¡Viva la Revolución! University of Idaho MLK Jr. Essay

¡Viva la Revolución!

Long Live the Revolution

I was recently awarded Best Graduate Student Essay for the 2nd Annual Martin Luther King Essay contest at the University of Idaho. Our essay prompt was to take inspiration from Alicia Garza’s work (co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter), and write a short essay that imagines how we might work to create a more caring community on the University of Idaho campus.

            These are the words that resonate inside mi corazón y mi alma (my heart and soul). As a Latina, I am constantly faced with barriers because of my skin or gender or both. “¡Viva la Revolución!” are the words I use to keep myself strong during stressful situations where my voice is ignored because I am a Latina. Much like the Black Lives Matter movement and Alicia Garza, I believe we must be radical in how we create a more inclusive campus. I believe that we can create a more caring community at the University of Idaho by using student’s diverse culture and history to educate and create a more inclusive campus for the present and the future. We must be revolutionary in how we communicate to students, staff, faculty, and administration to leave them with the profound message of inclusivity.

            For students, we should provide cultural awareness to organizations that are not culturally diverse or do not identify as a multicultural organization. Exposing students to food, dance, song and story is an exciting way to get students involved in a diverse culture. In addition to cultural awareness, we can provide cultural sensitivity training that does not focus on what is politically correct, but focuses on the struggles of different underrepresented groups.  Exposing students, who do not identify as “underrepresented” or “diverse” to more than what is politically correct, can have a positive outcome in creating a more caring campus community.

            Faculty and staff need to be constantly reminded of the many demands that students today have. Rising tuition, homework, and working a part-/full-time job, are just some of the student’s demands today. The loads of faculty and staff in academia are substantial, yet faculty and staff are indispensable voices to creating a caring campus community. Faculty from diverse disciplines can explain the importance of inclusion and diversity within their field. A business professor, can explain the benefits of having a diverse staff to increase business productivity and revenue. In science, the benefits of a diverse workforce can lead to breakthroughs in the field of chemistry by creating new vaccines for third world countries. Diversity in music brings a mix of sounds much like how reggaeton was created with the fusion of African and Latino beats, and now people dance to songs of Pit-Bull or Prince Royce.

            Administration within the University of Idaho are critical to implementing campus caring initiatives, but more so administration must lead by example. They must act as innovators in ensuring that they not only create these initiatives, but hold themselves accountable by acting as the silver and gold standard that is University of Idaho. Administration that acts as the standard will cause faculty and staff to set a caring atmosphere within their classrooms and offices that ensures diversity. This goodwill, will flow into the students who proactively will create a caring campus from the bottom up. They will stand up for what is right and put aside their differences.

            As for myself, I will create a caring campus community by using my culture to educate others the importance of diversity and how we can be inclusive in acknowledging our differences. I will keep using ¡Viva la Revolución!, as a reminder that we can create a campus community that truly cares about one another regardless of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and nationality. I hope that individuals around me will create a caring campus community by being revolutionary in their approach to inclusivity.  

 

Guana Island

The fall of 2014 was an exciting semester as I took Advanced Tropical Ecology under Dr. Gad Perry and Dr. Clint Boal. I signed up for the course, a day before the semester started because another course I was interested in fell through. Taking Advanced Tropical Ecology was one of the most exciting courses I have taken in graduate school.

This course allowed me to get my “natural scientist” on, as the cool kids would say. Our class (five of my best friends in grad school), was able to design a project that allowed us to apply the scientific method to a natural resource management problem while gaining hands-on experience in tropical ecology. 

Our study site was located on Guana Island. Guana Island is an island found in the Caribbean Islands and a part of the British Virgin Islands.  Throughout the semester we met once a week to discuss our project design, implementation, execution, and following up with data analysis. Our project dealt with examining the impact that feral sheep had on the island. We recorded vegetation data using belt transects along with gap transects across the island. We are in the process of putting together a paper to publish our findings.

This course truly helped me expand my skills as a natural resource scientist. I also didn’t mind getting to visit Guana Island in October, as it was a nice change of pace for a wintering Lubbock.

