT AND BIRD OWL COMMUNITY THAT THEY WORK TOWARDS, UM, DOING HABITAT CONSERVATION.
AND SO IT'LL BE EXCITING FOR US TO LEARN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, THE BCCP DOES.
WE HAVE, WE PROTECT THE, THE VERIO AND THE, UM, THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER.
UM, SO IT'LL BE VERY INTERESTING TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER HCPS THAT ARE BIRD CENTRIC, UM, AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR THEIR MONITORING EFFORTS AND HOW THEY ARE INCORPORATING THOSE, YOU KNOW, LESSONS LEARNED FROM MONITORING AND USING THEM TO IMPLEMENT CONSERVATION STRATEGIES IN THE FIELD.
UM, SO VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE, AGAIN, PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE, UM, AND, AND STAY TUNED FOR A ABBREVIATED AGENDA THAT WE LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE HCP COMMUNITIES TO SEE IF THEY'RE LIKELY TO ATTEND.
UM, I'LL ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE, WE TRY TO MAKE THESE AS AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE.
THE COALITION, UM, TRIES TO MAKE THESE AS AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, RENTING, YOU KNOW, THE CONFERENCE SPACE AT A GOVERNMENT RATE, UM, SO IT'S, UH, LEANING TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES TO ATTEND.
UM, MY HOPE IS THAT WE WON'T BE IN A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, AND WE CAN HAVE, UM, OUR US FISH AND WILDLIFE STAFF ATTEND, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR REGIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, CHRISTINA WILLIAMS, UM, GENERALLY ATTENDS AS WELL.
SO IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE THAT, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THEM IN SEATTLE.
UM, AND HERE'S A LITTLE PLUG FOR THE WILD LANDS, IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, UM, TOWARD, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR WILDLAND PROPERTIES AND, UM, TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE DO IN THE FIELD AND OUR MONITORING EFFORTS.
UM, BUT, UH, AGAIN, IF YOU CAN MAKE IT TO THE WASHINGTON HIGHLY ENCOURAGED YOU TO ATTEND.
IT GIVES YOU A, A GOOD INSIGHT INTO WHAT, AGAIN, WHAT WE ARE DOING, CONSERVATIONISTS, PRACTITIONERS, SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, POLICY MAKERS, UM, CONSULTANT FIRMS, UM, YOU NAME IT, ATTEND THIS EVENT.
UM, AND WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I HOPE TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL ME ABOUT THIS COALITION.
UM, I, I'M ACTUALLY THE VICE PRESIDENT AT THIS TIME.
AND, UM, I'M, I'LL ALWAYS BE AN ADVOCATE FOR, UM, THIS COALITION AND THE MISSION AND PURPOSE THAT IT HAS, UM, AND WILL ALWAYS ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO ATTEND, SO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK WE ASKED THEM ALONG THE WAY.
UM, THE, UH, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A DECLINE IN THE, THE HONEYBEE POPULATION.
MY HUSBAND'S A BEEKEEPER, SO I'M KEPT UP ON MORE, MORE B INFORMATION THAN NORMAL MM-HMM
SO WHAT WAS THE GIST OF THE PRESENTATION? UH, IS IT, OR IS IT HAPPENING BROADLY? THE POLLINATORS IN PERIL BROAD ARE, THEY ARE IN BROAD DECLINE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, I UNFORTUNATELY WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE POLLINATORS IN PERIL, UM, PRESENTATION AS I WAS, UH, FACILITATING ANOTHER SESSION, UH, THAT WAS CONCURRENT.
UH, HOWEVER, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE GIVEN AT THIS COALITION WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE.
UH, WE'RE STILL KIND OF TAKING SOME BREATHING ROOM, UM, FROM THE MADNESS OF ORGANIZING AND, UH, FACILITATING THIS MEETING.
BUT THE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE, UM, ONLINE FOR ANYONE TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION, UM, ATTACHED TO THOSE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, THERE WERE, UM, I BELIEVE TWO PRESENTATIONS ON BEES.
UM, THE AMERICAN BUMBLEBEE I KNOW IS IN DISCUSSION, UM, AND POSSIBLY, UH, SOME OTHERS THAT I CAN'T NAME OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD
UM, THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE AND, UM, WHEN THEY ARE, I'LL LET, I'LL BE SURE TO LET, UM, YOU ALL KNOW AND YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT AND SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING WORTHWHILE TO ATTEND IN THE FUTURE.
DO YOU INCLUDE THOSE LINKS ON OUR, UH, WEBSITE ON THE BCP? WE CAN, IT'S NOT YET, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN LINK CROSS LINK TO THE GOALS.
I THINK THAT'D BE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
[00:30:01]
YEAH.UM, ARE WE SEEING A CONTINUATION OF, UH, MORE, UH, HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANS BEING CREATED AROUND THE COUNTRY, OR HAVE WE KIND OF HIT THE PEAK OF IT? UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SEEING MORE, UM, BUT UH, CURRENTLY IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY.
UM, AND ACTUALLY THERE WAS AN INTERESTING PRESENTATION THAT A CONSULTANT GAVE ON PERMIT RENEWAL, AND IT WAS, UH, VERY, UH, SURPRISING TO SEE HOW MANY HCPS IN THE COUNTRY ARE IN A PERMIT RENEWAL, UM, STAGE, UH, ABOUT I THINK 30, UM, WERE LISTED IN THAT CHART.
UM, SO WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE.
UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE COALITION HAS THREE SUBCOMMITTEES.
ONE OF THEM IS AN HCP IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE THAT KIND OF KEEPS TABS ON CHANGES WITH THE HCPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE, A DECLINE, UM, PEOPLE RENEWING THEM.
THERE ARE LARGE SCALE ONES, THERE ARE SMALL SCALE ONES, THERE ARE MULTI-SPECIES ONES LIKE OURS, TRULY.
UM, AND SO, UM, IT'S A GROUP THAT IS KEEP DEFINITELY KEEPING TABS ON HOW THE HCPS ARE CHANGING.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE BEFORE OCTOBER, YOU KNOW, WE WERE HOPING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO ATTEND AND, AND THEY WERE PLANNING TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT VERY TOPIC, UM, OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY'RE SEEING WITH, UM, HCPS AND BROUGHT SEEING THEM MOVE MORE.
UM, YOU KNOW, EAST, UM, RIGHT NOW THERE'S LARGELY IN TEXAS, UH, MOST OF THEM ARE IN CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, AND FLORIDA OF THE MOST CONCENTRATION OF HCPS.
BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING SOME, UM, MORE POP UP ALONG THE EAST COAST.
UM, ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS WAS ON THE, UM, PIPING CLOVER, IF I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY, UM, WHICH IS A BIRD SPECIES ALONG, UM, LONG ISLAND.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS AN INTERESTING PRESENTATION TO SEE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO BALANCE, UM, MONITORING EFFORTS, UM, CONSERVATION, UM, AND, UH, RECREATION AND, AND BALANCING THE TWO, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY POPULAR BEACH AREA.
UM, SO, UH, THAT'S A LONG WAY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION OF, YES, WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE, UM, BUT THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE WOULD HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND OUR IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE IS KEEPING TABS ON THAT AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
I'M A HUGE, HUGE FAN OF, UH, OUR, UH, BCCP.
AND, UM, I TELL PEOPLE REGULARLY ALL THAT THE BEAUTIFUL, UM, ROLLING HILLS THAT'S, UM, OPEN SPACE NOT COVERED WITH DEVELOPMENT IS BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY'S MADE THAT INVESTMENT AND CREATED, UM, THIS HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN HOW MANY YEARS AGO NOW? 30, 30 YEARS AGO.
AND IT WAS FANTASTIC FOR, UM, UM, KIMBERLY TO SHARE THAT ON A NATIONAL STAGE.
WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST, IF NOT THE FIRST, UH, MULTI-SPECIES, UM, HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN IN THE NATION.
WE SIGNED OURS A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE A SAN DIEGO PLAN DID.
SO WE WERE OFFICIALLY THE FIRST MULTI-SPECIES HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN.
AND SO IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO PUT, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY TO MEET OTHER PEOPLE ACROSS THE NATION, BUT BUT TO, BUT ALSO TO PUT OUR HCP ON THE NATIONAL STAGE, UM, WHEREIN WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, LESSONS LEARNED AND PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF NETWORKING.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE LIKE A VOLUNTOLD,
OH, OH, YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR IT,
THEY JUST, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MISS A BOARD MEETING?
GOOD INCENTIVE TO ATTEND MEETINGS.
[5. Golden-cheeked Warblers and Black-capped Vireos on the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) 2025– BCP Staff]
CHEEK WARBLERS AND BLACK CAP RIOS ON THE, UH, ALCON'S CANYONLANDS PRESERVE PRESENTATION FROM BCP STAFF.YOU GOT MY NAME ON THE SCREEN UP THERE.
UH, IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE BIRDS WITH YOU.
UM, SO I, I HOPE I DON'T GO ON TOO LONG, UH, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S VERY EASY TO GET ME TALKING ABOUT THIS AND I DON'T STOP.
YES, I WILL, I WILL SAY I INCLUDE A LOT OF ANIMATIONS IN MY POWERPOINT, SO I MAY BE WORKING WHOEVER IS RUNNING THE SLIDES, I THINK.
JUST GIMME A LITTLE, LITTLE NOD.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE THEN.
[00:35:01]
START WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF INTEREST ABOUT WHAT WE DO, WHAT KIND OF MONITORING WE DO FOR THE SPECIES AND WHY WE DO IT.UM, YOU CAN SEE A MAP THERE OF THE BA CANNULAS PRESERVE ALL THE GREEN AREAS, OUR CITY, COUNTY, AND OTHER PARTNERS, THEIR PROPERTIES, THOSE LITTLE, THOSE BLACK BORDERED POLYGONS.
THERE ARE THE 13 STUDY PLOTS WHERE WE ARE INTENSIVELY MONITORING GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS.
UM, THAT HAS VARIED OVER TIME.
THIS IS A 2024 MAP, BUT THE, THE 2025 MAP THAT WILL BE IN THE ANNUAL REPORT WILL PROBABLY WILL NOT VARY ANYTHING FROM THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY CHANGE, UH, FROM 2024 TO 2025.
UM, SO WE ARE MONITORING THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS WITH THE CITY AND, AND OUR COUNTY PARTNERS, UH, ARE INTENSIVELY MONITORING THOSE 13 SITES ACROSS THE PRESERVE.
AND ONE OR TWO OF US DEVOTE SEVERAL HOURS, AT LEAST WEEKLY TO EACH SITE FROM MARCH 15TH TO MAY 25TH.
THAT'S THE PERIOD THAT THE MALES ARE ACTIVELY SINGING AND ARE EASILY DETECTABLE.
