I BEXAR
AUDUBON
SOCIETY
Tuesday, April I, 2003, San Antonio Environmental Network Issues Forum
Bexar County's natural and riparian areas
Where we stand, what does the future hold1
First Place, 2000 .§.
~National
Audubon Society
newsletter contest
for large chapters
Bldg 37 !llhe ICC
Bldg43•slhctpati<.ng 6:30p.m. -Social Time; 6:45p.m. -Program garage
Free and open to the public-Parking adjacent to the Center
NEW MEETING PLACE!
Auditorium of the Grossman International Conference Center of the University of the Incarnate Word
' Northeast corner ofHwy 281 and Hildebrand
San Antonio awoke from a slumber near the end of the 20th Century and began a major effort to protect vital recharge and riparian
areas from development. On May 6, 2000, citizens overwhelmingly approved a 118 cent sales tax, raising $45 million to purchase land
over the recharge zone, and $20 million for linear parks along Leon and Salado Creeks.
Through strategic partnerships with the Trust for Public Land, Texas Nature Conservancy, Bexar Land Trust, Texas Parks &
Wildlife Department, plus private contributions, this money has helped purchase over 3,000 acres of sensitive lands. Is it enough? Do
we need more? What will be accessible and when to outdoor enthusiasts? Join the San Antonio Environmental Network at our April 1
meeting and hear from those who made it happen. Find out how we can keep this vital program alive for the future of all San Antonians.
Find fame and fortune
Help Bexar Tracks to look better,
Enter our exclusive photo contest
As alert readers have noticed, the artwork in most issues of Bexar Tracks tends toward line drawings, silhouettes and head shots
of our notables. The editors would like to give our readers a chance to enliven our pages by submitting their best wildlife and nature
photos to our brand new, just announced, Gigantic Photo Contest.
Photos should relate to the mission and purpose of Bexar Audubon but are not limited to Texas scenes. Photos can be in color
or black and white although they will appear, obviously, in brown and tan. Digital photos are fine provided you send them on a
floppy or CD (your editors have limited bandwidth and the digital files tend to be huge, crashing modem-limited email services.
Please save injpg format). Close ups and pictures with good contrast will reproduce better than distant vistas. That awesome shot of
the Grand Canyon will loose most of its definition traveling through our printing press. While your grandchildren are undoubtedly
precious and maybe, sometimes, a bit rambunctious, they don't qualify as wildlife.
Send your entries, any size from 4 by 6 inch on up, to: Bexar Audubon Society, P.O. Box 6084, San Antonio, TX 78209. If you
want your picture back you must enclose a stamped, self addressed envelope. Be sure to include your name, address, email, and
telephone number. There is no deadline, chosen pictures will be published on a space-available basis.
In addition to the thrill of having your pictures and a very flattering writeup seen by more than 1500 readers, winners will
receive suitable prizes. Enter today!!!
. .
Please donate to our 2003 Birdation. Any amount is
welcome. This is our fundraiser to support Audubon
Adventures in classrooms. Please call 210-822-4503 or
mail your check to BAS, PO Box 6084, SATX 78209.
BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY
Chapter of the National Audubon Society
P. 0. Box 6084, San Antonio, TX 78209
210-822-4503
GOALS
The Chapter's primary goals are
to promote species and habitat
conservation and environmental education
in the community.
OFFICERS
President Susan Hughes . (susan@wordwright.com) . 532·2332
Vice Pres. Harry Noyes ... (harrynoyes@satx.rr.com) . 490-3124
Treasurer Bill Barker .. . (barker@texas.net) ......... 308-5862
Secretary Bill Hurley.. (billhurley@satx.rr.com) .. 341-2676
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dean Bibles ....................... (dbibles@aol.com) ............ 698-9264
Tom Wilson ......................... (SATXWilsons@aol.com) .. 492-4799
Tony Wood ............... ._ ....... (tmcawood@aol.com) ...... 493-4684
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Aud. Adven. Betty Minyard ... (mink@texas.net) .............. 344-6128
Birdathon Marge Lumpe ... (birdwatcher@msn.com) ... 545-1822
Conserv. Harry Noyes ..... (harrynoyes@satx.rr.com). 490-3124
Education ................................................................ available
Memb. . ........................ , .......................................... available
Publicity Harry Noyes ..... (harrynoyes@satx.rr.com) . 490-3124
SAEN Coord. Greg Pasztor ... (gpasztor)ix.netcom.com) . 824-1235
Bexar Tracks Tom Wilson ...... (SATXWilsons@aol.com) .. 492-4799
Ed~ors Jill Sandeen ..... , .................................. 830-980-3277
Mailing
(jsondeen@NetXPress.com) ........ Fax: 830-438-7393
.............................. ._ ................................... available
Bexar Tracks is your newsletter.
We welcome your contributions.
Please fax Jill or email Tom as above; diskettes
and hard copy should be sent to Tom Wilson,
13227 Hunters Spring, San Antonio, TX 78230.
l·•t'i
Printed with soy ink on
recycled paper.
Visit Bexar Audubon's
Web Site:
http://www.BexarAudubon.org
Visit San Antonio Environmental
Network's Web Site:
http://www.sa-naturecenter.org
Suggestions and contributions are welcome.
Please contact Bill Hurley at
billhurley@satx.rr.com
I arise in the morning torn
between a desire to improve the
world and a desire to enjoy the
world. This makes it hard to plan
the day. -EB White
April/ May 2003
BENEATH THE GAVEL
The Texas Legislature is in session and
there are a number of bills that Bexar
Audubon's board has voted to endorse as
filed. We urge you to contact your state
senators and representatives and let them
know how you feel about these issues.