Our trip started off a little bit rocky as four of the six women had their flights canceled from a particular airline. I along with another woman, were fortunate enough not to have to deal with the airline mistake. I had mixed emotions as I walked through the Transportation Security Administration check at the Lubbock International Airport because I didn’t want to leave any of the women behind but I also wanted to execute our project. Luckily, the women were able to make the flight down to Guana Island after driving from Lubbock, Texas to Dallas, Texas and then spending the night in the Miami, Florida airport.

Hiking out to The Pyramid.

The first night Alix and I arrived onto Beef Island by plane. Dr. Perry and Dr. Boal picked us up from the airport and we took a boat to get to Guana Island. This was my first time riding a boat a night. I could not describe to you the eagerness I had, to see what I couldn’t. When we docked onto Guana Island we saw tarpon beneath our feet. A type of fish bigger than me! (Glad I didn’t fall into the water.) The following day Alix and I received a small tour of Guana Island from Dr. Perry and Dr. Boal. We talked about flora and fauna found on the island, the history, previous research, and how our class project would fall into the grand scheme of things.

Our first day as a group, was spent hiking on the island and making sure our data collection ran as smoothly as possible. With each peak we hiked, I saw an ocean that I never knew could be so blue. I saw flora and fauna I had never seen before. I also had a close encounter with stinging nettle as we were running transects. Luckily it was not as itchy as I thought it would be. On another day we hiked to a different part of island. We planned our journey and data collection to have a stopping point off of Long Man’s point. The girls jumped into the Caribbean Sea and I waded in the shallow pools. As I was wading, I placed my foot in a shallow pool and felt a prick, I quickly rethought my decision to step into the pool. I didn’t know what I had stepped on was a sea urchin until we got back to the resort for dinner.

That same evening my foot got swollen and I took Benadryl and applied Benadryl to my foot in hopes of easing the swelling. Dr. Boal offered to cut the prick open in hopes of relieving the pressure. I told him I would be alright given my queasiness for human surgical procedures and anything of that sort (especially blood). I awoke the next morning to a still swollen foot. At breakfast I was scared that I would hike out to one end of the island and not be able to hike back, or[L1]  that in the midst of Benadryl applications, I would fall asleep. The girls asked me how I was feeling, naturally my go-getter attitude, allowed me to persevere. And by lunch, my foot had reduced dramatically and was almost back to its normal size.

A Stout Iguana in the tree tops.

The following days became repetitive like all fieldwork, but as we traveled to different parts of the island we were rewarded with different vistas, which broke up the monotony of it all. One day my group took a wrong turn and actually ended up conquering one of the highest peaks on the island. We even got to see some Stout Rock Iguanas basking in the treetops. I personally never knew that lizards would ever climb to treetops. I was later informed how these reptiles thermoregulate at different times in their life.

Throughout the trip I flirted with the idea of maybe becoming a tropical ecologist or a cliff ecologist. I was inspired partially by getting to walk around on the island and seeing everything in the ecosystem.

A #selfie in the Caribbean sun.

My inner dialogue went a lot like this:

“Could it be possible to wake up to this island or something similar every day?

Did I mention no venomous snakes?

I would definitely have to become a better swimmer so I can go snorkeling and scuba diving allllday errrrrryday.

This is nowhere close to vegetation in South Texas or the Southern High Plains.

There are not that many pointy things…except for the cacti… and stinging nettle”

Maybe it was also the scientist suppers that happened every evening that added to my thoughts of becoming a tropical ecologist. October is science month on Guana Island and researchers from all over the world come there to do research. I met an ecologist, entomologist, marine biologist, and herpetologist, all of which had long-term projects on the island. We ate dinner and talked science. I felt in my element as a natural scientist discussing what I had seen or heard on the island that day. These scientists told stories of years past and it just amazed me of the knowledge they acquired over the years.

A lunchbreak view.

The evenings were also spent discussing our project with Dr. Perry and Dr.Boal with occasional input from other scientists on the island. Snorkeling was also an activity in the evening, and a first for me! I wish I would’ve known more about the tropical fish I saw and the coral reef system they live in. They were brightly colored some in schools, and some alone. I will definitely have to make a trip back to the Caribbean once I refine my tropical ichthyology skills.