UM, AFTER THAT POINT, THE MALES KIND OF DON'T SING A WHOLE LOT.
THEY'RE NOT AS EASY TO FIND, BUT THERE'S STILL, THERE'S STILL A FEW NEST OR NOT OUT, OR WE HAVEN'T FOUND WHETHER THEY'VE FLEDGED YOUNG OR NOT.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR UNTIL, UH, MID, MID-JUNE.
UH, AFTER THAT POINT, IT GETS, IT'S KIND OF, UH, UM, FRUITLESS TO BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME OUT THERE BECAUSE WE DON'T FIND AS MUCH.
WE ALSO, THE BIRDS THAT WE, UH, MONITOR, WE COLOR BAND THEM, UH, WE PUT LITTLE COLORED LEG BANDS ON THEM SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS.
AND MORE THAN 70% OF THE MALES ARE BANDED.
THE FEMALES ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE CIRCUMSPECT ABOUT COMING TO A NET.
WE PLAY A SONG AND THE MALE COMES IN ALL HOPPED UP ON TESTOSTERONE, TRYING TO FIGHT OFF HIS RIVAL.
AND SO HE GETS CAUGHT IN THE NET, WHEREAS THE FEMALE'S KIND OF LOOKING AROUND SAYING, UH, IS THERE A MATE THERE POSSIBLY FOR ME? AND IF NOT, IF HE DOESN'T SEE ANYTHING, SHE'LL JUST FLY OFF.
SO WE DON'T CATCH AS MANY OF THE FEMALES.
UM, BUT WE DO, UH, MANAGE TO BAND MOST OF THE, UH, MOST OF THE MALES, 70% OF THE MALES.
UM, AND THAT'S SO WE CAN EASILY RECOGNIZE AN INDIVIDUAL AND WE GET BETTER DATA ON THE INFORMATION SO WE CAN SAY, OKAY, THAT'S FRANK.
UM, AND HAVE YOU BELIEVED, WHAT WAS GERARD DOING OVER HERE? THAT HIS TERRITORY SHOULD BE OVER THERE? DID YOU NAME THEM? HAVE YOU? WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE, WE DO HAVE NAMES FOR THEM, AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, UH, UH, THERE WAS ONE THAT, UH, WHEN I WAS BANDING, UM, HE, HE SLIPPED OUTTA MY HANDS BEFORE HE, HE PLAYED DEAD.
AND I THOUGHT, OH MY GOLLY, HE'S DYING.
AND SO I, I RELEASED, LOOSENED MY GRIP, AND THAT WAS JUST WHAT HE NEEDED TO SLIP OUT.
UH, WE HAD ANOTHER ONE WHO FLEW VERY RAPIDLY INTO THE NET.
UM, SO YEAH, WE, WE, WE DO HAVE PET NAMES FOR A LOT OF THESE BIRDS.
UM, NEXT WE ALSO, UH, HAVE A REALLY ACTIVE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS.
UM, WE DEPLOY, UH, WE HAVE ABOUT 60 PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER TO, UH, TAKE ON A HUNDRED ACRE SEARCH AREA.
UM, AND IT'LL BE OUTSIDE THOSE, UH, POLYGONS THERE.
SO THEY'RE HELPING US COVER MORE GROUND.
UM, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR, SPECIFICALLY FOR BANDED BIRDS THAT GET AWAY FROM US.
BASICALLY, THEY MOVED FAR ENOUGH AWAY THAT THE BIOLOGISTS, THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS DON'T CATCH THEM.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE, WE'RE ABLE TO COVER A LARGER PORTION OF THE PRESERVE, THOUGH IT'S STILL LESS THAN 50% ALTOGETHER, WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO, WE'RE ABLE TO COVER BETWEEN STAFF AND, UM, VOLUNTEERS ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, NOW COUNTY BIOLOGISTS ALSO DO, UH, MORE, UH, UH, LESS INTENSIVE STUDIES.
THEY, THEY CALL ENUMERATIONS, WHERE THEY COVER MUCH MORE GROUND.
UM, AND THAT HELPS US TO GET MORE DISTRIBUTION DATA.
DO YOU FREQUENTLY FIND BIRDS OUTSIDE THE LISTED, UH, BOUNDARY AREAS? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE BOUNDARY OF THE BCP, THE LITTLE BLACK POLYGON BOUNDARY AREAS? THE, THEY DO MOVE SOME.
UM, WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT ONCE A MALE, UH, AND WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY ONLY BANDING MALES THAT HAVE BEEN ALIVE FOR A FULL, ABOUT A FULL YEAR.
UH, WE, WE'VE TRIED BANDING YOUNG BIRDS THE FIRST YEAR WHEN THEY HATCH OUT, BUT THEN THEY DISPERSE.
THEY DON'T COME BACK TO THEIR PARENTS' TERRITORY.
AND SO WE HAVE, WE FIND VERY FEW OF THEM.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE STOPPED DOING THAT.
BUT, SO WE BANNED A, A MALE WHO'S ALREADY BEEN THERE ONE YEAR.
UM, AND ONCE THEY'VE ESTABLISHED A TERRITORY, THEY COME BACK.
UH, WE HAVE LIKE 95% OF THE TIME THEY'LL COME BACK TO THE SAME PLACE THAT THEY WERE OR WITHIN A COUPLE HUNDRED YARDS OF WHERE THEY HAD BEEN.
SO THERE'S VERY STRONG SITE FIDELITY FOR THE MALES.
NOW, THE FEMALES MAY MOVE AROUND AND BABIES DON'T PICK, UH, NESTING AREAS CLOSE TO WHERE THEY WERE BORN.
WE DON'T HAVE AN, A LOT OF DATA ABOUT THE, THE YOUNG ONES BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE, WE DON'T BAN THEM.
THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO BAN IN THAT FIRST YEAR UNLESS WE BAN THEM AS NESTLINGS.
AND BECAUSE THEY'RE ENDANGERED
[00:40:01]
SPECIES, YOU KNOW, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IS REALLY NERVOUS ABOUT US BANDING BIRDS IN THE NEST.AND SO WE DON'T CATCH A LOT OF THEM.
AND THE ONES THAT WE DO CATCH, WE OFTEN DON'T FIND, BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT I SUSPECT IS THAT'S THE EARLY YEARS IS WHEN THEY'RE WANDERING TO TRY TO FIND A NEW HOME.
AND THEY MAY WANDER A GOOD LONG WAYS.
UM, SO WE DON'T FIND VERY MANY OF THEM, AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION REALLY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT FIRST YEAR OF LIFE.
UH, FOR HOW LONG THEY, HOW FAR AWAY THEY GO NEXT.
SO THE STRATEGY THAT WE'RE USING, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME.
WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME OUT THERE AND A LOT OF STAFF.
UM, BUT WHAT IT DOES, IT ALLOWS US TO GET REALLY GOOD, ACCURATE, ACCURATE ESTIMATES OF THE ABUNDANCE, JUST HOW MANY TERRITORIAL MALES THERE ARE.
AND WE HAVE OUR POTS DISTRIBUTED SUCH THAT THEY'RE, UH, FAIRLY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE PRESERVE AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HABITAT.
AND SO TO SOME EXTENT WE CAN, WE CAN KIND OF PROJECT FROM THE PLOTS TO OUT TO THE PRESERVE AS A WHOLE.
UM, IT'S NOT AS EXACT AS IT COULD BE.
WE REALLY WOULD NEED SOMETHING MORE INTENSIVE TO BE ABLE TO GET SPECIFIC REALLY GOOD DATA ON HOW MANY BIRDS THERE ARE ACROSS THE PRESERVE.
AND WE DID THAT, UH, IN A FIVE YEAR STUDY, AN EVEN MORE INTENSIVE STUDY WHERE WE HAD A CONTRACTOR, UH, FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AND FISH AND, UH, FOREST SERVICE, UM, WHO BROUGHT IN OTHER STAFF, AND WE DID EVEN MORE INTENSIVE MONITORING.
UM, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO CALCULATE WHAT THE ACTUAL TAR UH, THE ABUNDANCE ACROSS THE ENTIRE PRESERVE IS.
AND IT WAS LIKE SOMETHING AROUND 1700 MALES, UH, WHICH WOULD GENERALLY BE PAIRS.
WE HAVE REALLY GOOD PAIRING RATE.
UH, BUT NEXT WE ALSO, WITH THIS, WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO GAUGE PAIRING SUCCESS BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO JUST KNOW HOW MANY MALES THERE ARE.
IF WE LOSE THE FEMALES, THEY TEND TO WINTER IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE, THE BRI THE WINTERING RANGE THAN THE MALES DO.
THEY TEND TO GO FARTHER SOUTH THAN THE MALES DO.
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE WINTERING RANGE, WE COULD LOSE A LOT OF FEMALES AND THEN WE WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW IT IF WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT MALES.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET ALSO PAIRING SUCCESS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE GOLD STANDARD, WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THEY PRODUCE AS MANY YOUNG AS THEY CAN.
UM, SO HOW MANY OF THOSE PAIRS ARE SUCCESSFULLY RAISING YOUNG? UM, AND THEN NOT ONLY HOW MANY OF THEM ARE RAISING YOUNG, BUT HOW MANY THEY DO RAISE SO WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION WITH THIS INTENSIVE MONITORING THAT WE REALLY CAN'T GET WITH LESS INTENSIVE MONITORING METHODS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TWO OTHER THINGS WE'RE DOING.
OUR BANDING NOT ONLY LETS US TELL, OKAY, FRANK IS MADE IT TO GENEVIEVE AND THEY HAD FOR OFFSPRING, BUT WE CAN ALSO TELL WHEN FRANK AND GENEVIEVE COME BACK, SO WE CAN TELL SOMETHING ABOUT SURVIVAL RATES.
UM, THAT'S WHAT WE ACTUALLY GATHER.
IT'S NOT QUITE THE SAME AS SURVIVAL, BUT WE, WE GET SOME SORT OF AN IDEA ABOUT HOW SURVIVAL CHANGES FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AND THEN THE LAST THING WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT IS DISPERSAL.
HOW FAR THEY MOVE, IF THEY MOVE VERY FAR AT ALL.
UM, THE MOST DRAMATIC DISPERSAL WE'VE HAD WERE A COUPLE OF BIRDS THAT WERE BANDED IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA, UM, WHO ENDED UP ON THE PRESERVE, AND THAT WAS LIKE 60, 80 MILES AWAY.
THAT'S THE FARTHEST DISPERSAL I THINK THAT WE HAVE FOUND FOR GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS.
LIKE I SAID, ABOUT 95% OF THE MALES COME BACK TO THE SAME TERRITORY.
BUT WE DO HAVE THOSE LONG RANGE DISPERSALS DO THE, UH, PAIRS MATE FOR LIFE.