SBlSS/ HB305, Protected Freshwater
Areas, prohibiting the operation of motor
vehicles in or on protected freshwater areas.
[Note: This bill addresses the damage being
done to streams and rivers that are being l1sed
as roadways by recreational off-road
vehicles, destroying riparian habitat,
polluting river water, and infringing on the
private property rights of landowners.]
HB895, relating to the establishment of
a program to provide grants to make
voluntary purchases of development
rights in real property: [Note: This bill
would pay landowners the difference
between the value of the land as restricted
and its value on the open market. Such .
programs help landowners who never want
to see their land developed; reduce estate
taxes, and allow young farmers and ranchers
to purchase property that otherwise would
not have been affordable to them. The public
benefits when open lands are conserved,
protecting sources of drinking water,
providing wildlife habitat and recreational
opportunities, ensuring availability of!ocally
grown food and fiber, and preserving scenic
and historic landscapes that maintain our
sense of place.]
Representative Robert Puente has filed
a number of bills relating to water
conservation:
HB487 /SB780 relating to a requirement
that certain irrigation sy~tems have rain
shut-off devices. HB488/SB781 relating to
performance standards for toilets sold in the
state. HB489/SB778 relating to water and
energy saving performance standards for
commercial clothes-washing machines.
HB 645/SB779 relating to prohibiting
the creation or enforcement of certain
restrictive covenants that undermine water
conservation, specifically: Chapter 202,
Property Code, is amended by adding: Sec.
202.007. Certain restrictive covenants
prohibited. (a) A property owners'
association may not include or enforce a
provision in a dedicatory instrument that: (1)
prohibits or restricts a property owner from:
(A) implementing landscaping design,
installation, or maintenance standards that­result
in water conservation, including
standards relating to the use of native or other
drought tolerant plants, shrubs, trees, or
grasses; (B) implementing measures
promoting solid waste composting of
vegetation, including grass clippings, leaves,
or brush, or leaving grass clippings
2
uncollected on grass; (C) implementing
efficient irrigation systems, including
underground drip or other drip systems; (D)
installing rain barrels or a rain water harvesting
system; (E) landscaping a lot or parcel in a
native or vegetative state; (F) adding additional
soil or compost, including sludge compost; (G)
installing turf areas; (H) installing
appurtenances, including patios, decks,
walkways, or sidewalks; or (I) implementing
or installing any other water conservation
practices; or (2) requires a property owner to:
(A) follow a defined irrigation schedule unless
the water supplier for the property mandates
the irrigation schedule to curtail outdoor water
use; (B) maintain the landscape at a specified
level that requires the owner to irrigate the
property; (C) install and use an automatic
underground irrigation system; or (D) install
and maintain a specific variety or a limited
choice of varieties of turf grass.
HB975 relating to the plugging of
abandoned or deteriorated water wells [and
providing for a fee to be dedicated to this
purpose 1. HB1150/SB1016 relating to the
financing of certain local water,
conservation, and open space projects in
accordance with the law governing sports and
community venue projects. HB 1152 relating
to the authority of certain nonprofit water
supply corporations to establish and enforce
!customer water conservation measures.
Representative Wohlgemuth introduced
HB1276 relating to the authm)ty of certain
counties to regulate development.
Other bills to watch: HB206 relating to
the protection of the natural condition of the
beds and banks of state-owned watercourses;
providing civil and criminal penalties. HB1151
relating to the protection by a municipality of
a lake that is a source of water supply. HB1982
relating to the sale of cacti.
For more information or to track the status
of these bills, go to: http:/ I
www. capi to!. state. tx. u s/tlo/legislation/
legislation.htm
Further, the b.oard voted support of the San
Marcos River Foundation's TCEQ permit
application #5724, providing for the non­consumptive,
beneficial instream use of
approximately 1 million acre feet of water
which will maintain beneficial inflows of
freshwater to the Guadalupe Estuary for the
benefit of fish and wildlife and other
recreational purposes.
Please be in contact with your state
senator and representative during this session
to let them )mow your interests and concerns.
Easy access to this information is available at
http:/ /www.capitol. state. tx. us/
Enjoy spring!
-Susan Hughes
Bexar Tracks
CHAPTER NEWS
February SAEN Meeting Recap
Bad air, we know it is here and where it comes from
Now, we know what can we do about it
An attentive and moderately sized
audience-ensconced in Incarnate Word
University's new International Conference
Center-heard a San Antonio Environ­mental
Network panel describe the ill
effects of air pollution, our city's pending
non-compliance with air quality standards
and what can be done about both.
The February SAEN meeting, the first
in our new meeting place, heard four
panelists describe a problem that threatens
a diminished quality of health and life for
all residents but especially for the young:
a problem not susceptible to easy solution
but rather one which requires many
separate actions, lifestyle changes and
substantial expenditures-public and
private.
The panelists were:
Dr. Sam Sanchez, Environmental
Health Administrator, San Antonio
Metropolitan Health District.
Peter Bella, Natural Resources
Director, Alamo Area Council of
Governments (AACOG).
Dr. Ramon Alvarez, Texas
Environmental Defense.
Dorothy Birch, Natural Resources
Transportation Specialist, Alamo Area
Council of Governments.
Dr. Sanchez pointed out that San
Antonio's air quality problems have both
increased in severity and in makeup.
Before World War II our main air pollutant
was dust from unpaved roads. For a time
lead from leaded motor fuels was a major
problem and now we are threatened by
(among many other things) ozone which
is created by sunlight reacting with
nitrogen oxides and volatile organic
compounds.