Arriving back to Lubbock was bittersweet. It was great to be back in Lubbock but sad to leave such a beautiful place and be in the company of amazing people. Thanks to a great group of women, our paper is in the works. #sciencewomen

I have to brag on these women that joined me on the trip. Each individual brought a different and unique perspective that added to our success in project design, implementation, execution, and data analysis. We were able to build each other up and support each other throughout this process. 

Science Women

In Search of Sandhill Cranes

Jordan Calvert, Don Kahl, and Lisa Clark
folding the net.

I tend to invite myself to a lot of places and in turn get invited.

Last semester, I was fortunate enough to weasel my way into a rocket net training hosted by Dr. Blake Grisham and Dan Collins of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The rocket net training was held on the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in Muleshoe, Texas.  I was first exposed to rocket netting through Texas Brigades during high school. At the time I don’t think I really realized the scientific impact that using rocket nets has on wildlife. Maybe it was because it was on turkey decoys or maybe it was because I just thought it was cool to see a net being fired with rockets.

I am now certified in the use of rocket nets.  Which is pretty cool, when you think about the explosives involved when used properly. This training was implemented to train professionals and a fellow graduate students in Dr. Blake Grisham’s lab who are currently studying distributions of Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) in the United States. I jumped at the
opportunity to gain a new and different experience. Besides, who doesn’t love to go outside?

Byron Buckley, Kristen Linner and Jordan Calvert rolling up the net.

#Selfiewithasandhill

 There was classroom time, where we learned about the different types of explosives, safety precautions and uses of rocketnetting. When we got to go outside, we used a 40’x60’ net, which we folded. We also got to cut wire to make a circuit that would ultimately be connected to the explosives and fire the rocket. I felt like an electrician.

This was an amazing skill to get certified in. I hope I get to use rocket netting down the road, whether it is in a project I design or just getting to assist with a colleague.

Rocket net footage by Jordan Calvert and myself.

Courtenay Conring ground truthing with
cranes flying off in the background.

Speaking of colleagues, Courtenay Conring is a graduate school colleague, officemate and one of my closest friends. She is currently pursing a Master of Science in Wildlife, Aquatic, and Wildlands Science and Management, here at Texas Tech University in the Grisham Lab. She is studying the Lower Colorado River Valley population of Sandhill Cranes and their distribution. I was privileged to visit Arizona and California, as she asked for assistance from myself and and our friend Jordan, to do some ground truthing.

Last year, Courtenay used rocket netting as a means to capture and tag Sandhill Cranes with transmitters that record Global Position System points. These transmitters allow for the researcher to see where the bird travels throughout the day. This is important because the Sandhill Crane is a migratory species spending summers in the Arctic and winters in the southern United States. The Sandhill Crane is also a surrogate species for the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service in terms of strategic habitat conservation on the plains for all species. More information for surrogate species can be found here: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/science/surrogatespecies/

Courtenay has been collecting some amazing data, which she will be presenting later this year the Arizona/ New Mexico Wildlife Society Chapter meeting and Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society meeting.

Jordan and I assisted by driving around, taking GPS points, taking pictures, and my favorite capturing GoPro footage. I had never used a GoPro prior to this and wanted to experiment with it as best as I could. The GoPro footage provides additional information or “viewing” for people to see what her study site looks like. I will admit, wearing the GoPro on your head takes a lot of balance and looking into the mirror to make sure you are wearing it just right.

 Some GoPro footage I captured. Fastforward to 37 seconds to see some cranes flying overhead. 

One of my favorite experiences about this trip was the opportunity to go birding at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge and Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. I saw Sandhill Cranes! Seeing and hearing so many Sandhill cranes together made me think of Aldo Leopold. He writes:

"When we hear his call we hear no mere bird. We hear the trumpet in the orchestra of evolution. He is the symbol of our untamable past, of that incredible sweep of millennia which underlies and conditions the daily affairs of birds and men."

Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There (New York: Oxford University Press, 1949).

I think he is right in comparing cranes to a trumpet in the orchestra, but listening to the cranes I heard much more. I heard the drumming of 5-7' wings of over 200 crane. Maybe I heard this because it is not a daily affair for me to observe crane. Only recently have I started to pay closer attention to the birds I see and the birds I hear.