NO, UM, SOME WILL, WE, WE, WE HAVEN'T BANDED ENOUGH FEMALES THAT WE CAN GET REALLY GOOD STATISTICS ON THAT.
WE HAVE HAD SOME BANDED FEMALES WHO SHOW UP WITH THE SAME BANDED MALE IN CONSECUTIVE YEARS, BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME WHO SHIFT AROUND.
SO IT'S LIKE SINGLE SEASON, UH, MONOGAMY KIND OF
THERE'S A LITTLE HANKY PANKY GOING ON THERE.
A MALE WILL ATE WITH ANOTHER FEMALE.
UH, BUT AT LEAST AS, AS FAR AS RAISING THE YOUNG, THEY GENERALLY ARE MONOGAMOUS IN THAT REGARD.
THEY, THEY TEND, THEY TEND TO RAISE THE YOUNG TOGETHER AS A COUPLE.
UM, UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, PARTICULARLY WITH THIS, IS WE CAN DO LONG-TERM MONITORING.
EACH OF THOSE PLOTS THAT YOU SEE THERE HAS BEEN STUDIED FOR AT LEAST NINE YEARS, AND MOST HAVE BEEN FOR 15 YEARS.
OH, THIS IS, UH, I MANY, I THINK MANY SCIENTISTS WOULD JUST SALIVATE OVER THESE KINDS OF NUMBERS BECAUSE USUALLY A LONG TERM STUDY IS TWO YEARS OR FOUR YEARS.
TO HAVE IT BE NINE OR EVEN 15 YEARS IS EXTRAORDINARY.
AND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WITH THAT, UM, WE CAN DETERMINE TRENDS IN THE POPULATION, WE CAN ESTIMATE THOSE.
AND WE CAN ALSO EVALUATE IF THERE ARE SHORT TERM CHANGES.
IF WE WERE ONLY DOING THIS INTENSIVE MONITORING FOR A YEAR, WE MIGHT BE PICKING A YEAR WHERE THEY HAD REALLY GOOD REPRODUCTION.
AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR IT SLIPPED.
[00:45:01]
WE FOUND HERE WAS THAT IN 2016, WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE SOME CHANGES THAT WE MADE TO OUR MONITORING, WHICH MEANT WE COULDN'T MONITOR IT AS CLOSELY AS WE COULD HAVE.BUT WE HAD A DRAMATIC DROP IN THE POPULATION IN 2016.
IT HELD IN 2017 AND 2018 AND STARTED TO PICK UP AGAIN IN 2019.
BY 2021, THEY HAD REBOUNDED TO ABOUT THE SAME LEVEL THEY HAD BEEN BEFORE, BUT WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THAT IF WE WERE NOT MONITORING THAT CLOSELY.
AND WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO OUR, OUR, UH, CONTRACTOR WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AND FIT FOR SERVICE, UM, UH, WERE ABLE TO TRACK THAT, TRACE THAT, OR COMPARE THAT TO WEATHER PHENOMENA AND FOUND THAT IT CORRESPONDED WITH A STRONG EL NINO EVENT, UH, THAT AFFECTED THE BIRDS ON THE WINTERING RANGE.
UH, IT APPARENTLY WAS NEGATIVE FOR THE BIRDS ON THE WINTERING RANGE.
AND THAT LED PERHAPS FROM FROM THE STUDY.
AND I, WE, I HAVE THE PAPER, UH, CITED HERE LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, WHERE IT, IT CAUSED THE POPULATION DROP FOR A SHORT TERM.
IT CAN NEVER KEEP TRACK OF WHICH IS WET AND DRY.
WHAT WAS THE, YOU SAID EL NINO OR EL NINO HERE IS COOL AND WET IN THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES.
IT'S WARM AND DRY AND IT'S REVERSE FOR LA NINA.
NOW, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT IS IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
UM, BUT YEAH, I I THOUGHT IT WAS SIMILAR.
DID SOMEBODY ELSE HAVE THAT DIFFERENT I WAS JUST SAYING THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T, NONE OF US CAN, CAN REMEMBER WHAT'S WET AND DRY BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT NORTH AND SOUTH.
I NEED TO LABEL 'EM NORTHERN OR SOUTHERN.
SO WHAT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER TRENDS BESIDES THE POPULATION DROP AND THEN REBOUND? WELL, I'LL GET INTO SOME OF THE STATISTICS HERE THAT WE, WE, WE'VE BEEN MONITORING THIS YEAR.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S MORE ON THAT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE MONITORED IN 2025.
UM, IN 2024, BY THE END OF 2024, WE HAD 141 BANDED MALE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS.
THIS YEAR, 66 OF THEIR RETURN, THAT WAS A 47% RETURN RATE, WHICH MAY NOT SOUND THAT GREAT, BUT IT ACTUALLY WAS BETTER THAN LAST YEAR, SIGNIFICANTLY 5%, FIVE PERCENTAGE POINTS.
AND IT WAS EVEN BETTER THAN THE MEAN OVER THAT ENTIRE 15 YEAR PERIOD.
SO IT WAS A GOOD YEAR WHEN IT CAME TO THE BIRDS FLYING SOUTH, SPENDING THE WINTER AND COMING BACK.
WE HAD GOOD, GOOD, WE HAD GOOD RETURN RATE.
UH, THAT WAS THE MALES, THE FEMALES, LIKE I SAID, WE DON'T BAND AS MANY OF THOSE.
WE HAD ONLY, UH, 18 BANDED FEMALES BY THE END OF LAST YEAR.
UM, AND SIX OF THEM RETURNED 33% RETURN RATE, WHICH IS THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
BUT WE DON'T DETECT THEM AS OFTEN.
SO THEY MAY, AND THEY CAN SHIFT TERRITORIES.
UM, SO THE RETURN RATE MAY WELL HAVE BEEN HIGHER PRELIMINARY.
WE, WE HAVEN'T CRUNCHED ALL THE NUMBERS YET.
WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THAT FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.
UM, IT SHOWS ABOUT 150 TERRITORIES ON THE PLOT, WHICH WAS NEARLY 20 MORE THAN LAST YEAR.
AND TO TER TERRITORY SUCCESS APPEARS TO BE ABOUT THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
SO WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BETTER BREEDING BECAUSE WE HAD MORE TERRITORIES, BUT IT WAS JUST BECAUSE WE HAD MORE TERRITORIES.
WE ALSO, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE ACTUALLY SEARCH OUT AND MONITOR NESTS.
AND THIS LAST YEAR WE MONITORED A TOTAL OF 130 NESTS.
AND THIS IS SO WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN NESTS FAIL, IF THEY FAIL, UM, AND WHICH NESTS WHERE ARE SUCCESSFUL OF 120 THAT WE WERE CERTAIN OF THE OUTCOME.
SOME OF THEM WE CAN NEVER REALLY BE SURE THEY'RE THERE ONE DAY AND THE NEXT DAY THEY'RE GONE.
AND WE DON'T KNOW, DID THEY ACTUALLY FLEDGE OR DID, DID THE YOUNG LEAVE THE NEST OR ARE THEY, DID THEY NOT? UM, BUT OF THE ONES THAT WE COULD BE CERTAIN OF, 67 OF THEM FLEDGED, AND THAT'S A PRELIMINARY NET SUCCESS RATE OF 56%, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY A BIT LOWER THAN BOTH LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE.
SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE QUITE THE GOOD SUCCESS RATE THAT THEY'VE HAD IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, BUT IT WAS NOT REALLY DRAMATICALLY LESS.
AND I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE THERE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTICED IS THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE MANY OF THE EARLY NESTS FAILED JUST BEFORE THE BIRDS FLED, BEFORE THE YOUNG BIRDS LEFT THE NEST.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THAT ACTUALLY IS? I'M NOT CLEAR THAT HOW A NEST FAILS.
UH, IT CAN, A NEST CAN FAIL FOR A, A NUMBER OF REASONS.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT, UH, LIKE TO EAT THE EGGS AND YOUNG OF GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS AND OTHER SONGBIRDS.
UM, WE'VE DOCUMENTED WITH CAMERA STUDIES THAT TEXAS RAT SNAKES ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE PREDATORS.
[00:50:01]
DO LIKE EGGS.UM, WE'VE ALSO FOUND THAT, UH, WOODHOUSE'S SCRUB JAYS, UH, REALLY LIKE BOTH EGGS AND YOUNG, THEY WILL EAT BOTH.
AND THEY, THEY, THEY WILL EAT THE, THE YOUNG OUT OF A NEST.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HAD, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FOX SQUIRRELS, THOSE LITTLE CRITTERS, THOSE BUSHY TAILED CRITTERS THAT YOU THINK JUST EAT BIRD SEEDED, THEY WILL EAT WHAT THEY CAN GET AND THEY WILL EAT A YOUNG GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER IF THEY CAN FIND IT.
AND THAT'S JUST A LARGER SQUIRREL THAT'S GOT A BUSHIER TAIL.
UM, THAT'S THE COMMON SQUIRREL THAT WE FIND MOSTLY IN THE WESTERN IN THE HILL COUNTRY.
I THINK THERE MAY BE A FEW SMALLER GRAY SQUIRRELS IN TOWN AND FARTHER EAST.
BUT FOX SQUIRREL IS THE PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON SQUIRREL YOU HAVE IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
IS THAT THE SAME, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE ROCK SQUIRREL THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE ROCK SQUIRREL? UH, FOX SQUIRREL IS ARBOREAL.
ROCK SQUIRREL IS, UH, TERRESTRIAL, IT RARELY CLIMBS TREES.
UH, THE ROCK SQUIRRELS WE HAVE AROUND HERE ARE MOSTLY BLACK AND GRAY.
UH, THE FOX SQUIRREL IS GRAY ON TOP WITH A RUSTY TAIL AND A RUSTY BELLY.
AND THAT'S USUALLY THE ONE WHO IS RAIDING YOUR BIRD FEEDER, IF YOU'VE GOT ONE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTICED HERE WAS THAT FOOD DID, DID SEEM TO BE LESS PLENTIFUL THAN USUAL, UM, AT LEAST EARLY IN THE SEASON AND GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
AND WE THINK THAT MAY HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF THE DRY CONDITIONS.
UM, SO THERE WERE NOT AS MANY INSECTS AVAILABLE.
UM, AND SO THAT MAY HAVE REDUCED THE FOOD AVAILABILITY.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN THAT SOME OF THOSE YOUNG WENT HUNGRY.
WE, WE DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT.
MOST LIKELY WHEN A NEST FAILS, IT'S A RESULT OF PREDATORS.
IF WE HAVE A REALLY BAD STORM, IT CAN KNOCK THE NEST OUT OF A TREE.
UM, OR THE YOUNG COULD, UH, SUFFER HYPOTHERMIA AND DIE.
UM, BUT IT'S MORE OFTEN PREDATORS.