There is a direct connection, he
suggested, between air pollution and the
fact that chronic asthma is the second most
prevalent illness among children. He noted
that children growing up in Southern
California show diminished lung capacity.
Children, whose bodies are growing at a
rapid rate, inhale more air in proportion to
body weight than do adults.
April/ May 2003
i
Dr. Sanchez said that motor vehicles
are only one source of bad air. "We should
realize that we spend the majority of our
lives breathing processed indoor air," he
said, and that air can contain biological
contaminants such as mold and pet dander
in addition to tobacco smoke, pesticides
and fumes from stoves and heaters.
Peter Bela explained the rather
complicated process now underway to
bring San Antonio into compliance with
Federal Air Quality standards. The air
quality standards that now apply to the city
will cause us to be in non-compliance by
2004, he said, but if you applied those
standards retroactively we would have
failed compliance 16 of the last 23 years.
Fortunately for us, AACOG has
entered into an "Early Action Compact"
with the Environmental Protection Agency
that allows us to devise our own plan to
reduce air pollution rather than being
subject to Federally imposed requirements.
The compact, signed in December,
commits AACOG to study the problem
and, based on information in the study,
implement controls to reduce pollution.
The first of the pollution control
proposals will be published on June 16 with
implementation of the plan due by
December 2005.
Among potential features of the plan
are: require the use of ultra-low-sulphur
diesel fuels, a burning ban on days where
air quality is threatened and improved
vehicle inspection and maintenance.
Dr. Ramon Alvarez said the key to
reducing auto exhaust pollution is to
change driving behavior. Financial
incentives, he said, are key to reaching that
goal. There is no mystery to auto
emissions; total emissions equal the
vehicles emission rate times the number of
miles traveled. He noted that older,
malfunctioning vehicles are a major
pollution contributor. "Ten percent of
cars-that is, the older models-cause 50
percent of emissions."
Because of that fact, Dr. Alvarez said
it is "difficult to attain standards without
3
testing." And, the testing technology must
be available. Potential incentives for
reducing miles driven and the rate of
exhaust pollution include "pay as you
drive" insurance. Since driving risk is
proportionate to the number of miles
driven, insurance companies can base
insurance costs on the car owner's driving
habits. The Texas legislature passed
legislation allowing such insurance, but so
far no insurance companies offer it.
Some companies now offer employees
a choice of a free parking space at work or
cash. In California one in eight drivers
offered such a choice takes the money.
Conscientious citizens also can drive the
lowest polluting vehicles possible, avoid
jackrabbit starts and high speeds-both of
which greatly increase pollution rates­pressure
insurance companies to start
offering "pay as you drive" policies,
develop life style strategies that reduce
driving, and support San Antonio's clean
air plan.
Dorothy Birch connected the audience
to a number of Internet resources that can
provide the information necessary to
contribute to cleaner air. One is her
organization's site: www.aacog.com/air/
Another web site recommded is:
www.drivecleanacrosstexas.org which
provides a statewide look at air pollution
reduction activities.
To have an immediate effect on at least
one polluting car, Birch recommends that
those who see a vehicle emitting clouds of
smoke take the license number; time, date
and location where sighted and telephone
that information to 1-800-453-smog. The
emissions miscreant will receive a letter
politely suggesting the car be repaired with
a reminder that it is against the law to drive
a polluting vehicle. -Tom Wilson
To report a polluting vehicle:
1-800-453-SMOG
(1-800-453-7664)
or www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/air/
ms/smokingvehicles.html
Bexar Tracks
Farm & Range Forum attendees learn how teaming with th~ environment
The Fourth Annual South Texas Farm & Range Forum was held in Seguin this month.
Participants came from as far away as Eldorado, Clute, Fort Stockton, Realitos, and
McCamey. Several participants have attended all four forums, and their evaluations indicate
they are interested in coming to yet anotheL
Several speakers noted the significance of the diversity of participants as depicted in .
the background information they were provided. This diversity of interest, farming,
ranching, nature tourism, wildlife management, hunting, education, etc.-is, indeed, a
catalyst for individuals to participate in the Forum each year.
Friday afternoon, the group' gathered at the Seguin Outdoor Learning whpe
Terry Turney of Texas Parks & Wildlife conducted a cowbird trapping workshop. The
depredation on songbird populations by cowbirds was graphically depicted by video
footage of a cowbird removing eggs and picking hatchlings from a black-capped vireo
nest, only to quickly lay an egg and depart, leaving the tiny songbird parents to incubate,
feed, and raise the cowbird young. In locations where trapping programs have been
carried out, the fledge rate for young songbirds has climbed from single digit figures to
over 90 percent success. Farmers and ranchers are eager to participate in such programs
because it is in everyone's interest to keep additional songbirds off the endangered species
list and to assist in species recovery efforts in the state. While it's not the cowbird's fault
that its historical patterns have been disrupted by human activity, neither is it appropriate
for songbirds to be sacrificed en masse as a result of cowbirds' adaptive behaviors.
The next stop was tbe Luling
Foundation, a demonstration farm that
produces commercial and purebred cattle,
goats, corn, wheat, milo, cotton, pecans, and
peaches. On a hay-ride tour of the farm,
Bodey Langford, board chairman of the not­for-
profit foundation, and Mike Kuck, farm
manager, spoke to the group about the goals
and experience of the farm. Dr. Larry White
and Dr. Barron Rector of Texas A&M
University engaged the group in a
discussion of how to observe and evaluate the land. Examining a creek bed and riparian
area the history of the upstream watershed was determined and the likely impacts
downstream were explained. Rector and White provided excellent materials that Dr.
