RANCHING Business
operations if they know the water quality laws and policies; the ways in which bacteria can enter water; and the range of solutions available to reduce water quality problems, according to Redmon, who leads the LSHS program. “A lot of those things are either zero cost or very
low cost, and easy to implement in many cases, so it is basically a matter of making people aware of the issues and the solutions,” he says. Each manual produced by LSHS has been endorsed
by natural resource agencies and industry associations. These organizations include the Natural Resource Con- servation Service (NRCS), and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. To learn more about Lone Star Healthy Streams,
visit
lshs.tamu.edu.
Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Education Program Riparian areas are green vegetation zones along
streams, rivers and lakes that are vital, though often overlooked, ecosystems; supporting water for wildlife, livestock and human consumption. Degradation and erosion of riparian areas often refl ect poor ecosystem health of the surrounding area. The Texas Riparian and Steam Ecosystem Education Program (Texas Ri- parian) recognizes the importance of riparian areas and the role of landowners in conserving them, and spreads this knowledge through educational programs throughout Texas. “This program helps establish a larger, more well-
informed citizen base working to improve and protect local riparian and stream ecosystems,” says Nikki
Dictson, TWRI Extension program specialist and co- ordinator for the program. To create this well-informed citizen base, Texas
Riparian offers several resources including trainings, online tools on its website, and social media outreach. Trainings provide general information on riparian areas and address concerns at the local level, Dictson says. They are typically in locations with impaired water- sheds, where stakeholders are working on a watershed protection plan (WPP) or total maximum daily loads (TMDL). Local technical resources and BMPs are dis- cussed to give participants practical knowledge. Workshops are generally 1-day events and include
classroom presentations and walks along local rivers, streams and bayous. Dictson says that the workshops connect landowners with local technical and fi nancial resources to improve management and promote healthy watershed and riparian areas on their land. “Restoring and protecting riparian areas through
improved management is one of the most important things a landowner can do to protect the streams and rivers running through their land,” says Dr. Kevin Wag- ner, TWRI’s associate director. “This program educates landowners on how streams and rivers work and how important riparian area management is to stream health.” Texas Riparian is funded by an EPA Clean Water
Act grant through TSSWCB and is managed by TWRI. The program has a number of partners including Texas Riparian Association, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, USDA NRCS, Nueces River Authority, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Ecosys- tem Science and Management Department and Texas Tech University Llano River Field Station.
MORE
82 The Cattleman September 2015
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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