UM, THE LACK OF FOOD MAY ALSO HAVE IMPACTED THE PREDATORS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE OTHER FOOD TO EAT.
AND SO THEY HAD TO EAT GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS.
UM, SO, UM, THEY, THEY FOUND WHATEVER FOOD THEY COULD FIND.
AND SO LAST YEAR, I KNOW IN PARTICULAR, UM, BARTON CREEK, IF YOU SPEND ANY TIME ON BARTON CREEK, UM, THEY HAD AN OUTBREAK OF KATY DIDS, UH, CENTRAL TEXAS LEAF, KATY DIDS.
THEY HAD A PHENOMENAL OUTBREAK.
YOU COULDN'T WALK WITHOUT STEPPING ON THEM.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE JUST PHENOMENALLY PRESENT AND A LOT OF ANIMALS WERE EATING KATY DIDS.
WE HAD REALLY GOOD REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS AT BARTON CREEK, UNUSUALLY LAST YEAR.
THIS YEAR IT WENT TO NOTHING BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T KATIE DIDS.
UM, AND IT COULD WELL HAVE BEEN THAT THE PREDATORS THEN HAD LESS THE OTHER THINGS TO EAT.
AND SO THEY WERE FOCUSED ON THE, THE BIRDS.
UM, WERE, HAVE ANTS SPECIES BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE PAST? I THOUGHT I RECALL SOMETHING IN A PREVIOUS REPORT ABOUT RED IMPORTED FIRE ANTS HAVE ALSO DESTROYED GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER NESTS.
UM, THEY WILL, UM, UH, WELL, I WON'T DESCRIBE IT IN DETAIL, BUT THEY, THEY WILL EAT THE NEST LENGTHS.
AND HAVEN'T WE HAD SOME EFFORTS TO ERADICATE THE ANSWERS THAT YES.
PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE CAVE? YES.
PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY'RE AROUND CAVES.
WE DO A GREAT DEAL OF, UH, UH, TRYING TO ERADICATE THE RED IMPORT OF FIRE ANTS.
I HAVE NOT DONE A LOT OF THAT MYSELF.
UH, SO I'LL HAVE TO DEFER YOU TO ONE OF THE OTHER, UH, BIOLOGISTS.
ARE THERE ANY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR FOLKS THAT WANNA DEAL WITH THE RED IMPORTED FIRE ANT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU AT THE MOMENT.
MAYBE SOME JUST REGULAR HOMEOWNERS THAT DON'T WANT THEM AROUND.
WANNA KNOW SOME, UM, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAYS TO GET, I WILL SAY ONE OF THE TECHNIQUES WE USE, UM, TO AVOID CHEMICAL PESTICIDES, UH, WE ACTUALLY USE BOILING WATER, WHICH IS, IS EFFECTIVE.
HOWEVER, IF YOU POUR BOILING WATER ON PLANTS, IT CAN ALSO KILL THE PLANTS SO THAT IT HAS TO BE USED CAUTIOUSLY.
I USED TO HEAR ABOUT COWBIRDS IS THAT NOT AS MUCH OF A COWBIRDS HAVE NOT BEEN, WE HAVE NOT NOTICED COWBIRDS BEING A THREAT TO GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS.
AND IT MAY BE BECAUSE COWBIRDS ARE PRIMARILY OPEN COUNTRY BIRDS.
THEY WILL GO INTO WOODED AREAS, BUT IT'S USUALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST THE EDGES OF WOODED AREAS.
WE HAVE NOT FOUND ANY EVIDENCE, UH, VERY RARELY, UM, OF COWBIRDS BEING RAISED BY GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS ON THE PRESERVE.
NOW FARTHER WEST WHERE THERE'S MORE CATTLE, MORE RANCHES INTERSPERSED WITH GOLDEN CHEEK HABITAT SUCH AS BACO CANYON LODGE, NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.
THEY HAVE HAD A PROBLEM THERE.
UM, AND SO THEY DO TRAP COWBIRDS OUT THERE.
WE ACTUALLY SUSPENDED OUR COWBIRD TRAPPING PROGRAM IN 2012.
AND WE WERE REALLY ONLY TRAPPING, UM, IN BLACK CAP VERIO HABITAT BECAUSE THAT'S MORE OPEN.
AND WE HAD MORE COWBIRD TROUBLE IN OPEN AREAS, UM, AFFECTING THE BLACK CAP VARIS THAN WE DID WITH THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS.
[00:55:01]
REALLY HAVEN'T HAD ANY SIGNIFICANT, MAYBE A FEW, UH, INSTANCES OF GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS, UM, BEING NEPR OR, UH, NE PARASITES FOR GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS.UM, WE DID HAVE SOME DISPERSALS THIS YEAR.
UH, ONE OF, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL, ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS WAS ABLE TO FIND A BIRD THAT WAS BANDED AT THE BARTON CREEK PLOT.
AND IT WAS A MALE, UH, BANDED LAST YEAR AND THE VOLUNTEER TWO YEARS AGO.
AND THE VOLUNTEER FOUND THIS MALE MORE THAN HALF A MILE AWAY.
THAT WAS QUITE A COUP FOR THAT VOLUNTEER.
UM, WE ALSO HAD A FEMALE THAT WAS BANDED ON OUR FOREST RIDGE PLOT.
IT WAS FOUND AND PHOTOGRAPHED, AND THAT IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF HER, UH, FOUND BY VOLUNTEERS THAT WAS FAR OFF THE PLOT.
SO IT'S, IT GETS US SOME INTERESTING, INTERESTING INFORMATION.
UH, AND THEN ONE OTHER ONE, UM, OCCASIONALLY IF, UH, SOMETIMES WE'LL GET ONE THAT ACTUALLY MOVES FROM ONE PLOT TO THE OTHER, UH, THE CHANCES AREN'T REALLY HIGH, BUT WE HAD, UH, A MALE THAT, UH, I FOUND ON THE CORTIA PLOT THIS YEAR HAD BEEN BANDED LAST YEAR ON THE WJMT PLOT, WHICH IS ABOUT FOUR MILES AWAY.
UH, DISPERSAL, WE DON'T HAVE REALLY LONG DISTANCE DISPERSAL, MAYBE UP TO 10 MILES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT GOLDEN CHEEK WAR BREWS WHILE WE'RE, BECAUSE I, BEFORE I MOVE ON TO OUR OTHER BIRD, UH, THE BLACK CAT VERIO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE NEARLY AS MANY OF THOSE ON, AT LEAST ON CITY OWNED PROPERTIES.
THE COUNTY HAS MORE BLACK CAT VES ON THEIR PROPERTIES.
THESE ARE SOME SITES THAT WE HAD IN 2024, THE YELLOW AREAS THIS YEAR, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ON.
WE DID NOT HAVE ANY AT SAM HAMILTON.
WE DID HAVE ONE MALE SHOW UP AT BARTON CREEK.
UH, AND HE WAS THERE FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS AND THEN HE COULDN'T APPARENTLY FIND A MATE AND HE DEPARTED.
UM, BUT THEY'RE PRIMARILY NORTHERN CORTANA, CENTRAL CORTANA FOREST RIDGE.
AND NOW WE'VE HAD A COUPLE NOW AT VERIO PRESERVE AND WILD BASIN.
SO THAT'S PRIMARILY FOR THE CITY.
THE COUNTY WILL HAVE SOME OTHER AREAS.
THEY'VE TRADITIONALLY HAD, HISTORICALLY HAD MANY MORE THAN WE HAVE.
WHICH ONE DO I HEAR NEXT? UH, WE USE SIMILAR MONITORING TECHNIQUES FOR THE VERIOS AS WE DO FOR THE WARBLERS.
UM, EXCEPT THAT WE HAVE FAR FEWER OF THEM.
SO IT'S REALLY WHEREVER WE FIND THEM, THAT'S WHERE WE MONITOR THEM.
UM, SOME OF THEM, SO PARTICULARLY AT FOREST RIDGE, UM, ARE RIGHT AROUND THE BLACK CAP OR RIGHT AROUND THE GOLDEN CHIC WARBLER, UH, STUDY PLOT.
SO IT'S RELATIVELY EASY FOR US TO DO.
I SAY THAT 'CAUSE I'M NOT HAVING TO DO IT, BUT, UM, IT'S RELATIVELY EASY TO MONITOR THE VERIOS WHILE YOU'RE ALSO MONITORING THE WARBLERS.
UH, I HAVE A FEELING THAT THEY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS WHO ARE DOING THAT MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT STORY.
THEY DRIVING THEM DIZZY, TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF BOTH.
BUT, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AT FOREST RIDGE.
THEY ARRIVED A LITTLE BIT LATER IN LATE MARCH AND THEY CAN CONTINUE ACTUALLY NESTING ALL THE WAY THROUGH AUGUST.
UM, BUT USUALLY BY THE END OF JULY THEY'RE REALLY DIFFICULT TO DETECT.
MOST OF THE PARIS SEEM TO HAVE LOST INTEREST IN DOING ANY MORE NESTING.
SO THAT'S USUALLY ABOUT THE TIME THAT WE STOP OUR MONITORING IN THE END OF JULY.
AND HERE'S ONE OF OUR BANDED GUYS.
THIS IS, UH, THAT WAS CHU SO CALLED BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF HIS FAVORITE SONGS AT ONE TIME, CHU, UM, OF THE 15 BANDED BLACK CAP VERIOS THAT WERE THERE IN 20 24, 9 OF THEM RETURNED, UH, FOR A 60% RETURN RATE, WHICH COMPARES, UM, TO 2024.
SO WE HAD, AGAIN, WITH THE VERIOS AS WITH THE WARS, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD RETURN RATE THIS YEAR NEXT.
AND WE ALSO HAD, WE ONLY HAD TWO BANDED FEMALES.
ONE OF THEM RETURNED AND AMAZINGLY WE'RE ALSO BANDING NESTLINGS OF BLACK CAT RIOS.
SO THERE'S LESS HURDLES TO JUMP OVER WITH THOSE.
UM, AND WE BANDED 45 IN 20 24, 5 OF THOSE RETURNS THIS YEAR.
AND THAT, AND THAT SOUNDS, THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE, BUT AS I MENTIONED THE NESTLINGS, THEY DON'T COME BACK TO THEIR FATHER'S TERRITORY BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM THERE BECAUSE DADDY OWNS THAT TERRITORY.
SO THEY'VE GOTTA FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE.
SO WE OFTENTIMES DON'T FIND THEM.
UH, AND THEN, AND WE HOPE THE FEMALES DON'T COME BACK AND MEET WITH DADDY 'CAUSE THAT GETS ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS. UM, BUT SO USUALLY THE, THE NESTLINGS FROM ONE YEAR DO NOT COME BACK TO THEIR PARENTS' TERRITORY.