Rector took the group through during various stops at the. farm.
April/ May 2003 4
Back at the OLC, director Jon
Erickson provided a tour of the facilities
and described the programs and goals of
the center, including its amphitheater,
ropes course, outdoor pavilion, nature
trails, and educational programs. After
dinner, we gathered around the fireplace,
for a wrap-up on the day's activities and
some philosophizing by Dr. Rector.
Saturday morning dawned cold and
drizzly, but our intrepid registrants
showed up at the Guadalupe County
Fairgrounds bundled up and ready for the
day. Sadly, the day never warmed up, and
the coats, hats, and gloves stayed on and
one attendee was even hopeful of renting
a shawl and gloves for 20-minute
intervals. The Guadalupe County 4-H
Exchange group, which catered the event,
provided warm beverages and great food
that kept everyone going. They also had
a fund-raiser going on, selling candles
that a 'few grabbed up and lit to use as
hand-warmers. While the temperature
was unfriendly, almost everyone lasted
for the entire day-a testament to the
quality of the program and speakers.
Moving around to collect the ample
number of door prizes provided some
There were numerous exhibitors,
such as the Youth Brigades program.
Bexar Tracks
Can save Texas agriculture, protect the land and enrich ·our native beauty
Andy Sansom, executive director of the
International Institute for Sustainable Water
Resources, shown here with Audubon Texas
executive director Terry Austin, TPWD's Dr.
Paul Robertson and Dr. Mike Berger (from
left), led off the forum by talking about the
growth of cultural and ethnic diversity across
Texas and how change will drive many of our
programs and activities. Joe Maley of the Texas
Farm Bureau continued along the same line,
emphasizing how farming and ranching have
dramatically changed and will continue to change. He noted that few farmers or ranchers
in Texas turn a profit. Mike Petter introduced Dr. Larry White, who readily connected to
the diversity in the audience and made it clear that we live in a state of both opportunity
and challenge. White made one of the strongest and most important points of the day in
his presentation on "land ethics: the intangible values," talking about the stewardship
responsibility associated with living on the land and the landowner's role in ecosystem
management. More and more, with coalitions. and partnerships driving landscape-scale
projects, we see multiple components addressed: range management, cropla,nd
management, wildlife management, water conservation and management, education, and
economics.
Dr. Paul Robertson, science leader for the TPWD Wildlife
Diversity Program, discussed TPW programs to assist landowners
in managing wildlife. Meg Goodman, who is the Texas state bat
biologist, a position jointly funded by TPWD and Bat Conservation '
International, discussed the contribution of bats to farmland
ec~nomies, particularly as a result of their remarkable predation on
cropland pests. She presented information on current research and
left us wondering, what would we do without bats?
USDA-NRCS state conservationist Dr. Larry Butler addressed key components of
the new Farm Bill-complex, but important to providing assistance to landowners who
want to take good care of their land and to get some financial and consultation assistance
in doing so.
During lunch, two members of the Brigade Youth program, assisted
by Helen Holdsworth of Texas Wildlife Association, surveyed the
attendees in a quest for the shiniest boots, the hardest working boots,
and the fanciest boots.
In a show-down between Dr. Rebecca Griffith Metha Leslie of Atascosa joined 'the
Texas Cooperative Exten- of the US Army Corps lineup for the finals as winner of the
sion and the NRCS, [left of Engineers prevail- "hardest working b9ots" category
to right] Jed Elrod, TCE ed over Ken Miniard [left], but Becky's red and black
from Ft. Stockton, beat of the Texas & combination [right] prevailed and won
out Phillip Wright and Dr. Southwestern Cattle the grand prize, a bottle of wine
Butler of NRCS in the Raisers Association produced in Ft. Stockton, donated by
"shiniest boots" category, and Julie Shackelford Molly Yeager of Tunas Creek Ranch
to earn a spot in the "best of the American and the Trans-Pecos Tourism
boots" finals. Farmland Trust for Partnership, and presented by Helen.
"fanciest boots."
April/ May 2003 5
In the afternoon, Dr. Mike Berget,
chief of the Private Lands and Habitat
branch of TPWD, explained the new
changes to the wildlife valuation
conversion, and answered many questions.
Scott Kolbe, former president of the
Guadalupe County Wildlife Co-Op, did a
good job of describing first-hand how
wildlife co-ops work and the value of
getting landowners to cooperate in
managing habitat. His presentation
generated significant interest as
participants envisioned how such a
program could work in their home area.
Cliff Shackelford,
TPWD nongame
ornithologist, gave an
illustrated mini-course
on birds and birding
that was very well
received by the
participants, all of whom were interested
in nongame birds but not as well informed
as the few birders in the audience. We all
learned something interesting from Cliff.
Judy Fort addressed
options for diversifi­cation
by farmers and
ranchers and· some of
~ the programs the
: Texas Department of
. ikJ Agriculture promotes
to assist. Capping off her victory in the boot
contest, Becky Griffith ended the day's
program with an informative presentation
about the specific work the Corps is
engaged in, in association with NRCS and
other agencies, on the Cibolo watershed.
We were grateful to Terry Austin for his
wrap-up, and following a few questions
and answers, the attendees began their
journeys home, cold, but well fed and full
ofnew information and challenging ideas.
Now, we're digesting the evaluations
and moving on to planning for 2004.
Anything in particular you'd like to see us
address next year? Please let us know. We
hope you'lljoin us in the future.
