Too often people will acquire property and start undertaking management actions that they have “heard” are good for the land. These new land stewards will later take a workshop or invite a natural resources expert for a site visit and celebrate their missteps, with comments like: “I’ve cleared all of the cedar and I’m ready to manage.”
While certainly well intended, this statement gives an informed and forgiving expert the opportunity to practice their best poker face as they ask, “What are you trying to manage for?”
While it can feel gratifying to simply pick up a chainsaw or hop on a tractor and get to work, it’s important to clearly define one’s land management goals and align actions with those goals. Furthermore, these actions must be well informed, otherwise false assumptions and old paradigms like “There’s no such thing as a good cedar tree” can lead us astray. (For more information on that, consider reading “Wanted! Mountain Cedars Dead and Alive” by Elizabeth McGreevy.)
The Cibolo Center for Conservation will host a wildlife tax valuation series of workshops that started January 8 and continue into February. This will be a great way to get the foundational knowledge you need to get started on your wildlife management plan for your land.
In addition to this, there are many great resources and workshops available for landowners to improve their management skills throughout the year. Texas Parks and Wildlife, in addition to other state and federal agencies, can be called upon to visit a landowner’s property and inform management decisions.
The Cibolo Center for Conservation also hosts many land stewardship workshops throughout the year, and the Hill Country Alliance calendar offers a broad spectrum of regional opportunities to learn.
There are also great books that have been written about the management of native habitats. One of the best books for Hill Country landowners is “Attracting Birds in the Texas Hill Country” by Rufus Stephens and Jan Wrede. This book is the product of 12 years of research, photography and writing that has yielded a masterpiece which is custom tailored to the Texas Hill Country.
While a landowner may think the idea of attracting birds isn’t exciting, the premise of this book is that greater bird diversity is correlated with the health of the land. Birds are “indicator species,” providing a way to assess the diversity of the plant community, health of habitats as well as the presence of specific conditions that are favored by certain species. A landscape with a high diversity of birds is often correlated with a high diversity of insects as well.
The idea to write “Attracting Birds in the Texas Hill Country” was born out of a wildlife tax valuation workshop created by its authors many years ago at the Cibolo Center for Conservation. This workshop was the first of its kind and has inspired the creation of other Wildlife Tax Valuation Workshops that are hosted by Texas Parks and Wildlife throughout the state.
The wildlife tax valuation workshop hosted by the Cibolo Center for Conservation remains the gold standard as it is still taught by Rufus Stephens and includes four days of land stewardship training. Interested landowners can join us for this year’s workshop which takes place via Zoom on January 15 and February 5 with an in-person habitat tour on February 12. More details and registration details can be found online at www.Cibolo.org.
Cibolo Happenings
Farmer’s Market at Herff Farm: Winter edition
Saturday, January 15, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 33 Herff Road, Boerne. Join us for a limited winter edition of the Farmer’s Market at Herff Farm. We will feature our regular vendors during the winter months. Enjoy locally produced products and goods with cooler temperatures. Yoga is available. More information is available on www.cibolo.org.
Yoga at Herff Farm
Saturday, January 15, 10-11 a.m., 33 Herff Road, Boerne. Join our community in a friendly and inclusive outdoor yoga class with a focus on mindfulness and awareness that allows you to explore what feels good in your body. We will play with mobility, balance, and strength in our practice as we move and breathe together in the glorious outdoor spaces at the Historic Herff Farm. Classes will move indoors on cold days. Bring your mats and water bottles. Props are provided. Register on www.cibolo.org.
Wildlife tax valuation workshops
Saturday, January 15, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., virtual. This comprehensive program will guide landowners through the requirements for Wildlife Tax Valuation with emphasis on promoting healthy habitats for songbirds. Attendees will complete the workshop ready to apply for a Wildlife Tax Valuation. Registration for all three virtual sessions starts at $140 for nonmembers and $120 for members. Learn more at www.cibolo.org.
Movement Mondays
Monday, January 17, 9:30-10:30 a.m., 140 City Park Road, Boerne. Join our community in a friendly and inclusive outdoor yoga class with a focus on mindfulness and awareness that allows you to explore what feels good in your body. We will play with mobility, balance, and strength in our practice as we move and breathe together in the auditorium of the nature center. We will move outdoors on warm days. Bring your mats and water bottles. Props are provided. Register on www.cibolo.org.
Storytime at the Nature Center: Winter edition
Saturday, January 22, 10-11 a.m., 140 City Park Road, Boerne. Miss Constance from the Patrick Heath Libray will take your children on a fun winter-themed adventure at the Cibolo Nature Center’s Auditorium. This free event is a great way to experience the trails at the nature center in January. Some areas around the auditorium are stroller accessible.
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