UM, AND SO WE OFTENTIMES DON'T SEE THEM.
SO A TOTAL OF FIVE IS A REALLY GOOD TALLY AND BILL.
DO YOU KNOW HOW FAR THE NESTLINGS WOULD GENERALLY STRAY FROM WHERE THEY WERE BORN? LIKE WHERE DO THEY GO? NOT ENOUGH DATA, NOT ENOUGH DATA TO ANSWER THAT.
UM, I THINK THE COUNTY MIGHT ACTUALLY BE ABLE TORY A BIT BETTER.
THEY'VE HAD A BIT MORE DISPERSAL INFORMATION THAN, THAN THE CITY HAS.
[01:00:02]
UM, THIS YEAR ON CITY ALONE, UH, THE STAFF BANDED EIGHT ADULT MALES AND TWO ADULT FEMALES.UM, NOW THE COUNTY BANDED OTHERS, UM, AND I THINK THEY HAD A HIGHER TALLY THAN WE DID.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT WAS BANDED ON THE CITY SITES.
PLUS WE ALSO BANDED ANOTHER 32 NESTLINGS.
UM, SO, AND THERE'S ONE OF THE NESTLINGS THERE, UM, THAT, THAT'S A LOT OF BODY FAT THERE.
THEY LOSE THAT BODY FAT, I THINK, OR THEY GET MORE FEATHERS.
SO THAT, THAT, ANYWAY, I ACTUALLY SAW THAT BIRD AFTER IT LEFT THE NEST, SO IT SUCCESSFULLY LEFT THE NEST.
AND, UH, IT WAS WANDERING AROUND CAUSING TROUBLE IN ANOTHER BIRD'S TERRITORY.
SO WHAT ARE THE BANDS MADE OF? EXCUSE ME, BEG PARDON? WHAT ARE THE BANDS MADE OF? WHAT MATERIAL? UM, WE'VE USED A COUPLE OF 'EM.
THE SILVER BAND YOU SEE THERE IS PROVIDED BY THE US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
IT HAS A UNIQUE NUMBER STAMPED INTO IT SO THAT IF YOU ONLY RECOVER THAT BAND, YOU CAN GET DATA ON WHAT THE BIRD WAS THAT WAS BANDED, WHETHER IT WAS MALE OR FEMALE, WHAT YEAR, WHAT DATE, WHAT LOCATION.
UM, AND IN MANY CASES OTHER, UH, STATISTICS THAT ARE GATHERED ON THAT BIRD.
UM, BUT JUST YOU, YOU CAN'T READ THOSE NUMBERS WITH A PAIR OF BINOCULARS IN THE FIELD.
SO, UH, WE PUT THE COLOR BANDS ON.
THE COLOR BANDS ARE A PLASTIC, A LIGHTWEIGHT PLASTIC, A RESIN ACTUALLY.
UM, AND WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH HOW WE APPLY THEM.
UH, WE'VE HAD SOME THAT HAD SOME SHARP EDGES, SO WE HAD TO SHAVE OFF TO MAKE SURE THEY WEREN'T CUTTING INTO THE BIRD'S LEGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, YEAH, WE USUALLY APPLY, UH, WE'LL APPLY THREE OR FOUR BANDS.
THE SILVER BAND IS ALWAYS APPLIED.
UM, AND THEN WE PUT TWO OR THREE COLORED, UH, UH, RESIN BANDS ON THE BIRD AS WELL SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, THIS IS THE SAME NUMBER OF MALES AND ONE MORE FEMALE THAN WE HAD LAST YEAR, BUT WE DID BAN FEWER NESTLINGS THIS YEAR, AND THAT MAY WELL HAVE BEEN BECAUSE, UM, WE HAD FEWER TERRITORIES THIS YEAR IN THE MONITORED AREAS.
WE HAD 19, WE HAD THAT WAS FIVE LESS THAN LAST YEAR, AND ONLY 10 OF THOSE 18 WERE KNOWN TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
56% THAT IS DRAMATIC DROP FROM WHAT IT HAD BEEN IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
BUT THIS IS A REALLY SMALL SET.
SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE I WOULD WANT TO DRAW TOO MANY CONCLUSIONS FROM THAT.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD KIND OF A SURGE OF BLACK CAP RIOS ON THE BAIS CANNULATE PRESERVE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN TRACKS.
WE HAVE HAD THEM IN THE LAST FIVE YEAR, FIVE, SIX YEARS.
THEY'VE SHOWN UP IN A LOT OF PLACES THAT THEY HADN'T BEEN BEFORE.
UM, AND SO, UH, I'M NOT TOO WORRIED ABOUT THIS, THIS DROP THIS YEAR.
I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE SAME REASON.
IF YOU WANNA SLIDE THERE, UM, MAY HAVE HAD THE SAME REASON, UM, AS THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS THAT NEST DID NOT SUCCEED, IS THAT IT WAS A REALLY DRY YEAR EARLY ON.
UH, WE DID FIND AND MONITOR A TOTAL OF 34 NESTS OF THOSE, UM, THAT, OF THE 31 THAT WE WERE CERTAIN OF THE OUTCOME, 10 OF THEM FLEDGED.
AND THAT'S A PRELIMINARY NEST SUCCESS OF 32% COMPARED TO LAST YEAR WAS 56%.
SO IT WAS A MUCH LOWER SUCCESS RATE THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, YEAH, I WAS, I WAS ASTONISHED AND, AND RATHER UNHAPPY WITH, UH, THE SUCCESS RATE IN THE AREAS THAT I WAS MONITORING.
IT SEEMED LIKE MOST OF THE PAIRS WERE NOT SUCCEEDING, UH, THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS SAD.
UM, THAT PRETTY MUCH WRAPS UP MY PRESENTATION.
THESE ARE PAPERS THAT HAVE, UH, RESULTED FROM THE INTENSIVE FIVE YEAR STUDY FROM 2011 TO 2015 OR MOST OF THESE, UH, BUT ALSO THAT FIRST ONE UP AT THE TOP.
URBAN LAND COVER AND EL NINO EVENTS NEGATIVELY IMPACT POPULATION VIABILITY OF AN ENDANGERED NORTH AMERICAN SONGBIRD, UH, FROM 2023.
THAT IS THE ONE WHERE OUR DATA, RIGHT AFTER THAT STUDY SHOWED WAS, WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR INDICATING, OH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON.
WHAT, WHAT CAN WE MATCH THAT TO? AND IT, IT LOOKS AS IF EL NINO WAS SOMETHING THAT CONTRIBUTED TO A NEGATIVE, UM, UH, NEGATIVE SURVIVAL RATE, UH, AMONG THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS THAT YEAR.
AND THAT'S THAT I THINK IT'S ONE MORE SLIDE, BUT IT'S JUST THE END THERE.
UH, THESE ARE, UH, UH, WHAT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF TEENAGE GOLDEN SHEIK WORLDERS.
THEY'RE QUASI-INDEPENDENT, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW A LOT OF STUFF YET AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY BEGGING FOR FOOD.
AND SO ANYWAY, NOT, NOT TOO MUCH UNLIKE HUMAN FAMILIAR TEENAGERS.
SOUNDS LIKE IT'S THAT AWKWARD AGE.
I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS I WROTE DOWN MM-HMM
UM, DO THESE NESTING PAIRS ONLY HAVE ONE ROUND OF KIDS EACH YEAR? OR DO THEY GO THROUGH MULTIPLE SEASONS OF BROODS? THEY DO GO THROUGH, UH, OKAY.
[01:05:01]
USUALLY HAS ONLY ONE BROOD.AND THAT HAS BEEN THE STANDARD CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS THAT IT IS VERY RARE FOR THEM TO DO MORE THAN HAVE MORE THAN TWO BRUTES.
WE HAVE BEEN FINDING, NOT THIS YEAR SO MUCH, BUT IN OTHER YEARS, THERE IS A LOT MORE DOUBLE BROODING IS WHAT WE CALL IT.
WHEN A PAIR WILL SUCCESSFULLY RAISE ONE BROOD AND THEN THE FEMALE WILL KIND OF DISAPPEAR, LEAVE THE MALE TO TEND TO THE, THE, THE FLEDGLINGS FROM THE FIRST BROOD AND SHE'LL GO OFF AND START BUILDING A NEW NEST.
UM, AND THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
UM, THERE WAS ONE YEAR HERE RECENTLY WHERE WE HAD LIKE 30, 40 ADDITIONAL YOUNG FROM SECOND NESTINGS, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT, WE DON'T TALLY THOSE, UM, IN OUR FINAL TALLIES BECAUSE WE ARE NOT MONITORING THOSE HAPPEN LATE IN THE SEASON AND WE DON'T MONITOR CONSISTENTLY ENOUGH, AND THEY'RE ALSO HARDER TO DETECT BY THAT SEASON.
SO WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE VERY GOOD NUMBERS ON IT.
SO THAT IS A, A, A POTENTIAL BOOST TO OUR PRODUCTIVITY NUMBERS, UH, FROM THOSE SECOND BROS.
I WONDER IF THAT'S A SURVIVAL INSTINCT OF IF IT'S HARD TO RAISE YOUNG, MAYBE THEY'RE TRYING THEIR BEST TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THERE'S MORE YOUNG, MAYBE IT COULD BE A RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE TOO.
THEY'RE HERE LONGER, MAYBE THEY CAN GET HERE LONGER AND MAYBE THE FOOD IS LASTING LONGER.
SO IT ACTUALLY MAY BE A BENEFIT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S, THAT'S PURE SPECULATION.
UM, BUT IT, IT, IT SEEMS TO BE IF THE FEMALE IN PARTICULAR, I DON'T KNOW, I'M, I'M COMPLETELY SPECULATING HERE, IF THERE'S ENOUGH FOOD THAT SHE MAY THINK, OH, THERE'S ENOUGH HERE FOR ME TO RAISE ANOTHER BROOD.
WELL, IT LEADS WELL INTO MY OTHER QUESTION, WHICH WAS THE DATES OF MID-MARCH TO LATE MAY.
I KNOW GOING INTO EARLY JUNE IS WHEN SOME OF THE SURVEYS ARE DONE, BUT HAVE YOU SEEN ANY DRASTIC CHANGES OVER THE TIMELINE THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK TO SAY THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD BE STARTING EARLIER.
I REALIZE THIS IS PROBABLY A, A FEDERAL DECISION MM-HMM
BUT, UM, ARE THEY SHOWING UP EARLIER OR LATER IN THE SEASON AS WE END UP SOMETIMES STAYING COLDER LONGER OR HAVING, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS, WAS IT THIS JUNE OR LAST JUNE? IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY CHILLY.
LATER IN THE SEASON THAN I WOULD'VE EXPECTED.
I WILL SAY THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS ARE USUALLY CHOMPING AT THE BIT FOR THE SEASON TO START.
