FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM COMES TO TEXAS
by Sarah Morgan

Texas may soon join the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program; a program aimed at protecting forested areas from development.

According to the USDA Forest Service, "The Forest Legacy Program was established in the 1990 Farm Bill to protect environmentally important forest areas that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses and to promote forestland protection through the use of conservation easements and fee-simple purchase."

Through conservation easement, landowners can sell their development rights while maintaining ownership and use of the land. The land will be protected from all development and non-forest use, commercial or residential. Owners will maintain the ability to grow and sell forest products, and will receive a one-time cash payment from the Legacy Program along with the possibility of reduced property taxes.

The Forest Legacy Program provides up to 75 percent of the money needed to buy the land from the landowners. The other 25 percent must come from an outside source, which can include a donation from the landowner or a collection from outside groups interested in maintaining the current state of the land.

Since the program's inception, 36 U.S. states and territories have taken advantage of the opportunities provided, conserving about 600,000 acres since 1992. The bill was altered in 1996 giving the easement titles to the state government instead of the federal government, and now Texas is looking to join.

"The southern states in general have been some of the last states to become active - most in the last five years," said Jan Davis, program coordinator with the Texas Forest Service.

Now that Gov. Rick Perry has approved state participation in the program, the next step is to complete an Assessment of Need, "a report that evaluates the condition of existing forest resources, identifies threats to the state's forests, and designates a Forest Legacy Area," according to the Texas Forest Service.

Davis explained that they are looking at a 59-county area covering north and southeast Texas from the Columbia bottomlands to the Bastrop area for possible conservation easement. Areas in Montgomery county and Liberty county may be included.

"The focus will be on areas with a traditional history of forest-land products," Davis said.

This is because the Forest Legacy Program provides a working conservation easement, one where logging and other forest related work could continue as opposed to a regular conservation easement where the land is intended to remain in a natural state. However, work on the land must meet certain criteria laid out in a management plan.

Jennifer Lorenz, executive director of Legacy Land Trust, said that the plan should, "provide more oversight in the tree extraction process."

Lorenz explained that logging is not entirely bad if it is done at the right time of year. Some loggers pull trees out when the ground is still wet, creating ruts in the earth and ruining more fragile plants with shallow roots. On the other hand, young trees use more carbon than old trees, so logging processes can actually help with cleaner air. Lorenz's major concern is simply that the Legacy Program may not be enough.

"A managed tract is certainly better than a strip mall," said Lorenz, "I think, ultimately, it's a good thing."

The Texas Forest service is responsible for drafting the Assessment of Need and is holding meetings for public comments throughout the state. If approved, Texas could be ready to apply for funding by 2006.

A draft plan of the Assessment of Need will be available from June 15 to July 15 at http://www.texasforestservice.tamu.edu.

LOCAL GROUP AIMS TO STOMP OUT MOSQUITO PROBLEMS
by Sarah Morgan

There are over 50 species of mosquitoes in Houston and one bare-legged night out doors in this city is enough to convince any skeptic to pick up a can of OFF or light up a Citronella candle. But STOMP, Stopping Mosquito Proliferation, is hoping to educate communities on mosquito control from the source.

Collaborating with Harris County Mosquito Control, STOMP has spent the last two years recruiting volunteers and trying to get the word out about alternatives and additional steps to the mass mosquito spraying that is the most common form of mosquito control.

"The basic principles of STOMP are education of the life cycle of the mosquito, control through source reduction, the use of environmentally friendly larvicide products, and education about trapping and spraying," said Terri Thomas, director of STOMP.

Thomas emphasized the importance of control, noting that the Asian Tiger Mosquito arrived in the United States about 19 years ago, and now, the threat from the West Nile virus is growing and spreading each year, arriving in Texas only a couple of years ago. In 2003, Texas had the fourth highest number of West Nile cases, topping out at 720, according to STOMP.

"It is only a matter of time before other diseases possibly arrive in our mobile world," said Thomas.

