I'm catching up with some reports on events I posted earlier and also posting some reminders of upcoming events.
If you weren't at the Living Well With Less Water symposium on October 1, you missed a great learning experience. It was a full day of interesting speakers and vendors. The central theme of the conference was that our local area is becoming hotter and drier. The amount of rainfall has been dropping and the temperature has been climbing for years. Our "normal" annual rainfall, currently at 28 inches will be more in the neighborhood of 22 inches by 2040 and the hot summer of this past year will be the norm. The severe drought we experienced this year is forecast to continue for at least one more year and perhaps longer.
Given that cheery news, it wasn't surprising that the remainder of the day was spent talking about landscaping in a way that will conserve our water resources. If the Master Gardeners host a similar program in the future, plan to attend. It would be tough to top this year's program though.
Smith's Gardentown will be hosting a short workshop on this issue as well on October 22 at 10 AM. You can RSVP here The seminar is free, but Smith's is asking for an RSVP to have adequate materials and seating.
Lake Arrowhead State Park (LASP) has a lot going on. John Ferguson, the "new" park superintendent (he's been there a couple of years now, but that's still relatively new) has been working hard to add programs and amenities to the park to increase visitation. The Friends of Lake Arrowhead was formed in this past year to help the park do things with a more limited state budget. If you want to keep up with the programs at the park, friend the Texas Parks and Wildlife Lake Arrowhead State Park page on Facebook (there is another Lake Arrowhead State Park page as well, but that one isn't current, so be sure to get the correct one.) The Friends of Lake Arrowhead State Park also have a page. Although you don't have to be a member of the Friends group to like the page, it certainly would be nice if you would consider joining.
One of the projects under development is a large butterfly garden. The Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalist chapter maintains a small butterfly garden near the main gate in addition to the nature trail. The new butterfly garden will be a much larger project and developed over the next couple of years. I imagine both the Master Naturalist chapter and the Friends of Lake Arrowhead will be involved (there is a lot of overlap between the groups.)
A couple of upcoming events at LASP that should be of interest to readers of this blog include:
October 28: Bring the kids out for a Halloween program at the park, beginning at 6:30 PM. Children will be able to color and wear various animal masks and there will be an after dark listening for night sounds activity. The program is free, although attendees will need to pay the park admission (why not make a day of it?)
November 5, 9:00 AM - Noon: Mark Klym, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Wildlife Diversity Program, will conduct a free workshop on wildscaping. If you want the CD with resources, it will be available for purchase for $5. Again, entry to the park is required.
December 12 - 15: LASP will be holding a Waterfowl Hunting Education class and mentored hunt. The 3-hour class will be held on December 12 and 13 at 5 PM and the mentored hunt for Canada geese will be on December 14 and 15. The park will be closed to the general public during the hunt for safety reasons.
There is a Sierra Club meeting Tuesday evening at 7:15, but I still don't know where. As soon as I hear, I will post the meeting here.
Don't forget the EcoFair meeting Thursday, 5:30 PM at River Bend Nature Center. With the change to the Earth Day time frame, there is much to be done in very little time.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Friends of LASP Meet Thursday
The Friends of Lake Arrowhead State Park (LASP) meet Thursday evening, October 6 at 7 PM at the Dining Hall at LASP. If you are interested in events coming to the park and in helping to make the park even better, plan to attend.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Upcoming Meetings of Interest
Today I'll be spending the day at the Multi-Purpose Event Center at the Living Well with Less Water symposium. I'm looking forward to learning a lot and meeting people with similar interests.
For those who were intending to go to the EcoFair planning meeting next Friday, the date has been changed. It will now be October 13, 5:30 PM at River Bend Nature Center. If you would like more information, contact River Bend at 940-767-0843.
The Red River Sierra Club will meet Tuesday, October 11 at 7:15 PM. The location hasn't yet been decided--I'll post here when I know where the meeting will be held. It is normally at a restaurant.
Rosecreek Farms in Sunset is holding a Fall Festival beginning at 3 PM on Saturday, October 15. During the festival, they will host a screening of "Fresh." You can find more information at their website. Some local Sierra Club members will probably attend. You can reach the local Sierra Club at redriversierra@gmail.com.