-Susan Hughes
Bexar Tracks
CHAPTER NEWS AND BIRD TALES
Good news for a change
Monarch butterflies, decimated by cold
Stage an amaz,ing one-year comeback
Editor's note: this synopsis is provided by Mike Quinn of Texas Parks and Wildlife. By
the time you read this story the Monarchs will have crossed the Rio Grande on their way
back to almost all of North America.
On March 18th of 2002 the
Texas Monarch Watch
reported that many millions
of monarchs had succumbed
to extreme cold weather in
Mexico that January. The
mortality was catastrophic. Piles of dead
butterflies inches deep littered the oyamel
forest of eastern Micho(lcan and western
parts of the state of Mexico. The stench
was pungent and disheartening.
Nonetheless many millions survived.
On March 18th those survivors were just
beginning to reach Texas. The spring
migration in Texas has always been hard
to gauge, but in 2002 there were no reports
to suggest that it was smaller than usual.
The fall migration got off to a very bad
start. Hardly anything was seen before
October first when 500 were spotted in a
pecan grove near Midland. Usually
Abilene, its surrounding areas and Wichita'
Falls report monarchs by the forth week of
September. Substantial numbers were
finally observed in Abilene and Clyde,
Texas on October 6 -7, nearly two weeks
later than usual.
By October 8, monarchs were being
seen at many locations in the central flyway
at the latitude oflnterstate 20. By October
14, they had penetrated south to Highway
90, and were especially abundant in the
Nueces River bottom. On October 15, near
Hunt, Texas, a hawk ,watcher, apparently
not seeing so many hawks, counted nearly
1700 monarchs. By taking into account his
circumscribed viewing area, he reasoned
that nearly 40,000 monarchs passed
through the general area that day. By
October16 they had reached the Eagle Pass
and Del Rio areas. On the 24th an observer
in the Rio Grande Valley saw a very large
number in migration. In spite of occasional
mentions of large numbers, the general
consensus was that the migration along the
central corridor (Wichita Falls to Eagle
Pass) was much diminished in comparison
to years past.
April/ May 2003
By the end of October thousands were
being sighted in Monterrey, Mexico and
the coastal migration w~s beginning to heat
up, also somewhat later than usual. During
the first week of NC!vember, thousands
were seen at Texas City, Baytown,
Matagorda Beach, the head of Lavaca Bay
and at Smith Point. The general consensus
for the coastal migration was the opposite
. of that for the central flyway. It was
believed that the coastal migration was one
of the largest ever, although strangely, very
few were reported from the Corpus area.
Until better counting techniques are
devised, the best assessment of overall
monarch population size is still the total
area occupied by the butterflies in Mexico
during the middle of the wintering season
when the clusters are the most compacted.
The Mexican Reserva de Ia Biosfera
Mariposa Monarca has monitored and
mapped the butterfly colonies for the past
several years. They were joined by a group
of students from the University of Mexico
and by a team of researchers from the US
headed by William Calvert. In a combined
effort, all of the colonies were mapped and
counted. This year's total is in the middle
of the range of butterfly colony areas
recorded over the last 20 years. So the
monarchs have at least in part recovered
from the devastating cold storm that killed
so many millions a year ago this January.
6
You can help our kids
To explore andv enjoy .
Our natural resources
Volunteers are nee(led to help Bexar
Audubon Society and San Antonio
Audubon Society talk to kids about birds
at the 2nd Annual Kids' Bike Ride, Na­ture
EXPO, and Campout, which takes
place May 17-18. The focus of the event
is to teach youth how to explore and en­joy
our natural resources.
The event will include an 18-mile
bike ride on May 17th for over 100
youth, starting at 9 a.m., in the Euretta
Fairchild Wildscape Garden and ending
at Calaveras Lake Park at approximately
noon. A Kids Nature EXPO targeting 300
or more youth will be held at Calaveras
Lake Park from noon to 5 p.m. The bike
riders will also tent camp at the Park.
BAS and SAAS volunteers are
needed to create and provide birding-re­lated
learning experiences at the Nature
EXPO and to help with established
events such as fishing, kayaking, hiking,
and climbing a simulated rock wall. If
you can help, contact Georgina Schwartz
at 210-342-2073 or gbird@stic.net.
Unusual weather takes toll
On winter robin population
Recent re­ports
from several
areas of San Anto­nio
indicate an
unusual mortality
among wintering
robins who have
been found in sub­stantial
numbers,
dead, disoriented
and dying. The
culprit, jt turns
out, is the weather. Rapid temperature fluc­tuations
have caused rapid fermentation in
various berries, principally pyracantha,
causing them have enough alcohol to be
toxic to robins.
Tests show that West Nile Virus is not
the problem. Presumably, this happens
every so often and the robin population has
learned to recover from it.
Bexar Tracks
UPCOMING EVENTS
Big Sit! College Challenge to
Highlight 2003 Birding Classic
A US TIN, Texas-Fresh elements for the
Great Texas Birding Classic this Apr. 26-
May 4 include a new Big Sit! Tournament
that one organizer called "the ultimate tail­gate
party for birders" and a new College
Challenge for student competitors. The Big
Sit! Tournament top team will get to award
a new $1,000 Lone Star Bird Award to a
habitat or education project of their choice.
For hundreds of birders from across
North America, the Great Texas Birding
Classic has become an annual rite of spring.
Organizers say that it is the longest
competitive birding event in the U.S., with
an impact that reaches far beyond Texas.
This is because the Texas coast is important
stopover habitat for birds that continue up
the Central, Mississippi and Atlantic
Flyways.