Another concern is the environmental effects and health threats posed by the mass chemical sprayings used to control mosquitoes.

The group's earliest efforts focused on the Memorial Villages area of Houston with a door-to-door education effort, but the group is continuing to spread the word throughout Harris County. Recently, the group has published a new Web site. The site offers local and nationwide information on a variety of mosquito issues from how to start a similar group in your neighborhood, to spraying myths and species facts.

"It only makes sense for residents of our region to educate themselves and control their own mosquitoes for the sake of their health and quality of enjoying their outdoor environment without harming themselves or the environment," said Thomas.

For more information, visit http://www.mosquitozone.com.

OUTDOOR NATURE CLUB, ANNUAL PROGRAM & TRIP PLANNING

Outdoor Nature Club, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the study of nature was organized in 1923 to protect and conserve natural resources, preserves and sanctuaries. ONC offers opportunities to study natural sciences including Botany/Entomology, Conchology, and Ornithology, along with various calendar activities, publications, and birding field trips that include an open house with camping at the 650-acre Little Thicket nature sanctuary at Evergreen, Texas. ONC will hold their annual planning meeting Thursday, June 10 at Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet from 7-9 pm. Participants are encouraged to get involved to discuss the 2004-2005 September-May season along with trip planning ideas. For more information contact, President, Calvin Blakley at (281) 358-5407 or visit
http://www.OutdoorNatureClub.org/

URBAN HARVEST: HOW TO START A COMMUNITY OR SCHOOL GARDEN

Urban Harvest is an independent non-profit organization set aside to strengthen communities through gardening. They began working as an effort to ease urban hunger in local neighborhoods, but the program grew and, in 1994, began to address more horticultural needs as well as neighborhood revitalization, environmental education, supplemental income for low income residents, and better nutrition and health. Part of Urban Harvest's vision involves a flourishing neighborhood with community gardens where people can learn with hands on experience about organic gardening. Throughout Houston, Urban Harvest has at least two dozen offices that have garden resources and horticultural advisors with services in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and other languages. You can also find Urban Harvest featured in the Houston Chronicle Homes Section every Sunday. The next Urban Harvest Class, "How to Start a Community or School Garden," begins Monday, Jun 14, 4-6:30pm at Urban Harvest, 1900 Kane. For more information contact, (713) 880-5540 or visit http://www.urbanharvest.org/homepage.html

KEEP HOUSTON BEAUTIFUL AND HOUSTON MOWDOWN

For over 20 years, Keep Houston Beautiful has been actively involved in beautification, litter reduction, and recycling education. Through continual involvement within the communities, Keep Houston Beautiful partners and volunteers have reduced litter in Houston by 77 percent in ten years. Programs like the Great American Clean-up, Trash Bash, and Houston Mowdown continue to assist in keeping Houston parks clean. Recently, Keep Houston Beautiful, volunteers and The City of Houston joined to promote and clean up MacGregor Park, one of the older parks in Southeast Houston located near the Third Ward area for Houston Mowdown. Concerned citizens and volunteers continue to work hard to clean up the aged park that provides recreational activities for neighboring communities with over 100 acres of widespread green space. For more information contact (713) 839-8855, or visit http://www.houstonbeautiful.org/.

THE BIG CHAT: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET HOUSTON MOVING?

One of the biggest problems facing Houston today is the traffic. In a recent broadcast on Houston PBS' the "Connection," Ernie Manouse interviewed Judge Robert Eckels, board member of the Houston/Galveston Area Council, Michael Berry, city council member and chairman of the transportation committee, John Wilson, executive director of the Galveston Houston Association for Smog Prevention, and David Crossley, executive director of the Gulf Coast Institute and Citizens' Environmental Coalition board member.The panel discussed what is being done to control the traffic in Houston and the 2025 Regional Transportation Plan. According to the Houston Transportation Bulletin, "RTP is the most comprehensive transportation plan in the Houston region that includes all road, transit, bike/pedestrian, and port projects for the Houston-Galveston area over the next two decades." Repeat broadcasts air Sundays at 5 p.m. For more information about the 2025 Regional Transportation Plan visit http://www.livablehouston.org.