Hope to see some of you today at the water symposium!
For those who were intending to go to the EcoFair planning meeting next Friday, the date has been changed. It will now be October 13, 5:30 PM at River Bend Nature Center. If you would like more information, contact River Bend at 940-767-0843.
The Red River Sierra Club will meet Tuesday, October 11 at 7:15 PM. The location hasn't yet been decided--I'll post here when I know where the meeting will be held. It is normally at a restaurant.
Rosecreek Farms in Sunset is holding a Fall Festival beginning at 3 PM on Saturday, October 15. During the festival, they will host a screening of "Fresh." You can find more information at their website. Some local Sierra Club members will probably attend. You can reach the local Sierra Club at redriversierra@gmail.com.
Hope to see some of you today at the water symposium!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Violating the Rules
Occasionally I ponder why many people don't have the same passion about the environment I do, and I have come up with 2 possible explanations:
- They are too disconnected from nature
- They don't understand the rules the environment operates under
I think the first is obvious. We don't see how small we are in the scheme of things because we have managed to create a barrier between ourselves and nature. With so many lights in the cities, you don't see any but the brightest stars. When you get out in the wide open spaces and look up, you can't help but feel smaller--and I think it's a good think for people to feel less omnipotent.
We don't see the miracle that is life because we're disconnected from it. We've shut ourselves away from birth and death. We've lost contact with the interconnectedness of living things because we see ourselves as the only important life form on earth, and don't realize we depend upon the other life forms and chemical cycles to live. Bugs are to be killed; everything we invent is worth having; and "go forth and multiply" is a right of people and their pets--but not weeds or wildlife.
I love Walt Disney movies, but the fact is, these types of shows distort our view of nature. We think nature works like Bambi. Don't even believe it.
As a consequence of the disconnect between ourselves and nature, we have forgotten the rules the environment operates under.
- The Rule of the Commons. What is good for each individually is not necessarily good for the whole. for everyone to prosper, it may be necessary for the individual to submaximize his/her overall good. Garrett Hardin described the Tragedy of the Commons this way: a rational decision by a person that maximizes their short-term good leads to long term consequences disastrous for the person, others and the environment.
- The Rule of Unintended Consequences. We invent things or change things without understanding the consequences. For example, antibiotics are a good thing generally, but a consequence of overuse has been the development of super bugs--resistance to antibiotics of all types. DDT was heralded as a great invention and for the purpose it was invented, it was for a time. However, there were unforeseen consequences that led us to ban the use of this chemical in the US, although it is still used in other countries.
- The Rule of Environmental Economics. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Resources are finite--a choice to use that resource in one way has to be paid for, even if the payment is made later.
- The Rule of Nature. Nature wins. We think we have control over the environment--we don't. If we need a reminder, look at our drought situation, or the major floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc., that have been common occurrences in the recent past.
Somehow our disconnectedness with the environment has led us to believe (unconsciously perhaps) that the rules don't apply to us. Unfortunately, it may take some time before the consequences for our actions come due, but come due they will.
- They are too disconnected from nature
- They don't understand the rules the environment operates under
I think the first is obvious. We don't see how small we are in the scheme of things because we have managed to create a barrier between ourselves and nature. With so many lights in the cities, you don't see any but the brightest stars. When you get out in the wide open spaces and look up, you can't help but feel smaller--and I think it's a good think for people to feel less omnipotent.
We don't see the miracle that is life because we're disconnected from it. We've shut ourselves away from birth and death. We've lost contact with the interconnectedness of living things because we see ourselves as the only important life form on earth, and don't realize we depend upon the other life forms and chemical cycles to live. Bugs are to be killed; everything we invent is worth having; and "go forth and multiply" is a right of people and their pets--but not weeds or wildlife.
I love Walt Disney movies, but the fact is, these types of shows distort our view of nature. We think nature works like Bambi. Don't even believe it.
As a consequence of the disconnect between ourselves and nature, we have forgotten the rules the environment operates under.
