With the primary runoff complete, we now have our full slate of Democratic candidates for the November mid-term election. It’s a strong slate, filled with candidates with rich and varied backgrounds and a passion to work to improve the lives of all Texans.
The whooping crane and bald eagle are two examples of birds that have survived due to extensive conservation efforts, but the Trump administration is doing nothing to support conservation efforts, instead FWS withdrew the final Land Protection Plan for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in the panhandle, the oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas and the FWS lost nearly 20% of its staff. These attacks mean extinction for wildlife and habitats.
In an election in the fall of 2023, voters approved the $1 billion “Centennial Parks Conservation Fund,” named in honor of the 100th anniversary of Texas State Parks in 2023. According to an article in the Texas Tribune, “The fund allows the parks department to expand access to natural spaces across the state, while preserving native ecosystems and cultural landmarks.” Three of these planned park expansions are Enchanted Rock State Park which is adding more than 5,000 acres, the new Albert and Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area near Pipe Creek, and the new Post Oak Ridge State Park in Lampasas and Burnet counties.
Texas efforts to conserve whooping cranes and Kemp's Ridley Turtles have bolstered these animals' numbers and been a great success. The author also remembers Cecile Richards, who died of brain cancer on January 20. Cecile founded the Texas Freedom Network (TFN) and was a fierce advocate for women’s rights, abortion rights, and social justice.
COP 28 was held in Dubai and was chaired by the head of a national oil company. In addition to transition away from fossil fuels language, progress was made in a number of areas, including reduction of methane emissions (which account for about 30% of the Earth’s warming), increasing renewable energy, accelerating a switch to electric vehicles, and promoting carbon capture. Nuclear fusion is in the news and may be a silver bullet longer term. Of course conservation could help a bunch.
Author discusses early love of hunting in and hunts in Wyoming and Texas. With dramatic loss of wildlife, the North American Conservation Model and conservation organizations, have added and maintained wildlife habitat, along with the 1937 Pittman-Robertson Act, which promoted a federal excise tax on hunting equipment. Hunting does promote conservation.