Since Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department started the Birding Classic in
1997, winning teams have directed
$300,000 in prize money to buy, protect
or improve Texas coastal bird habitat. This
year, winning teams will direct a total of
$51 ,000 to habitat conservation projects
they choose. Teams are also eligible for a
variety of prizes, such as binoculars and
field guides, donated by event sponsors.
For the first time this year, teams can
compete in the Big Sit! Tournament, in
which they'll coLmt bird species from a 17-
foot diameter circle for a single day instead
of driving from place to place. All Big Sit!
Teams will compete in the same category,
and team sizes for this category can be
larger, up to LO people instead of the five­person
maximum in the other categories.
Also new this year is the College
Challenge. The top single day and
weeklong college teams will take home a
College Plaque and bragging rights for
their university until teams go at it again
in 2004. The idea is to stimulate more
college-level participation.
The tournament's youngest competitors
are the Roughwings (13 and under­younger-
used to have an age cut-off of 8
years old)) and Gliders (14-18 years old)
compete on either Sunday., Apr. 27 or
Saturday, May 3.
For more information, phone toll-free
888-TX-BIRDS or visit the TPWD Web
site (www.tpwd.state.tx.us/gtbc/).
National Urban Forest
' Conference Coming to Texas
The 2003 National Urban Forest
Conference, Engineering Green, will come
to San Antonio, Texas at the Adams Mark
Hotel on scenic Riverwalk on September
17-20,2003.
Engineering Green, organized by
American Forests, will showcase ways that
cities can build according to nature's laws.
More than 1,000 attendees in
environmental planning, stormwater
management, air quality, environmental
education, geographical information
systems, civil engineering, landscape
architecture, social research, municipal
management and urban forestry are
expected
Engineering Green into metropolitan
America is the recipe for a healthy city. The
April/ May 2003
growth of urban areas has stretched the
environmental capacity of most cities.
Engineering cities into existing natural
systems is not a new idea, but one that is
not widely practiced. Trees are the lungs,
water filters, and air conditioners of our
cities. Many research and demonstration
projects oVer the last decade have shown
trees' effectiveness to clean the air, purify
surface water, and cool urban heat islands.
For registration, call 703-904-7508 or
visit www.americanforests.org. The
conference sponsors are USDA Forest
Service, Anheuser-Busch, and The Davey
Tree Expert Company. Participating
partner organizations are the Texas Urban
Forestry Council, The City of San Antonio,
City Public Service, and the Texas Forest
Service.
7
Public Hearing on the
EPA Aging Initiative
Join US Environmental Protection
Agency Administrator Christine Todd
Whitman at a public hearing on April 8,
2003, from 1:30 to 3:30 at the University
Auditorium of the UT Health Science
Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl.
The Aging Initiative will study and
prioritize environmental health threats to
older persons and examine the impact that
a rapidly growing aging population will
have on our environment. These threats
include increased sensitivity to water and
air pollutants, pesticides, temperature
extremes, and neurotoxins like lead and
mercury. The EPA will encourage
volunteerism among older persons in their
own communities to reduce hazards and
protect the environment for future
generations. The Initiative will be
developed through an open, participatory
process designed to shape a national
agenda on the environment and the aging.
This is one of only 6 sessions in the
nation.Those who wish to attend or to
speak or give written testimony will need
to register at www.epa.gov/aging (the
registration page will be posted soon).
Contact Burma Hyde at 362-5220 for info.
SECOND SATURDAY
PROGRAM
The Second Saturday program Win­ter
Skies has been rained out two months
in a row. It will be rescheduled for later
in the year. The program for the second
Saturday in April will be an evening pro­gram
Moon and Marshmallows, featur­ing
story telling. The May program will
be a look at the Distilling of Essential
Plant Oils from a variety of plants found
in South Central Texas.
All programs take place at
Eisenhower Park, 19399 Northwest Mili­tary
Drive. The cost is $3/person or $5/
family. Reservations are recommended.
The April program runs from 8:00p.m.
to 10:00 p.m. and the May program from
9:30a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Second Saturdays are co-sponsored
by the San Antonio Parks & Rec and
BAS.
Bexar Tracks
Mark your 2003 calendar
April l - SAEN Issues Forum
April 8 -EPA Listening Session on
Aging Initiative (see details on page 7)
April 11-12- Texas Wilderness Pow
Wow, For info: 512-441-1122,
tconr@ texas.net
May 3-Deadline for June-Julx Newslet-ter
to Tom Wilson
May 6-BAS Board Meeting
June 3-SAEN Issues Forum
July- No meetings
July 5-Deadline for Aug- Oct Newslet-ter
to Tom Wilson
August 2 - Annual Planning Meeting
_Bexar Audubon Society, Inc.