CANON ENVIROTHON

Annual competition for high school students throughout North America, designed as a way to teach kids about environmental education. The best teams from 47 states and Canadian provinces compete at a summer play-off during July or August on a selected topic. To expose students to diverse environmental issues, ecosystems, and topography, a different state or province hosts the Canon Envirothon each year. In addition to the actual competition, the event also includes social, cultural, and educational activities organized by the Canon Envirothon Host Committee.
http://www.envirothon.org/competition/Canon2004/index.htm

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY TEACHER GRANTS
Application Deadline: June 10, 2004

The foundation provides grants to educators to facilitate their work in the classroom, school, district, and community. This year, projects will be funded in either of two broad categories: Promoting Stewardship of Cultural and Natural Resources, and Promoting Geographic Knowledge Through Education. The foundation plans to make approximately $100,000 available, in grants of up to $5,000 each. Applications may be submitted by a single teacher or by a project team leader on behalf of a group.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education/teacher_community/get_grant.html

CONSUMER GUIDE DETAILS ILLS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR COMMON PRODUCTS

A free online consumer guide published in March by the Worldwatch Institute describes the environmental, social, and health harms associated with a wide range of products, including appliances, baby products, DVDs, clothing, cell phones, and food. The guide takes a behind the scenes look at how products are made, and offers simple advice and alternatives that enable people to reduce some of the ills associated with the things they buy.
For each product, the guide also describes successful efforts by governments, businesses, and nonprofit groups around the world to reduce negative impacts associated with common products.
http://www.worldwatch.org/pubs/goodstuff

NEW REPORT IN PARKS FOR PEOPLE SERIES

The Trust For Public Land’s Parks for People initiative works in cities across America to ensure that everyone--in particular every child--enjoys access to a park, playground, or open space. A new Parks for People report by Peter Harnik, director of TPL's Center for City Park Excellence, highlights the need for parks in Newark, New Jersey. The report's release follows by several months the publication of TPL's Parks for People white paper, which makes the case for new city parks nationwide. Upcoming Parks for People publications will focus on other US cities.
http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=13843&folder_id=175

A HANDBOOK FOR ACTIVISTS

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, Wilderness Forever has created a handy-dandy guide to taking action. Learn how to draft your own action letters, organize enjoyable activism events, and get in touch with local media.
To obtain your own tree-free version of the guide:
http://www.wildernessforever.org/action/index.html
Learn more about the Wilderness Act:
http://www.wilderness.org/OurIssues/Wilderness/act.cfm

CONSERVATION ACROSS BOUNDARIES EDUCATION COURSE

Conservation Across Boundaries’s Enhancing Wildlife Conservation through Education is a fully-funded, two-week course for junior and senior high school science teachers. The course is being held June 12-25, 2004. To download a brochure and application, visit www.boone-crockett.org, http://www.eih.uh.edu/education/bboard/cabflyer_2004_small.pdf or contact Selma Glasscock, Welder Wildlife Foundation, selmaglass@aol.com for more information. Application deadline: March 30, 2004. $125 application fee.

SEASIDE CLUB BECKONS TO TEXAS TEACHERS

Texas A&M University's Marine Advisory Service (MAS) will be hosting two development workshops for Texas educators on the environment, and natural resources in Texas and the Gulf Coast. Participates who are teachers, science curriculum specialists, or department heads working in public and private schools are encouraged to register. Training sessions for elementary school educators are June 28-30; training for secondary school educators will take place July 7-9. For more information or to enroll, contact (979) 863-2940 or email lbeach@neo.tamu.edu.

EPA SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

The EPA Summer Opportunities for Students website is now up and running. The site provides a web portal through which students may enter to learn about EPA programs, offices, and summer employment opportunities. They also will be able to submit a job application directly to the EPA location where there is a vacancy.
http://www.epa.gov/ohros/student