AND SO WE'RE GOING OUT IN MARCH, EARLY IN MARCH TO ANTICIPATE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A POOL ON WHO CAN FIND THE FIRST GOLDEN CHEEK WORLD WAR EACH SPRING.
UM, SO NO, THERE'S NO MONEY INVOLVED IN, IT'S JUST RAGGED.
DO YOU WIN A GATORADE OR SOMETHING?
UM, BUT IT'S, UH, UM, SO WE'RE EAGERLY ANTICIPATING THE BIRDS TO COME BACK AND SO WE WERE KEEN TO, TO NOTE WHEN THEY COME BACK, WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY CONSISTENT PROGRESSION EARLIER THAT THEY ARRIVE.
UM, I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW OUTLIER REPORTS THAT THEY MAY REPORT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN BACK IN THE LATE LAST, LAST DAYS OF FEBRUARY, BUT NOT ON THE PRESERVE.
UM, THE, THE, UH, EXPECTED AVERAGE ARRIVAL DATE IS ABOUT MARCH 8TH.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S SHIFTED THAT, BUT IT CHANGES DRAMATICALLY.
I MEAN, IT, I MEAN, I THINK THERE WAS ONE YEAR THEY DIDN'T GET BACK UNTIL MARCH 14TH OR SOMETHING, AND THEN OTHER YEARS THEY GET BACK IN EARLIER MARCH.
SO NO CONSISTENTLY EARLIER OR LATER ARRIVAL.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'VE, I I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING WHERE THEY'RE DEFINITELY STAYING LONGER.
BUT WE PETER OFF ON OUR, OUR, UM, MONITORING EFFORT IN JUNE.
THEY DO LINGER AROUND MANY OF THEM, AT LEAST INTO JULY, BUT THEY'RE QUIET BY THAT TIME AND THEY'RE REALLY HARD TO DETECT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.
I THINK I PEPPERED YOU WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
[6. BCP Partner Report Highlights – BCP Staff]
PARTNER REPORT HIGHLIGHTS OUR PARTNER STAFF WANT TO COME UP AND DO THE REPORTS.HI, I AM LINDA LOCKE, PRESERVE LAND MANAGER FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND I'LL JUST COVER A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR APRIL THROUGH SEPTEMBER REPORT.
SO, AS BILL MENTIONED IN HIS PRESENTATION, TRAVIS COUNTY BIOLOGISTS ALSO CONDUCT BIRD SURVEYS DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER.
AND ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR US THIS YEAR WAS THAT WE HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF BLACK CAB RIOS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, UH, WITH 58 TERRITORIES ON BOTH COUNTY PRESERVE AND PARKLANDS.
AND WE HAVE AN ACTIVE, UH, VERIO HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM.
AND IT'S REWARDING TO SEE THAT THE VERIOS ARE,
[01:10:01]
UM, RESPONDING POSITIVELY TO IT.AND JUST LAST WEEKEND WE HAD TWO OF OUR STAFF, UH, PAUL
AND THEN ANOTHER RESTORATION PROJECT WE HAVE BEEN DOING INVOLVES CAVES.
WE RECEIVED SOME MITIGATION FUNDING FROM, UH, TXDOT, AND WE'VE USED THOSE FUNDS TO HIRE A CONTRACTOR TO EXCAVATE SOME OF OUR CAVES AND IMPROVE THE HABITAT FOR THE ENDANGERED KART IN VERTEBRATES.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY DOCUMENTED, UH, ONE OF THESE SPECIES, THE BONE, UM, A, A NEW LOCATION FOR ONE OF THE SPECIES, THE, UH, WHICH IS THE BONE CAVE HARVESTMEN, UH, IN ONE OF THESE NEWLY EXCAVATED CAVES.
AND THEN MOVING ON TO SOME OF OUR, SOME RECENT IMPACTS TO THE PRESERVE.
UH, WE DID HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT TREE AND FENCE DAMAGE FROM THE JULY 4TH FLOODING, UH, ON OUR CAULEY UNIT, WHICH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER BY, UH, NAMELESS ROAD IN, IN THE SANDY CREEK AREA.
UM, YOU KNOW, OVERALL THOUGH WE WERE, UH, VERY FORTUNATE COMPARED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT SIG YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE THAT ALL THE, ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAD TO DEAL WITH.
AND THEN WE HAD ANOTHER ISSUE IN SEPTEMBER WHEN, UH, A DAMAGED, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN MAIN PIPE, UH, DISCHARGED ABOUT 8,400 ACRE, 8,400 GALLONS OF SEWAGE WATER ONTO THE PRESERVE, UM, AT SAS CANYON.
AND THE CITY RESPONDED QUICKLY TO REPAIR THE LEAK, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, UH, YOU KNOW, CLEANUP WAS NOT POSSIBLE ON THE PRESERVE ITSELF.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY BEEN CLEANED UP.
IT'S NO, IT'S JUST GONNA HAVE TO FLUSH THROUGH THE SYSTEM, BASICALLY, BECAUSE IT'S TOO DIFFICULT TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON A, A VERY STEEP CANYON.
AND THE, THE DAMAGE WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IS TO, TO TRY AND GET LIKE IN A BACK TRUCK IN THERE WOULD BE GREATER THAN THE, THE, THE DAMAGE JUST FROM THE SEWAGE IS SAS CANYON ON, UH, THE SITE OF OUR NEW LAND.
IT'S VISITOR, IT'S, UM, YEAH, IT'S VB VISITOR CENTER.
IT'S THAT CANYON WHERE WE HAVE A, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CHAT WITH THE CITY ABOUT THAT, A HIKING TRAIL THROUGH.
AND THAT, THAT KIND OF BRINGS ME TO THE NEXT TOPIC, WHICH IS, UH, JUST AN UPDATE ON OUR, OUR FUTURE VISITOR CENTER.
SO WE, THE A HUNDRED, THE 100% CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS ARE ALMOST COMPLETE.
AND SO THE BID PACKAGE WILL GO OUT SOMETIME THIS, THIS WINTER, AND WE'RE STILL ESTIMATING THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS FOR COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.
SO TWO YEARS FROM WHEN, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, THE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GOING OUT FOR BID.
UH, WE HAVE TO GET A CONTRACTOR, THEY'RE ESTIMATING ABOUT 15 MONTHS FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS IS JUST A, A GOOD GUESS, BUT IT'S A, IT'S AN ESTIMATE.
WE'LL BE PUTTING THAT ON OUR CALENDARS.
I'M, I'M, I KNOW I'M EAGER FOR THE YEAR TOO, OR THE, UH, THE PUBLIC, UM, VISITOR CENTER TO OPEN.
I THINK IT'LL BE A BEAUTIFUL, IT'S A GREAT LOCATION AND YEAH, GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON IT.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR REPORT.
IT'S A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION IN HERE, BUT SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE SEWAGE, RIGHT.
SO I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ACTIVITIES FROM APRIL 1ST THROUGH, UH, SEPTEMBER 30TH.
UM, YOU KNOW, BCCP ADMINISTRATION, UM, I'D HIGHLIGHT THAT THE BCP STAFF TO WORK WITH OUR PARKS AND REC, UM, DEPARTMENT ON ENCAMPMENT, CLEANUPS, GRAFFITI REMOVAL, UM, ILLEGAL OVERLOOK PLATFORMS, AND UNAUTHORIZED TRAIL CLEANING.
UM, I'LL SKIP OVER SOME OF THE RARE ENDANGERED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AS BILL COVERED MUCH OF THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER AND BLACK C EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THAT TIME.
UM, BUT I WILL NOTE THAT, UM, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS CENSUS A TOTAL OF 268 BRACKETED TWIST FLOWER PLANTS ACROSS THE PRESERVE.
UM, THIS COUNT WAS LOW, UM, AS EXPECTED FROM A LOW, UH, FALL AND WINTER
[01:15:01]
RAINFALL.UM, BCP STAFF CONTINUE TO DO CONDUCT, UH, CAVE FUNNEL SURVEYS, UM, AND ARE WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TR TRAVIS COUNTY TO DO THOSE FUNNEL SURVEYS.
UM, AND ALSO CONTINUE TO DO, UH, CAVE CRICKET COUNTS ON, ON ALL ASSIGNED, UH, CAVES.
UM, AND SEE WHAT A FUNNEL SURVEY IS.
IS THAT WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR? UM, UM, IS IT, UH, FLORA AND FAUNA? OKAY.
SO WE'RE JUST DOING COUNTS FOR CAVE CREATURES EX EXACTLY.
UM, WITH THE PLANT AND ANIMAL CONTROL, WE CONTINUE TO DO, UM, YOU KNOW, FERAL HOG REMOVAL, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PRESERVE.
UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT IS THE POPULATION CONTINUING TO INCREASE? I MEAN, WE'VE HEARD KIND OF VARIOUS ACCOUNTS OF LARGE, I DON'T EVEN WHAT TO CALL THEM GROUPS OF HOGS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE STATISTICS ON HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PRESENCE OF IT IS.
IT ARE THE HOGS INCREASING OR DECREASING, BUT WE ARE SEEING THEM PRESENT ON OUR PRESERVES, AND WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO ADDRESS THEIR, THEIR, THEIR PRESENCE, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, A NON-NATIVE INVASIVE SPECIES AND CAUSE QUITE DESTRUCTIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF DESTRUCTION.
SO THEY ARE A SWARM OF HOGS, NOT A FLOCK OF HOGS HERD A PACK OR A HERD OF HOGS.
THAT'S A GOOD ONE TO REMEMBER.
IF YOU ENCOUNTER ONE, I HEAR
UM, I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT UNDER LAND STEWARDSHIP, THE, UM, CITY WAS AWARDED THE, EXCUSE ME, THE BCP UM, WILDLANDS DIVISION WAS AWARDED THE URBAN FOREST FUND TO RESTORE APPROXIMATELY 1.4, EXCUSE ME, 4.1 ACRES ON, UM, OUR DOUBLE J AND T, UM, PRESERVE.
AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS AND VOLUNTEERS TO REFOREST THIS RESTORATION AREA.
UM, WE'VE ALSO BEGAN WORKING, UM, STAFF HAVE ASSISTED IN PRE-PLANNING EFFORTS, UH, TO ADDRESS A LOT OF ICE STORM DAMAGE, UM, AND DEBRIS ALONG THE FENCE LINES ON DOUBLE J AND T AND OUR COR CORION TRACKS.
UM, AND WE'RE ALREADY WORKING TOWARDS ADDRESSING SOME, UM, VEGETATION CLEARING AND STORM DEBRIS REMOVAL ON OTHER, SOME OF OUR OTHER.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT HOW YOU'RE DOING THAT? BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ROADS IN THE PRESERVES, IT'S HARD TO GET TO A LOT OF THESE FALLEN DAMAGED TREES.