P. 0. Box 6084
San Antonio, TX 78209
Address Service Requested
Non-profit
Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
San Antonio
Permit #590
August 23-20th Anniversary Celebration
September 2 - SAEN Issues Forum
October 4-Deadline for Nov- Dec
Newsletter to Tom Wilson
October 7-BAS Board Meeting
November 4-SAEN Issues Forum
December 2 - BAS Annual Meeting,
Election, & Holiday Party
AUDUBON
APPLAUSE
The organizers of the Spring 2003 South Texas
Farm and Range Forum thank our sponsors and
exhibitors: Margaret Cullinan Wray Charitable
Trust, Audubon Council of Texas, San Antonio
Water System, Alamo Area Quail Unlimited,
Edwards Aquifer Authority, Edwards Region
Grazing Land Conservation Initiative, Texas
MITCHELL
LAKE ACCESS
Council of Chapters - Soil & Water Conservation Due to construction at the site, birding
Society, Texas Section Society for Range trips to Mitchell Lake have been suspended
Management, Medina Valley Soil & Water for the next few months. When they are
Conservation District, American Farmland Trust, rescheduled, that information will appear
Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust, and the Texas & on the Mitchell Lake Wetlands Society's
South. western Ca. ttl.e Raisers Association. And we b st· te www.m1 w s.org
spec1al apprec1at10n to all our speakers,
participants, the Guadalupe County 4-H Exchange RECUR Rl N G EVENTS
group, our hosts at the Luling Foundation and the
Seguin Outdoor Learning Center, from the San Antonio Audubon Society's Beginners'
planning group: Larry Allen and Phillip Wright of Bird walk is held at 8:00a.m. on the second
USDA-NRCS in Hondo, Janet Black of the Texas Saturday of each month. Meet a't the Judson
A&M University Agriculture Program, Gene Nature Trail in Alamo Heights. Visitors are
Camargo of SAWS, Travis Franke and Jeff welcome. There are binoculars to lend.
Hanselka of Guadalupe County Cooperative Meet at the Nature Trails next to the Alamo
Extens.i on. , Helen Holdsworth. of the Texas Wildlife H e1· g hts S wt· mmm· g p oo1 o n y·1 esca St . p rom
Assoctatwn and the Youth Bngades, Susan Hughes h
5900
bl k f B d
and TatJ. ana Walker of Bexar Audubon Soct.e ty, t e oc o roa way' turn west on
Pam Kelly and Julie Shackelford of American Ogden to Greeley St., turn left one block,
Farmland Trust, and Mike Petter of Resource & then right again to the parking lot on the left.
Land Management, Inc
,4~' ..
•,.1· .· Earth Share OF TEXAS
April/ May 2003
More information at 210-342-2073.
Earth Share of Texas represents the Audubon
Foundation of Texas and the National Audubon Society
in payroll deduction plans for charitable giving. For
information, call 1-800-GREENTX or email
<estx@earthshare-texas.org>.
8
r------------"1 Membership Form
National Audubon Society
Bexar AudubonSociety
Membership rates are:
Student/Senior $15 Basic $35
Introductory 1-year $20 (2-year: $30)
Name __________ _
Add~~---------
City ___ State _Zip __ _
Phone: ( ) _______ _
Email: __________ _
For a new membership, mail this coupon
and your check-payable to "National
Audubon Society, Chapter W19" to:
Bexar Audubon Society
P. 0. Box 6084 1D San Antonio, TX 78209
I W19, 7XCH
I Opt out for other mailings
I By using this form, 100 percent of
I your first year's dues will benefit the
1 chapter. .. ____________ ..
Bexar Tracks j
Continued Vigilance Is the Price of Trees
On March 13 the San Antonio City Council
passed a strengthened version of the Tree Preservation
Ordinance. BUT- NOT ALL THE PROVISIONS OF
THE ORDINANCE HAVE BEEN SETTLED. Council is
scheduled to consider the remaining provisions within
the next week or so. WE MUST CONTINUE TO VOICE
OUR COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING THE
ORDINANCE AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ANY PRO­VISIONS
THAT WEAKEN IT ARE NOT ACCEPT­ABLE.
What's left?
• Preservation percentages - What percentage of trees
must be preserved?
• Exempt areas - How much of a site is exempt from
the ordinance? What are exempt areas for heritage
trees?
• Root protection - How big is the root protection
zone? Does it apply to single-family development?
• Understory vegetation - Is protection of valuable
understory vegetation required or optional?
When we consider the value of vegetation as habi­tat
for wildlife populations, the fourth of these questions
is obviously the most important. Removing established
vegetation begins a series of events that adding a few
saplings that may survive our periodic droughts to grow
into big trees cannot reverse in our lifetimes.
Protect small native trees and shrubs
An element of the compromise agreement that I
continue to find troubling is the sacrifice of the vast
majority of native small trees and shrubs that are very
important to wildlife. The developer community has
complained that it is difficult to identify them. The
Mayor's compromise requires that they be able to identi­fy
only six species: Persimmon, Redbud, Mountain
Laurel, Condalia, Possumhaw (in floodplain only), and
Crabapple (in floodplain only). Any tree of these species
would be designated as a Significant tree if the tree
measures at least 2" DBH (diameter at breast height),
and as a Heritage tree if the tree measures at least 8"
DBH. In total, for example, the Mayor's compromise
requires a developer to save only 5 percent of the
Persimmons on a site.
While better than none, this list sacrifices a host
of hollies, sumacs, plums, soapberries, buckeyes, gum
bumelias, and a long list of other beautiful small native
trees that contribute so much to our plant and animal
biodiversity. Simply because a tree does not ordinarily
grow large, does not mean that that species has insignifi­cant
value in the landscape. If people take a little time to
learn about the diversity of our native species; they will
be enriched and the trees can be saved and cherished.
Under the Mayor's plan, preservation of these
trees and other understory vegetation is entirely at the
developer's option, meaning that it won't occur in most
cases. Most developers would rather replace these beauti­ful,
already-established plants with non-native grasses
that require costly irrigation systems and frequent water­ing
or to leave replacement of vegetation to the buyers.
Because they may be bare for some time, all sites need. to
be evaluated for soil condition and susceptibility to ero­sion
before any vegetation removal plan is implemented.
