PLJV/State Planning Meetings
In Full Swing
This spring, the PLJV is meeting with core partners from each of its six member states to discuss the progress of biological planning and implementation strategies. The PLJV is developing a suite of tools to step down national bird plan objectives to the state and local level, and is gathering feedback from key state partners through these sessions. States and the PLJV are also discussing ways to coordinate efforts between state comprehensive conservation plans and the Joint Venture's all-bird planning. Meetings have already taken place in Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas, and will continue this month in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.
Playa Lakes Festivals are Plentiful in Texas & Oklahoma
Adults and children can explore the wonders of playas during upcoming festivals in Texas and Oklahoma. The first will take place May 1-7 at the Lubbock Lake Landmark Museum at Texas Tech University. The Museum will host family and school programs on playa lakes as a part of their spring festival for Environmental Awareness Week. For more information, contact Susan Shore at (806) 742-1116.
Also, the Ogallala Commons is hosting two Playa Lakes Festivals this summer – one in Nazareth, Texas June 8 – 11, and another in Goodwell, Oklahoma July 20 -23. The festivals are open to students entering 4th through 7th grade and will include classroom and in-the-field exploration of playas and the water cycle through science, art, writing and critical thinking. Sessions and field trips will be lead by expert biologists and environmental educators. For more information, contact Darryl Birkenfeld at (806) 938-2529. The Ogallala Commons festivals were funded in part by the ConocoPhillips/PLJV Grants.
Colorado Educators Shore Up on Playa Lakes
More than 300 environmental educators from around Colorado came together April 30 - May 2 for the annual "Teaching Outside the Box" conference hosted by the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE). The conference provides a weekend of learning and networking for interpreters, teachers, naturalists and other environmental educators. During the conference, the PLJV led a workshop on playa lakes and encouraged teachers to develop creative activities for playas and include and playa information into their lessons.
In Full Swing
This spring, the PLJV is meeting with core partners from each of its six member states to discuss the progress of biological planning and implementation strategies. The PLJV is developing a suite of tools to step down national bird plan objectives to the state and local level, and is gathering feedback from key state partners through these sessions. States and the PLJV are also discussing ways to coordinate efforts between state comprehensive conservation plans and the Joint Venture's all-bird planning. Meetings have already taken place in Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas, and will continue this month in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.
Playa Lakes Festivals are Plentiful in Texas & Oklahoma
Adults and children can explore the wonders of playas during upcoming festivals in Texas and Oklahoma. The first will take place May 1-7 at the Lubbock Lake Landmark Museum at Texas Tech University. The Museum will host family and school programs on playa lakes as a part of their spring festival for Environmental Awareness Week. For more information, contact Susan Shore at (806) 742-1116.
Also, the Ogallala Commons is hosting two Playa Lakes Festivals this summer – one in Nazareth, Texas June 8 – 11, and another in Goodwell, Oklahoma July 20 -23. The festivals are open to students entering 4th through 7th grade and will include classroom and in-the-field exploration of playas and the water cycle through science, art, writing and critical thinking. Sessions and field trips will be lead by expert biologists and environmental educators. For more information, contact Darryl Birkenfeld at (806) 938-2529. The Ogallala Commons festivals were funded in part by the ConocoPhillips/PLJV Grants.
Colorado Educators Shore Up on Playa Lakes
More than 300 environmental educators from around Colorado came together April 30 - May 2 for the annual "Teaching Outside the Box" conference hosted by the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE). The conference provides a weekend of learning and networking for interpreters, teachers, naturalists and other environmental educators. During the conference, the PLJV led a workshop on playa lakes and encouraged teachers to develop creative activities for playas and include and playa information into their lessons.
PLJV Board to Meet in Colby, Kansas Next Month
Preparations are underway for the summer PLJV Management Board meeting which will take place June 8 - 10 in Colby, Kansas. The meeting will include a tour of playas enrolled in the Kansas Playa Lake Habitat Improvement Program and a native grassland area protected by The Nature Conservancy. In addition to the board meeting, the PLJV's Education and Outreach Team (EOT) will meet June 9 and a special core session of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Team (MERT) will convene June 8 and 9. For more information, contact the PLJV office at (303) 926-0777.
Kansas NRCS Promoting WRP for Playa Lakes
Western Kansas is home to more than 10,000 playa lakes, yet very few are enrolled in and protected through the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The WRP is a provision of the 2002 Farm Bill that provides technical and financial assistance for landowners to enhance wetlands and retire them from agricultural production. Two years ago, the Kansas office of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), which administers the program, changed WRP rankings within the state so more playas would become eligible. This month, the NRCS is hosting two internal meetings in northwest and southwest Kansas to educate field staff about playas and encourage enrollment of the wetlands into the program.
Landowner Tells PLJV Story on Texas Radio
Texas landowner Bob Pearson recently shared his story about working with the PLJV on a playa protection project with thousands of Panhandle-area residents during a radio interview with Desha Agrimedia network last week. In 2001, Pearson signed a 10-year agreement with the PLJV and partners to complete construction of the fence around his 70-acre playa, create terraces to divert water into the playas and prevent erosion, and to establish a grassed waterway that feeds into the playa. The radio show was broadcast on seven stations April 29. Missed the show? You can download and listened to it from the PLJV web site.
Playa Post ©2004 Playa Lakes Joint Venture. Submission deadlines are the 15th of each month for publication the following month. Send press releases, comments and subscription inquiries to Debbie F. Slobe.
Kansas NRCS Promoting WRP for Playa Lakes
Western Kansas is home to more than 10,000 playa lakes, yet very few are enrolled in and protected through the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The WRP is a provision of the 2002 Farm Bill that provides technical and financial assistance for landowners to enhance wetlands and retire them from agricultural production. Two years ago, the Kansas office of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), which administers the program, changed WRP rankings within the state so more playas would become eligible. This month, the NRCS is hosting two internal meetings in northwest and southwest Kansas to educate field staff about playas and encourage enrollment of the wetlands into the program.
Landowner Tells PLJV Story on Texas Radio
Texas landowner Bob Pearson recently shared his story about working with the PLJV on a playa protection project with thousands of Panhandle-area residents during a radio interview with Desha Agrimedia network last week. In 2001, Pearson signed a 10-year agreement with the PLJV and partners to complete construction of the fence around his 70-acre playa, create terraces to divert water into the playas and prevent erosion, and to establish a grassed waterway that feeds into the playa. The radio show was broadcast on seven stations April 29. Missed the show? You can download and listened to it from the PLJV web site.
Playa Post ©2004 Playa Lakes Joint Venture. Submission deadlines are the 15th of each month for publication the following month. Send press releases, comments and subscription inquiries to Debbie F. Slobe.