SO WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR, UM, THAT GOES ALONG THESE BOUNDARIES.
UM, HOW THE PROCESS IS CURRENTLY, WE HAVE A PRE-MEETING TO DISCUSS, UM, POINTS OF ENTRY, UM, THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR CONTRACTORS.
UM, WE KNOW SPECIFIC AREAS WHERE HAND CLEARING, UM, WILL BE OCCUR WILL NEED TO OCCUR BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET A VEHICLE.
LIKE, UM, TO YOUR POINT IN THOSE AREAS, THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT ARE, HAVE CANYONS.
UM, THEY'RE VERY STEEP TERRAIN.
YOU JUST CANNOT GET A VEHICLE OR, UM, A CEPI OR ANY KIND OF MECHANICAL THINGS GOING THROUGH THOSE AREAS.
SO IT'S A LOT OF HAND CLEARING.
UM, THE CREWS, UM, WORK, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY START VERY EARLY IN THE DAY, UM, TO REMOVE THE, THE DEBRIS.
UM, THEY CUT, UM, SOME VEGETATION, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE FENCE BORDER TO ABOUT, UM, AT THE MOST EIGHT FEET INTO THE PRESERVE.
UM, AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR FACILITIES MANAGER TO OVERSEE THAT AS WELL AS OUR BCP STAFF TO OVERSEE THAT, UM, THE WORK IS DUE BEING DONE, UM, CORRECTLY AND NOT IMPACTING THE HABITAT.
AND I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, LASTLY, I'D REALLY LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, AND RECOGNIZE THAT THIS Y WITHIN THIS APRIL TO SEPTEMBER TIMEFRAME, WE HAD, UH, 20 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE FROM OUR OWN BILL REINER, UM,
AND, UH, AND WE HAVE A 30 YEAR COMING UP AS WELL, UM, ON OUR STAFF.
SO, UM, I'LL PRE SPEAKING MORE ABOUT THAT ON OUR NEXT PCP COMMUNITY.
CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WILDFIRE, UM, PREPAREDNESS WORK THAT'S HAPPENING? I THINK THAT'S A, AN ISSUE THAT I HEAR A LOT OF CONCERN FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT.
[01:20:01]
SO, UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO DEPLOY SENSORS TO MEASURE WATER CONTENT IN THE SOILS AND, AND THE, THE SOIL AND THE, UM, TREES.UM, YOU KNOW, THE DATA IS GROUND TRUTH, UM, TO UNDERSTAND THE LIVE FOR FUEL MOISTURE DATA.
UM, AND IT'S JUST A PRODUCT TO CONTINUE TO CREATE A CONTINUOUS MONITORING SYSTEM FOR WILDFIRE RISK.
UM, WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE US FOREST SERVICE.
UH, THEY'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO COME OUT DURING THE SHUTDOWN, UM, AND, UH, HELP, YOU KNOW, REMEASURE SOME OF THE PLOTS FROM THE STUDY, THE BAYLOR STUDY, UM, TO ASSESS, UM, CHANGES OVER TIME AND WHILE, WHILE LAND FUELS ALONG THE BCP TRACKS AND ALSO DID CANOPY MEASUREMENTS, UM, WITH SURFACE FUEL MEASUREMENTS IN ABOUT SEPTEMBER.
UM, WE'VE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WORKED AGAIN TO REMOVE, UM, A LOT OF DEAD AND DOWN, UM, YOU KNOW, TREES IN OUR BCP PRESERVES THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, BE FUEL FOR FI WILDFIRES.
SO, UM, WE'RE DOING A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE WILDFIRE CONCERNS AND, UM, BE AS PREPARED AS MUCH AS WE CAN, UH, IN THE EVENT A WILDFIRE MAY OCCUR.
UM, WE HAVE DONE, UM, YOU KNOW, AN EXTENSIVE REMOVAL, YOU KNOW, OF THAT, OF DEAD AND DOWN AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES, UM, AGAIN TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK, UM, AND PRESERVES ESPECIALLY, UM, NEAR, YOU KNOW, UM, HOMES AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT A LOT OF HOAS ARE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT RISK.
AND WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY TO EDUCATE, UM, OUR HOAS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR HOME HARDENING, UM, AND HOME IGNITION ZONES AROUND THEIR PROPERTIES.
ANY OTHER REPORTS? THERE'S AN EDUCATION DOCUMENT IN THE BACK AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.
THANKS FOR MAKING TIME FOR US AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
WE'VE GOT LOTS TO SHARE, BUT WE'LL WELCOME.
WE, WE WILL BE QUICK ABOUT IT.
I WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND SO WE'LL GO OVER BRIEFLY, UM, THE TOTALS FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR FOR OUTREACH AND EDUCATION FOR ALL PARTNERS.
CITY COUNTY, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, WEST CAVE WILD BASIN, UM, TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY.
UM, SO OVERALL OVER, UH, 2000 EVENTS HAPPENED BETWEEN GUIDED HIKES, ECOLOGICAL MONITORING, LAND STEWARDSHIP, LOTS OF EDUCATION, LOTS OF PROGRAMS AND PRESENTATIONS, LOTS OF TRAININGS.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDED, UM, OVER 10,000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME.
UM, IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT CONTINUES, UM, FOR THIS PROGRAM 30 YEARS ON, AND THAT'S REALLY FOSTERED BY STAFF, UM, AND ADMINISTRATION.
UM, SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THERE'S A GREAT PHOTO IN THERE OF, OF SO MANY OF THESE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER RECITING VOLUNTEERS WITH STAFF FROM THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
BILL TALKED A LOT ABOUT THEIR WORK AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS IN HIS PRESENTATION.
THERE'S ALSO A GREAT PICTURE OF PLANTING AND MULCHING THE POLLINATOR GARDENS DURING A VOLUNTEER WORK DAY AT VERIO PRESERVE, YOU KNOW, THIS LIVING CLASSROOM, A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND SEE AND EXPERIENCE AND GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY.
UM, AND LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, UM, THAT ARE, ARE BEING PIONEERED IN SOME CASES ACROSS THE PRESERVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THIS ROBUST AND ONGOING GUIDED HIKE PROGRAM, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE REALLY NEAT, UH, IN ADDITION TO THESE GREAT ONGOING WORK DAYS ARE, UM, SOME OF THE, THE UNIQUE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST FEW QUARTERS.
SO STAFF PARTICIPATED IN EMERGENCY SERVICE, DISTRICT FOURS, TOWN HALL, AND WILDFIRE, UM, TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS AND, AND REALLY CONNECT AND HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN BE GOOD NEIGHBORS AND PARTNERS TOGETHER.
UM, WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY OUT AT HORNSBY BEND, WE PROJECTED VIDEOS OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ON THE SIDE OF THE LONG CENTER AT NIGHT SO PEOPLE COULD OOH AND A AFTER THE SYMPHONY'S AT THESE INCREDIBLE CREATURES THAT CALL AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY HOME.
[01:25:01]
UM, THERE WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION TO AUSTIN'S ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UM, AND WE WELCOMED GROUPS FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.UM, HAD COUNCIL MEMBER MARK UCHIN AND HIS STAFF OUT.
WE TOOK THE CITY OF AUSTIN LAW CLERKS CAVING LIKE WE'VE STARTED TO DO EVERY YEAR SO THEY CAN LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AND WAYS THAT WE MIGHT NEED THEIR SUPPORT, UM, AS WE MANAGE THESE WILDLANDS WHILE GETTING THEM CLOSE.
AND WE'RE GOING ON A TOUR COMING UP IN DECEMBER, I THINK.
UM, YEAH, IT'S NICE TO BE IN THE HABITAT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HABITAT.
UM, WE ALSO PARTNERED, LIKE WE DO EACH YEAR WITH AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO TRAIN MORE THAN 30 CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES AND SAVE CAVE FACILITATION, UM, IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO APRIL TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TRAVIS COUNTY.
YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THAT PHOTO.
SO I'LL SHARE A COUPLE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REPORT.
UM, WE'VE JUST, WE'VE SEEN A REALLY, UM, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA REACH.
WE'RE GETTING ON AVERAGE ALMOST 40,000, UM, MONTHLY, UH, VIEWERS.
SO WE'VE HAD, UM, KIND OF NEW COMMUNICATION STAFF COME ON THAT HAVE REALLY, UH, TAKEN, UH, TAKE IT INTO HEART THE IMPACT OF STORYTELLING AND REALLY EXPLAINING AND INTERPRETING THE VALUE OF THE WORK THAT THE BIOLOGISTS DO AND TRANSLATING THAT INTO REALLY COMPELLING STORIES.
AND SO WE'RE SEEING THIS, UM, WONDERFUL UPTICK IN THE, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA SIDE, WHICH, UM, IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF, OF REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY SINCE THE PCP IS IN WESTERN TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND WE CAN'T HAVE EVERYBODY EXPERIENCE IT FIRSTHAND.
SO WE STILL WANNA SHARE THE BENEFITS AND, UM, AND THE EXPERIENCES THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
UM, WE'VE BEEN GROWING OUR, UH, OUR VOLUNTEER CADRE.
SO WE WORK WITH MASTER NATURALISTS AND OTHERS TO, UH, FACILITATE GUIDED HIKES INTO THE PRESERVE.
UM, AND SO WE JUST HAD A TRAINING AT THE SNOWDEN FACILITY OFF OF 27 69 TO BRING IN THREE MORE.
AND SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF, I BELIEVE, 14 NOW THAT HELP US TELL THE STORY AND BRING IN, UM, MORE PEOPLE FROM THEIR NETWORKS, UM, INTO THE PRESERVE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE STARTED VOLUNTEER OR WORKING WITH, UM, TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION, AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THEM ON NIGHT SKY PROGRAMMING, AND WE'RE SHARING VOLUNTEERS WITH THEM.
AND WE FOUND THAT, UM, THIS SUMMER WE WERE, WE WERE NOTICING IT WAS SO HOT AND THERE WAS, UH, DEFINITELY A DECREASE IN TURNOUT AND PARTICIPATION FOR GUIDED HIKES.
AND SO OUR TEAM KIND OF THOUGHT ABOUT HOW COULD WE ADAPT OUR PROGRAMMING TO, UM, MAKE IT WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT BE MORE COMFORTABLE AND INCLINED TO COME OUT.
AND SO WE CAPITALIZED ON, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF TELLING THE BENEFITS OF THE NIGHT SKY OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, WITH THE VCP HAVING, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS WONDERFUL DARK ENVIRONMENT CREATES, UM, WONDERFUL HABITAT FOR ALL THE MIGRATORY BIRD SPECIES THAT RELY ON DARK SKIES TO FIND THEIR WAY, UM, ON THEIR MIGRATORY JOURNEYS.