This is a video by Jordan Calvert. Hear the drumming wings of the Sandhill Cranes from 18-27 seconds.

While on these refuges I saw Snow Geese, Blue Phased Snow Geese, American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts. My favorite bird was definitely the Black-necked Stilts. They just look so fancy and ready to party in a tux at a moment’s notice.

All in all, it was a great opportunity to get certified in rocket netting, to do some ground truthing, and to hear the drumming wings of Sandhill Cranes.  I got to spend seven days with my best friends while getting to experience the outdoors and learn more about ArcGIS, satellites, and Sandhill Cranes. All of which are essential skills to being a natural resource scientist.

My friends Jordan, Courtenay, and the Big Maria (Me) Mountains , California.

From Texas to The Tetons

Celebrating my birthday with my new friends
Photo by Cindy Sandoval, 2014

In the summer of 2014, I was selected to participate in the Rising Land Ethic Leader Program hosted through the Aldo Leopold Foundation and The Murie Center.

It was an amazing opportunity as my family and I journeyed from my hometown of Laredo, Texas to The Murie Center in Moose, Wyoming.  I attended the 31st program hosted by the Aldo Leopold Foundation. Like many new adventures, I was a little intimated to make the drive to an unknown area to myself. Wyoming is the farthest north I have ever been. Luckily, according to the locals, we went during the hottest part of the summer, with nights reaching about 40°F (still pretty chilly for a south Texas native like me).

At the Rising Land Ethic Leader Program, I learned more about Aldo Leopold, Estelle Leopold, Luna Leopold, Olaus Murie, and Mardy Murie. It was an experience to learn more about these individuals and their contributions to conservation, The Wilderness Act, and their literary and art works.  Being a woman, I was most fascinated to learn about Estelle and Mardy and how their efforts contributed to conservation.  I was even more curious to learn about the dynamics between Estella and Aldo Leopold, as I learned their love story. Her family was originally from Mexico, but were prominent ranchers in New Mexico. Aldo had met Estella while he was stationed in the Gila Wilderness, where he began his work as a conservationist. I learned so much about the people I admired, and was amazed to have such a connection with each individual.  In writing this, I tried to describe the connection I felt with Aldo, Estella, their children, Olaus and Maurdy but perhaps that connection can only be felt through the land, any land.

 I grew not only as a professional but on a personal level as we defined, discussed, and sought ways to implement Aldo Leopold’s evolving land ethic in our communities.  I made some amazing friends in different organizations throughout the country and gained the skills and tools needed to successfully carry on environmental and conservation work. Although I am trained as a wildlife professional, the skills gained through this program are necessary to understand an evolving public to better manage natural resources.

#WomeninScience
Photo by Cindy Sandoval, 2014

Upon my reflection of attending this amazing program, I thought of how the land ethic could be implemented not only in my community, but also how it would evolve to fit the future. I happened to run across “The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations: Mainstream NGOs, Foundations & Government Agencies” by Dorceta E. Taylor, Ph.D., where I was surprised to learn about Robert Stanton. Robert Stanton was the first African American who served as Director of the National Park Service from 1997-2001.  His career in the park service started in the summer of 1962, where he traveled from Texas to the Tetons, just as I had. I felt the blog title, fitting for my experience and newly acquired knowledge of Robert Stanton. I hope that as conservationists, we take into the account our nation’s changing demographics in our evolving land ethic, so that we manage and conserve not only for natural resources but the cultural resources that come with using our natural resources.

I am grateful to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Conservation Training Center, Ralph K. Morris Foundation and The Association of Natural Resource Scientists for funding me to attend this professional development opportunity and encourage others to attend the Rising Land Ethnic Leader Program the Aldo Leopold Foundation. 

Birding in Teton National Park
Photo by Cindy Sandoval, 2014

Going Herping

Roundtail Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum)

This summer, I fulfilled an undergraduate dream of taking a class at the Texas Tech University - Junction Field Station in Junction, Texas. I went into a great debate to select a class and based myself as to “What I wanted to be when I grew up”. Of the classes offered: mammalogy, ornithology, herpetology, ecology, entomology, and ichthyology, I decided to take herpetology mainly because my parents never let me have any sort of herp as a pet(or rather I was unsuccessful).

