Texas Army National Guard Partnership and Outreach Use in Habitat and Recreation Management Linda Brown Ph.D. TXARNG Natural Resource Program Manager

Overview Training Sites Camp Bowie – Brownwood, Texas – 8,753ac Camp Mabry – Austin, Texas – 376ac Camp Maxey – Paris, Texas – 6,290ac Camp Swift - Bastrop, Texas – 11,659ac Fort Wolters – Mineral Wells, Texas – 3,989ac Give a brief overview of the sizes of our training lands, sizes, habitat types, location

TXARNG Training Centers Camp Mabry Show the distance between the training sites talk about how the separation makes poses management issues. Travel times, travel funds, overtime to accomplish tasks.

Camp Bowie Partnerships Recreational Opportunities US Fish & Wildlife Service - Fish Data for Fishing Program Implementation Texas Forest Service - Prescribed Fire Fire School and Training Texas Parks & Wildlife – Assistance with Hunting Program Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center - TX Ash Seed Collection and Storage Recreational Opportunities Fishing Program Hunting Program Deer Turkey Coyotes Explain how USF&WS has assisted in our consumability tests. Talk about the MOU with the FS and how it has benefited the TXARNG in managing the prescribed fire needs on the training lands. Give a brief overview of the recreational programs on Camp Bowie and how access is granted.

Camp Maxey Partnerships Recreational Opportunities US Fish & Wildlife Service - Fish Data for Fishing Program Implementation and Populations Texas Parks & Wildlife – Hunting Program Assistance AmeriCorps - Development of Interpretive area for Historic WWII Jail. Invasive Species Removal Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center - TX Ash Seed Collection and Storage Recreational Opportunities Fishing Program Hunting Program Turkey Deer Historical Education Areas Talk about how we are managing the fisheries program at Camp Maxey Lake restoration Fish Population Estimates with USF&WS Mussel population surveys. Present the AmeriCorps project of cleaning and signing the historic jail site. Removal of invasive plants Clearing of walking path Posting of Historical interpretive signs created by personnel at Camp Maxey.

Camp Swift Partnerships Recreational Opportunities TX Forest Service - Pine Stand Replanting and Improvements Fire School and Training TX Parks & Wildlife – Assistance with Houston Toad Mgmt. AmeriCorps - Volksmarch Trail clearing Invasive Species Removal Billet Maintenance Native American Seed - Little Bluestem Seed Harvest Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center - TX Ash Seed Collection and Storage Recreational Opportunities Deer Hunting Program Hiking for Military Members Talk about the AmeriCorps work Clearing of historic Volksmarch trail Clearing 7.4 acres of invasive species Discuss the Harvest of the little bluestem and how it will be used to do ecological restoration on the training site. How Native American Seed will use their portion of the seed to do restoration work throughout Texas. Explain how through seed trading with the TX Forest Service we will receive 1000 planted pine to restore our wildfire area. Brief talk about new hunting opportunities at Camp Swift.

Partnerships in Prescribed and Experimental Fire Camp Swift and Bowie Partnerships in Prescribed and Experimental Fire Texas A&M Forest Service Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept City of Austin Fire Dept Dam Volunteer Fire Dept US Forest Service Bastrop County Office of Emergency Mgmt. Joint Fire Science Program University of Montana University of Washington Texas State University Colorado State University National Institute of Standards and Technology Parker County (TX) Fire Dept Give an overview of how working with these partners has improved the understanding of how prescribed fire moves though grassland habitats at Camp

Fort Wolters Partnerships Recreational Opportunities TX Forest Service – Prescribed Fire TX Parks & Wildlife – Hunting Program Assistance Prescribed Fire Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center - TX Ash Seed Collection and Storage Recreational Opportunities Hunting Deer Turkey Present information on the Ash seed collection we are doing to get ahead of the devastation of the emerald Ash Bore. Seed Collection of 2 of each species of Ash on the training sites Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center doing the seed storage in the state seed vault. Brief talk about the Turkey Hunting opportunities being developed at the training sites.

Camp Mabry Partnerships Texas Parks & Wildlife Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center US Fish & Wildlife Service AmeriCorps TX Conservation Corps Native Plants Society of Texas Native American Seed TX Forest Service TX Audubon Society TX Invasive Species Council Baden Powell Service Association City of Austin Boy Scouts of America Best Horticultural Austin Zoo Native Plant Society of Texas Austin Fire Department Discuss some of the partnerships and what they have done to benefit the TXARNG on Camp Mabry. AmeriCorps work Texas Conservation Corp – Invasive Species Removal Baden Powell and the Adopt-A-Stream Program Native Plant Society of Texas and the Monarch Garden/Native Plants Demonstration Area

Camp Mabry Accomplishments Fishing Area Improvements Native Plants Demonstration Area Monarch Wayside Hiking Trails Invasive Species Removal Adopt-a-Stream Environmental Pavilion Restoration TX Ash Seed Collection and Storage Spring and Winter Bird Census Give a brief overview on the projects that we have accomplished with our partners so far. Positive work that benefits the community and the military members. Hiking trails Eagle Scout Project to restore the Environmental Education Pavilion and why it needs it. (set outside parameter fence for years so no upkeep done.) Bird Counts with the Audubon Society

Camp Mabry Recreational Opportunities Fishing Hiking Running and exercise Birding Historic Walking Tour TX Military Museum Educational American Heroes Day Landscape for Life Native Plants Demonstration/Monarch Garden Youth Activities Family Services Fishing Derby Scouts Talk about our fishing program on Camp Mabry Winter Trout Fishing program Fishing Derby – cooperation with TX Parks & Wildlife, Garrison Command and CFMO Environmental Spring Fishing Camp – Family Services Explain our Educational Opportunities American Heroes Day - How Environmental passes the word on various topics related to sustainability, recycling, prevention and restoration of our native habitats. Landscape for Life – Opportunity for military members and community members to learn about sustainable landscaping and gardening by attending 6 classes with a Certified trainer. These classes will start in the Spring at the Pavilion and Native Plants Demonstration Area. Trainer Certified by the National Botanical Department and University of Texas Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. Classes offered free of charge

Natural Resource Program TXARNG Natural Resource Program MAJ Richard Martinez Environmental Program Manager Linda Brown Natural Resource Manager Wayne Strebe Wildland Fire Coordinator/Botanist Brian Knapp Wildlife Biologist Talk about each of the members that make this program work and how through team work and cooperation ideas get implemented. Pamela Keyes Pest Management Coordinator Ross Gilfillan Field Biologist Volunteers and Partners

Questions