AND SO WE'RE BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE PRESERVE, UH, MORE SO AT NIGHT IN THE SUMMER WHEN IT'S TOO HOT TO BE WALKING ON TRAILS AND, UM, THERE'S LESS TURNOUT FOR VOLUNTEER EVENTS.
SO WE'VE BEEN ADAPTING PROGRAMMING AND HAVING REALLY GOOD SUCCESS WITH THAT.
PEOPLE LOVE, UM, AGAIN, THAT STORYTELLING AND LOOKING UP AT THE STARS IS A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT WITH, UM, ALL AGES AND, UM, JUST ALL KINDS OF THEMES THAT CAN BE WORKED IN THROUGH A NIGHT SKY EVENT.
SO, UM, LASTLY I'LL JUST TOUCH ON, UM, THERE'S SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS TO TALK ABOUT
BUT, UM, WE ARE DOING, UM, SOME IN SCHOOL PROGRAMMING.
WE DO DO OUTREACH, UM, TO ABOUT SIX SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.
BUT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VISITOR CENTER ON THE HORIZON, WE'RE STARTING TO, UM, PIVOT THAT TO MORE SO BENCHMARKING AND RESEARCH ABOUT HOW TO GROW OUR CAPACITY FOR HOSTING FIELD TRIPS.
SO WE'RE STILL DOING SOME IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING, BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT RIGHT NOW.
INSTEAD, WE'RE RESEARCHING WHAT FIELD TRIPS ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE AT THE VISITOR CENTER AND STARTING TO PREPARE FOR THAT.
UM, AND I WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
YEAH, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY ENOUGH WHEN IT COMES BACK TO
UM, SO I'LL TALK TOO ABOUT, UM, PARTNERS AT WILD BASIN AND AT WEST CAVE PRESERVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WILD BASIN HAS THEIR ART ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM.
AND SO THEY, UH, ONE COMPLETED HER RESIDENCY AND ANOTHER BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, THEY'VE GOT THIS GREAT SPEAKER AND SOCIAL SERIES THAT THEY DID BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
[01:30:01]
AND NOW IT'S BACK.UM, AND SO THEIR TOPICS, UH, THIS QUARTER INCLUDED MYCOLOGY 1 0 1, WHICH IS SOMETHING I KNOW THAT SO MANY OF US ARE INTERESTED IN HOW THESE MICRORISAL CONNECTIONS INFLUENCE OUR WORLD IN THE SOIL.
AND ALSO BEAUTY IN THE BEES WAS THEIR OTHER, UH, SPEAKER, UH, THINKING ABOUT UNDERSTANDING POLLINATORS AND DESIGNING A LANDSCAPE TO SUPPORT THEM.
UM, SO JUST GREAT WAYS TO DRAW FOLKS IN TO A PLACE THEY MIGHT KNOW, LIKE WILD BASIN, WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, COME AND HIKE, UM, UNGUIDED, UM, AND THEN CONNECT IN A DEEPER WAY TO THE BAIS CANYON LANDS PRESERVE.
THERE IS, WHERE'S THE WALK TO THE WATERFALL? WHERE'S THE WATERFALL? IS THAT AT HAMILTON POOL? WHILE BASIN, WHILE BASIN.
A LITTLE WATERFALL THAT STILL FLOWING.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A NIGHT HIKE THERE TOMORROW.
THEY'LL BE, THEY'LL BE DOING SOME NIGHT SKY VIEWING, NOT THROUGH A TELESCOPE, BUT JUST STORYTELLING.
UM, WITH THE STARS AT WILD BASIN TOMORROW.
UM, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE WALKING TO THE WATERFALL, BUT THERE WILL BE AN EVENT THERE TOMORROW EVENING.
UM, THEY ALSO HOSTED WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SERVICE DAY, SO 18 SENIORS, UM, CAME TO HELP STAGE MATERIAL FOR, UM, THE TRAIL RESTORATION TRAIL STAIR RESTORATION PROJECT THAT HAPPENED LATER, UM, IN THAT QUARTER, UM, WITH HELP FROM THE TEXAS CONSERVATION CORPS.
UM, REALLY IMPROVING THAT DEGRADED SECTION OF A, OF AN IMPORTANT TRAIL.
AND THEN THEY ALSO WELCOMED 25 STUDENTS AND STAFF FROM ST.
EDWARDS UNIVERSITY FOR TACOS AND TRASH SERVICE DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ONGOING CHALLENGE IN THAT AREA OF, I HOPE THEY EAT THE TACOS BEFORE THEY GO PICK UP THE TRASH.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE SEE SO MUCH POLLUTION FROM THE ROADS THAT ENTERS THE, THE HABITAT, UM, ALONG ROADWAYS, BUT ESPECIALLY IN THAT AREA NEAR WILD BASIN IN VERIO PRESERVE.
SO REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME EXTRA HANDS THERE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, APRIL WAS TALKING ABOUT DARK SKIES.
WE ALSO ARE THINKING ABOUT DARK SKIES AND MIGRATION FOR BIRDS AT WEST CAVE.
THEY'RE SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT.
UM, THEY PUT THESE FEATHER FRIENDLY MARKERS, THESE DECALS ONTO THEIR GREAT BIG WINDOWS AND THEIR BEAUTIFUL VISITOR CENTER IN AUGUST OF 2024.
AND THEY'RE REALLY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THEY'VE HAD ZERO BIRD STRIKES SINCE INSTALLING THIS.
AND WHERE WAS THAT AT WEST CAVE PRESERVE.
WHERE DO PEOPLE GET THOSE? 'CAUSE THEN WE'VE GOT AN INTEREST HERE, I THINK IN PUTTING THEM ON THE, UM, HARRIS COUNTY BUILDING.
ON, WELL, I'VE SEEN SOME FROM DIFFERENT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS RELATED TO BIRD CONSERVATION, BUT I'VE ALSO JUST SEEN FOLKS BUY IT ON THE INTERNET OR MAKE THEIR OWN AT OUR OFFICE.
WE MADE, UM, JUST PAPER STRINGS THAT HANG DOWN, UM, THAT HAVE LASTED US FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND REALLY HELPED US TO TOING A FUTURE WORKSHOP.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ART DAYS AT TRAVIS COUNTY OUT AT SNOWDEN.
UM, AND THEN WEST CAPE PRESERVE ALSO HOSTED 10 SUMMER CAMP FIELD TRIPS WITH 185 CAMPERS.
UM, THREE OF THOSE DATES INCLUDED, UM, CAMPERS FROM UH, EL RANCHITO.
THEY HOSTED 182 GUIDED HIKES, SAW OVER 2000 ADULTS AND OVER 400 KIDS.
UM, AND THEY ALSO HOSTED TWO EDUCATION INTERNS.
SO I JUST THINK THIS REPORT IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, IT NEVER INCLUDES ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON, BUT IT REALLY SPEAKS TO, UM, HOW ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PARTNERS PLAY TO THEIR STRENGTHS.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE AREAS THAT CAN, UM, HOST PROGRAMMING ON BUSY WEEKENDS AND HIGH DEMAND AND SEE FAMILIES.
THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE REALLY GREAT FOR, UM, SELF-GUIDED TOURS, OTHERS THAT ARE REALLY GREAT AT HOSTING, YOU KNOW, IN DEPTH, UM, TRAINING AND, AND WORKSHOPS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE TO, UM, TO THE SCIENCE, TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE LAND ITSELF AND THAT INFORMATION.
YEAH, WE JUST HAD A MEETING WITH, UH, ECO RISE FOLKS YESTERDAY AND UM, THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN GETTING CONNECTED TO PROGRAMS WHERE THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THEY WORK WITH CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR BACKYARD ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE ISSUES.
THERE'S SPACE ON THESE HIKES, WORKDAYS FOR THEM.
WHO'S THE RIGHT CONTACT? EITHER OF US.
YEAH, WE CAN DEFINITELY REACH OUT AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN AND HOW THEY COULD, HOW WE COULD CO COLLABORATE PARTNER, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AND WHERE, WHERE THEY MIGHT FIT.
WE USE KIND OF A, A CLEARINGHOUSE EMAIL WILDLANDS@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV.
WILDLANDS@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV FOR, FOR CITY PROGRAMS. BUT WE OFTEN FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE NOT THE RIGHT FIT FOR A GROUP MM-HMM
UM, GEOGRAPHICALLY OFTEN IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO CONNECT THEM TO TRAVIS COUNTY.
[01:35:01]
TOGETHER.BUT I CAN MAKE SURE YOU'RE CONNECTED TO APRIL AND AND TEAM THAT WAY TOO.
I'M HAPPY TO HELP YOU COORDINATE THAT AS WELL.
SO THAT'LL BE YOUR FIRST STOP IF YOU'D LIKE.
ALRIGHT, WELL THIS IS FABULOUS.
ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T THINK SO.
THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING OUT THERE, A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON.
AND THEN, UH, IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT LCRA.
IS THAT A WRITTEN REPORT OR IS THERE SOMEONE FROM LCRA HERE? NO, WE'LL JUST, UH, REFER YOU TO THE PACKET TO BIANNUAL FOR THE THEIR, THEIR REPORT.
ANY FINAL, UH, COMMENTS OR, UM, INFORMATION WRAP UP? I'LL HAVE ONE LITTLE PREVIEW.
SO AS WE MENTIONED, NEXT YEAR, MAY 2ND, 2026, THAT'S OUR 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, SO STAY TUNED FOR SOME INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO CELEBRATE THAT EVENT.
AND DO WE HAVE A DATE SET FOR THE NEXT OF THESE QUARTERLY MEETINGS? WE'RE HOPING THE NEXT MEETING IT WOULD BE AT CITY HALL ON FRIDAY, MAY 1ST, 2026.
I'VE HEARD FROM, UH, BOTH OF YOUR STAFF THAT YOU ARE AVAILABLE, HOWEVER, CITY HALL WILL NOT COMMIT TO RESERVING THAT ROOM FOR ME UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WHEN ALL OF COUNCIL AND COMMISSIONS HAVE FIGURED OUT THEIR SCHEDULES.
KEEP SO WE HAVE A HOLD FOR THAT DATE.
YEAH, I'LL KEEP MY EYE ON IT FOR YOU.
THAT'S GENERALLY WHY OUR, UH, MEETINGS ARE ON FRIDAY.
THIS IS ALWAYS FASCINATING AND, AND GREAT INFORMATION AND, UM, I CONTINUE TO, TO, TO THINK IT'S ONE OF OUR BEST KEPT SECRETS.
BUT YOU'RE DOING, I LOVE, I LOVE THAT THERE'S MORE SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH AND MORE PEOPLE VISITING SITES AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT, UM, THESE AMAZING PROGRAMS AND THE WORK WE'RE DOING.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR SERVICE.
AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 2 41 ON NOVEMBER 14TH.