Michael and Brandon working up a
Trans Pecos Copperhead
(Agkistrodon contortix pictigasler).

My earliest memory of a herp in my life, was when I was around 10 years old in Encinal, Texas. My cousins and I had been running all over town during summer, when I came across a Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) who had been run over and was slowly being eaten by its major food source of harvester ants. I remember being confused, to what I now attribute to, a change in tropic levels and its morphological features of having horns on its head and its body. The next herp experience I remember happened in my backyard of Laredo, Texas. We had just moved into a new housing development, which was close to a creek. After a big rain, Gulf Coast Toads would “swarm” my yard (Imagine a 12-year old Masi freaking out over maybe ten toads!) and I would try to catch as many as I could keep in my bucket. I was always highly unsuccessful because I never put a lid on the different containers I used to catch the toads, which would inevitably jump out.

My first scientific experience with herps was collecting data from drift fences and road surveys on the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area in Cotulla, Texas. I got to get up close and personal with a variety of animals. My favorite herp, hands-down, is a Texas Horned Lizard.

Myself, posing with a Bullsnake (Pituophis cantenifer).

The Junction Intersession started mid-May, but I had a bit of a bumpy start. I had driven from Lubbock, Texas to San Antonio, Texas to spend a couple of days with friends. Before heading to Junction, I stopped at Academy Sports and Outdoors because I needed some last minute field items.  After purchasing my items, I returned to my truck and noticed it was a lot cleaner than I had left it. It was then that I realized my truck had been broken into and all my field gear was stolen. I cursed and I cried, “Who would ever steal my pants! They are hemmed to only fit me! Who would steal my sleeping bag that I’ve had for over ten years and took to my first Brigades Camp? Who would steal my leather gloves that fit my petite hands so perfect?” The list goes on as to what was stolen and the emotions and memories tied to each item. Of course, I felt personally victimized, as though they had gone through all my stuff and decided they needed everything that was in my truck. I’m sure the perpetrator didn’t see it like that, but decided to take as many backpacks, coolers, and other items before getting caught. I was most upset about them stealing the years of field gear I had accumulated and stealing my brand new Osprey backpack I was given just three days earlier. Luckily, I had enough in saving to replace the items I needed to be a herpetologist for the next two weeks.

I continued on to the Junction Field Station, arriving after classes had begun, but still excited to learn as much as I could about herpetology. Unlike other classes, we had the opportunity to travel around Texas to go herping. It was an exciting opportunity to travel around Texas, as we visited two properties belonging to The Nature Conservancy: Independence Creek Preserve and Dolan Falls, and private ranches in Kimble County, Texas.  Being a former GLOBE intern with The Nature Conservancy in New Mexico definitely heightened my appreciation for the opportunity to go herping on Nature Conservancy Properties. Collectively as class, we caught over 40 different species of herps during our two week intersession!

My favorite activities were getting to go road cruising, flipping rocks, taking blood from different snakes, and learning natural history of the variety of reptiles and amphibians in herpetology, of course getting to go herping in different bodies of water didn’t hurt either(via swimming, kayaking and tubing). This experience deepened my understanding of herpetology and love of conservation. Many times, species who are categorized as herps, do not receive the adequate funding needed to study because they are not “warm and fuzzy”. I do not see myself growing up to become a world renowned herpetologist, mainly because, I lack the adrenaline needed to catch venomous snakes. However, my herping skills have definitely improved, from catching nothing at all, to catching small lizards and even a small unidentified turtle from a kayak! In catching these different species, comes the data collection that goes along with science. I have included a list below of the different species caught throughout the course.

Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus)

Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)

Easter Spotted Whiptail (Asipidoscelis gularis)

Little Brown Skink (Scincella lateralis)

Texas Rat Snake (Pantherophis obsoletus)

Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)

Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans)

Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox)

RedStripe Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus)

Plains Flathead Snake (Tantilla nigriceps)

Great Plains Rat Snake (Pantherophis emoryi)

Rock Rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus)

Mountain Patchnose (Salvadora grahamiae)

Western Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum)

Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynsoma cornutum)

Roundtail Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum)

Canyon Lizard (Sceloporus merriami)

Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)

Short Lined Skink (Fumeces tetragrammus)

Trans Pecos Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortix pictigasler)

Black – tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus)

Rock Rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus)

Bullsnake (Pituophis cantenifer)

Blotched Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster)

Rio Grande Cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi)

Mediterranean House Gecko (Hemidactylus turicus)

Pond Slider (Trachemys scripta)

*SW Earless (Cophosaurus texanus scitulus

Greater Earless (Cophosaurus texanus)

Gulf Coast Toad (Bufo nebulifer)

Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus)

Texas Banded Gecko (Coleonyx brevis)

Red Spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus)

Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad (Gastrophyrne carolinensis)

*Blind Snake (Leptotyphylops dulcis)

Variable Ground Snake (Sonora semiannulata)

Flathead Snake (Tantilla gracilis)

Cliff Chirping Frog (Eleutherodactylus marnockii)

Diamondback Watersnake (Nerodia rhombifer)

Texas Map Turtle (Grapetemys versa)

Texas River Cooter (Pseudemys texana)

I would like to thank Dr. Lou Densmore for being an exceptional professor that encouraged us to go out herping. Equally Stephen Roussos and Michael Sager for being our chauffeurs, guides and walking herpetology book throughout and after the course. Most importantly, my classmates that made it an enjoyable and at times comical experience. 

Texas Tech University - Junction Summer Intersession, Herpetology 2014

The Chap (Chaparral Wildlife Management Area)

The Chaparral Wildlife Management Area is a place where I truly blossomed as a natural scientist.  I served as an intern on “The Chap” during the summer of 2011.

A Texas Horned Lizard at an educational event.

The Chaparral Wildlife Management Area is one of over 50 wildlife areas managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. The Chaparral Wildlife Management Area is located in South Texas, more specifically La Salle and Dimmit County.  It is also an hour away from my hometown of Laredo, Texas.

I can still remember how nervous I was to be an intern for Texas Parks and Wildlife on the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area.  The staff at the time was quick to make me feel at home in this new environment.

I was surrounded by great people who all wanted the interns to learn and get a great hands-on experience. My direct supervisor was Daniel Walker, a Natural Resource Specialist for the Chap. He along with the technicians(Robert, Greg, Vicars) , secretary (Elena) and manager (Dave) all contributed in some way to the knowledge I have today about wildlife, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Wildlife Management Areas, trucks, computers, and even life.

Being  on The Chap, is where I connected many topics in my natural resource classes to the field, or at least remembered learning something about it in class. The Chap even prepared me for future classes and future internships because of the variety of tasks that we were involved in as interns.

I am truly fortunate that I was surrounded by Texas Parks & Wildlife employees that provided a family atmosphere to grow as an intern and wildlife professional.

Thinking back on the knowledge I gained on the Chap, Daniel Walker, took the time to teach me about birds, horned lizards, pitfall traps, snakes, scat and tracks. At the time, I did not know I was learning but rather working as an intern. As time has passed, since my internship, and I share my knowledge with others, I think back to the time I first learned about that particular topic which was on The Chap.

The technicians showed me how to do more basic things that wildlife professionals need to know when they are out in the field. This includes getting a tire off the truck to change a tire and replacing a light on a vehicle.

Elena provided direction in making sure I filled out paperwork correctly. Dave taught me the importance of managing these wildlife areas for public use.

Since the summer of 2011, I have made an effort to visit The Chap every time I go home from Lubbock, Texas to Laredo, Texas.  In 2013, I was able to help with a youth hunt that was being put on by the Chap. Most recently, I helped with the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Even now, I am amazed at the new information I have learned about wildlife in South Texas.

Aside from youth hunts, the Chap also has public hunts which work on a drawing system. It is a great place to bird, and a great place to see the flora and fauna of South Texas. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/

Texas Parks & Wildlife has recently posted several internships, even on The Chap! I highly encourage any student interested in natural resources management to get involved with a great agency. For more information on internships contact:  Joe.Beach@tpwd.texas.gov

For more information on The Chaparral Wildlife Management Area contact:  Daniel.Walker@tpwd.texas.gov