Deferring and externalizing costs
The developer community is complaining bitterly
about the impacts of the ordinance on their ability to pro­vide
affordable housing. These costs may be real, but we
do not believe they are as onerous as they are purported
to be. The old caution of "pay me now, or pay me later"
applies nowhere more than here. $1,000 or even the
$3,000 per home [we wonder what price home these
numbers apply to] that builder Norm Dugas warns will be
added to a home's cost by compliance with the ordinance
will be MORE THAN offset by reduced utility costs,
reductions in air pollution and runoff, and other benefits
that homeowners would otherwise pay for through taxa­tion,
reformulated gasoline, and emissions testing.
We believe the developers who make these appar­ently
overblown complaints are after quick profits at the
expense of adding long-term value to the community.
A clear case for trees
Trees have a profound economic and environ­mental
impact, as documented in the Urban Ecosystem
Analysis for the San Antonio region released by American
Forests in November 2002. The data in that report and
the documented dollar figures associated with them
make a clear case FOR TREES and, therefore, for strong
tree preservation regulations.
Equity and fairness
The crux of our message to the San Antonio City
Council is, of course, the value of trees. But the message is
also-and perhaps more importantly-equity and fairness.
It is about special interests versus the common good.
Every argument to weaken the tree preservation
ordinance has to do with cutting costs, saving private
money, and taking short-cuts. Every argument for its
strengthening has to do with having direct costs borne
by those who directly benefit, with protecting the
resources we all share, and with preserving the capacity
of our ecosystem to provide services: purifying our
water, cleaning our air, sequestering carbon, and reduc­ing
stormwater destruction and runoff, to name a few. If
our natural systems are not capable of doing that
because of choices we have consciously made to sacrifice
them, what will? Man-made, engineered and manufac­tured
systems that are expensive to design, build, oper­ate,
and maintain-when we-the general population­have
previously received these services for free.
Who will pay for these systems required to fix
unnecessary problems? Taxpayers, utility ratepayers, citi­zens
-YOU and I.
All the talk about needing a lesser ordinance to
keep San Antonio a viable place for business and eco­nomic
growth is so much hot air-hot air we need
native vegetation to mitigate. A place whose natural sys­tems
have been compromised and crippled is not a place
companies will want to build, where people will want to
live, and where the future is focused and bright. It is an
urban and suburban slum.
Value and protect common interests
As public servants, the duty of City Council is to
the welfare of the citizens of our city. It is to value and
protect our common interests. That's where the future
of our economy lies.
According to Citizen's Tree Coalition leader
Richard Alles, as developers express outrage over the tree
ordinance provisions adopted last Thursday, they may be
offering some opinions that aren't backed up by hard
data. For example, Ed Barron's predictions in Sunday's
Express-News: "What we're seeing is City Council taking
a no-growth position for San Antonio. Its implementa­tion
will be so difficult it will bottleneck development in
this community." One might be inclined to chuckle were
the potential consequences so deadly serious. The ordi­nance
adopted on Thursday allows developers to clear­cut
92 acres within a 100-acre subdivision. How onerous
is that? I guess it depends on your perspective.
Such lenient provisions can hardly be consid­ered
a "no-growth position." Many aspects of the ordi­nance
adopted Thursday offer cost-savings for developers
over the previous version. And it is absolutely the case
that other cities with even stronger tree preservation
regulations have not succumbed, but have thrived.
Fair representation
The complaint that the development community
was not involved in crafting some of the Mayor's recom­mend::
itions is not accurate. There were several developer
representatives at the Mayor's meeting. Further, routine­ly
the developer community is provided more than pro­portional-
more than balanced-representation on city
committees and boards. Rarely are conservationists repre­sented
in anywhere near the numbers. The citizens of San
Antonio have remarked for as many years as I can remem­ber
that this town is run by developers. It's time for that
to stop. The development community should be repre­sented
fairly, but not over-represented, in negotiations
over rules, regulations, and issues that directly affect them
and generally affect all citizens' common interests.
It's not over yet
So, while tree preservationists are expressing
delight over last Thursday's vote, it is too early to cele­brate.
Huge issues are still unresolved. It really isn't
over yet.
I leave you with these words of AI Bartlett,
Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of
Colorado, Boulder: "When competing 'experts' recom­mend
diametrically opposing paths of action regarding
resources, carrying capacity, sustainability, and the
future, we serve the cause of sustainability by choosing
the conservative path [emphasis added]. This is the path
that would leave society in the less precarious position if
the path we choose turns out to be the wrong path."
Tree preservation is the conservative choice.
Contact the Mayor and your councilperson today and
express your support for strengthening the tree preser­vation
ordinance EVEN MORE.
Susan K. Hughes, President, Bexar Audubon Society
March 17, 2003
HOW TO CONTACT CITY COUNCIL:
Mayor Ed Garza (210) 207-7060
Mayoredgarza@sanantonio.gov
District 1 Bobby Perez (210) 207-7279
District 2 John H. Sanders (210) 207-7278
District 3 Toni Moorhouse (210) 207-7064
District 4 Enrique Martin (210) 207-7281
District 5 Nora X. Herrera (210) 207-7043
District 6 Enrique M. Barrera (210) 207-7065
District 7 Julian Castro (210) 207-7044
District 8 Bonnie Conner (210) 207-7086
District 9 Carroll Schubert (210) 207-7325
District 10 David Carpenter (210) 207-7276
Councilpersons' E-mail addresses are: the District#
@sanantonio.gov, e.g., District5@sanantonio.gov
Assistant to Council: Gayle McDaniel(210) 207-7041
Customer Service Rep: Jenny Berreda (210) 207-7040
Council Members may be reached at (210)207-7040 or
the extensions listed above.
If you don't know your Council district, check out
http://www.sanantonio.gov/planning/demographics.asp
for a map.