- The Rule of the Commons. What is good for each individually is not necessarily good for the whole. for everyone to prosper, it may be necessary for the individual to submaximize his/her overall good. Garrett Hardin described the Tragedy of the Commons this way: a rational decision by a person that maximizes their short-term good leads to long term consequences disastrous for the person, others and the environment.
- The Rule of Unintended Consequences. We invent things or change things without understanding the consequences. For example, antibiotics are a good thing generally, but a consequence of overuse has been the development of super bugs--resistance to antibiotics of all types. DDT was heralded as a great invention and for the purpose it was invented, it was for a time. However, there were unforeseen consequences that led us to ban the use of this chemical in the US, although it is still used in other countries.
- The Rule of Environmental Economics. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Resources are finite--a choice to use that resource in one way has to be paid for, even if the payment is made later.
- The Rule of Nature. Nature wins. We think we have control over the environment--we don't. If we need a reminder, look at our drought situation, or the major floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc., that have been common occurrences in the recent past.
Somehow our disconnectedness with the environment has led us to believe (unconsciously perhaps) that the rules don't apply to us. Unfortunately, it may take some time before the consequences for our actions come due, but come due they will.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Compost Giveaway October 1
The next City Compost giveaway is scheduled for Saturday, October 1, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM at the city landfill on Wiley Road. Take Seymour highway toward Seymour and turn onto 258 at the Kamay Y. Proceed west on 258 approximately 1 mile to Wiley Rd. Turn right. The entrance to the landfill is approximately 2 miles.
In order to receive the free compost, you have to participate in the city curbside recycling program (a misnomer in some respects, but that is what the city calls it.) Take a copy of your water bill showing the $3 recycling charge. You can receive one pickup load or one 4 x 8 trailer load. You must have a cover for the load.
It's too bad it is the same day as the Water Symposium; a lot of the same people who will be interested picking up compost will be at the Symposium--like me. But for those who can participate, this is a good deal and a suitable reward for participating in the composting program.
In order to receive the free compost, you have to participate in the city curbside recycling program (a misnomer in some respects, but that is what the city calls it.) Take a copy of your water bill showing the $3 recycling charge. You can receive one pickup load or one 4 x 8 trailer load. You must have a cover for the load.
It's too bad it is the same day as the Water Symposium; a lot of the same people who will be interested picking up compost will be at the Symposium--like me. But for those who can participate, this is a good deal and a suitable reward for participating in the composting program.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Successful Sikes Lake Cleanup
The Master Naturalists have done an annual cleanup of the lake for several years. MSU provides a canopy, trash bags and hot dogs/drinks. The Master Naturalists provide the labor. We always have small groups of children from local schools help in the project. This year the turn out was overwhelming--200 community volunteers (mostly children and MSU students) turned out to help. This is significantly more than previous years. Lots of people combined with a low lake level due to the drought added up to a record amount of trash being collected. In less than 2 hours, the volunteers bagged 4000 pounds of trash.
Way to go!
The Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalists also conduct a cleanup of Plum Lake every quarter. The next cleanup will be on September 24, followed by a cleanup at Lake Arrowhead State Park.
The Red River Group of the Sierra Club decided last night to Adopt a Highway through the Texas Department of Transportation.
More group and more individual participation could make our community a nicer place to live. Could you help Keep Wichita Falls Beautiful?
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Events for Saturday, September 10
Saturday, September 10 is going to be a busy day. At 9:00 AM, volunteers will be conducting the annual Sikes Lake cleanup. This is an annual cooperative project between MSU and the Rolling Plains Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists. Volunteers are welcome to participate. Usually the cleanup is complete by noon. 
Also on Saturday is the Museum Stroll ' Roll. Several museums in Wichita Falls will be open free of charge and the city will provide free transportation by bus or trolley to many of them. There are several displays of particular interest to readers of this blog which have been mentioned in previous posts. This would be a wonderful opportunity to check them out if you haven't already (or to revisit if you have.)
Of course, River Bend Nature Center is a treat any time you get to go. They have added many exhibits this past year, so if you haven't been for a while, this would be a great weekend to stop in. The Museum of North Texas History continues A Walk on the Wild Side and the Kemp Center for the Arts is still showing the insect art of Laura Gillis.
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