Our Mission Supports Nature Tourism
• Providing and encouraging nature-based
outdoor recreation
• Texas State Parks
• State parks, state natural areas, state historic sites
• Hunting and fishing, boating, water sports
• Birding, wildlife watching, nature photography
Government Canyon State Natural Area
Dinosaur Tracks Found!
• Texas Parks & Wildlife and
Witte Museum new
partnership to document
and research dinosaur tracks
• 110- million-year-old footprints
New Facilities at State Parks
Sheldon Lake State
Park New 82-foot observation
tower
Mother Neff new
headquarters under
construction
Dark Skies Program
• Stargazing Programming
• Designated International Dark Sky Parks
• Copper Breaks State Park
• Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
• Texas Outdoor Family
• Buffalo Soldiers
• Geocache Challenge
• Junior Ranger
• Free Fishing
• Arts In The Parks
Growing Texas State Parks Programs
Each map includes:
• Color-coded loops
• Directions
• GPS coordinates
• Site info. and contact #s
• CVB and tourist offices
Maps For Resale
• All maps are available at
bulk rates
• Sell maps to visitors for
profit or cost recovery
Texas Paddling Trails
• Now more than 60 paddling trails!
– Trails for all levels of paddlers
– Fishing and wildlife watching
– Communities can submit an
application online to apply
• Promote with advertising, website
presence, social media and email
Great Texas Birding Classic
• Annual event for birdwatchers of all
levels now in 3rd year statewide
• Variety of ways to participate
– Teams of all kinds, including regional
• Winning teams help select
conservation grants
Today is the Deadline to Register Your Team!
Time g ets away from all of us, but it's no foolin' that today (April 1st!) is the final day to register your team for the Great Texas Birding Classic.
Visit www.birdingclassic.org. Team registration deadline is today,
Tuesday, April 1, so submit your team registration form and pay your entry fees by the end of the day today.
Participate from anywhere in Texas, April 15 - May 15, 2014. Register now - pick your tournament day later!
Registration fees and sponsorship dollars go toward Conservation Grants for birding, nature tourism, and habitat restoration and enhancement projects
throughout the state, and some winning teams will help select which projects
are funded. The more teams that register, the more funds raised and awarded!
Still on the fence about registering? View this new video to see some of the fun from last year's Birding Classic. We look forward to your joining the fun at
Texas' statewide Great Texas Birding Classic!
Sincerely,
Shelly Plante, Nature Tourism Manager Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Mobile Apps
• Outdoor Annual Hunting/Fishing
– Partnership with Texas Monthly,
publisher of our print publication
– Free for IOs and Android devices
Mobile Apps
• Texas State Parks Mobile App
– Changes in technology now enable in-house
development
– Launch planned for Spring 2015 on iOS and
Android devices
State Park Guide
Texas State Park Guide
– 325,000 copies
– Full page advertisers receive web
banner ads and e-newsletter ads
– Seeking sponsor for a Spanish
language version
Free Copies For Your Community
• Texas State Park Guides
– Online ordering makes process easy and quick
– Each tourism outlet can order free
• 1-6 boxes (100 guides/box)
– Visit www.tpwd.texas.gov/parkguide
Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine
• Advertising value
– Opportunities to reach millions of
highly-qualified travelers
– More than 157,000 subscribers
and 385,000 readers
– Print packages include web
banner ads on TPWD website
and on e-newsletters
Online ads with print buy:
•Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine
•State Park Guide
•Outdoor Annual
Online Advertising
• 218,000 Facebook Fans
– Plus 100,000 Individual State Park Facebook
Fans
• YouTube
– More than 8 million views
• Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, Pinterest
Social Media Growth
Email Communication
• More than 270,000 email
subscribers
• E-Newsletters for state parks,
hunting, fishing, wildlife, the
magazine and more
• Sign-up promoted on website, at
events and in social media
Powderhorn Ranch, fall park events, birding calendar, Government Canyon dinosaur tracks and more! Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
In This Issue:
Celebrate! Powderhorn Ranch to be Future Park
Fall Calendar – Enjoy Great Park Events
Dinosaurs Roamed at Government Canyon SNA
Fall is a Fun Time to Geocache
State Parks: A Natural Channel to History & Cultures
Lost Maples Visitors Center Refurbished for Fall
Junior Ranger Program Journals in State Parks
Fall Birding - An Extravaganza of Opportunities
Texas Outdoor Family Open Workshops
2 State Parks Win International Dark-Sky Awards
Celebrate! Powderhorn Ranch to be Future Park Everybody who loves the natural world, wildlife
and state parks should be smiling for years to come about the very recent acquisition of the
17,351-acre Powderhorn Ranch along the
Texas coast in Calhoun County. Watch a video about this pristine property that is one of
the largest remaining tracts of unspoiled
coastal prairie in the state and will someday be a state park and wildlife management area.
“This transformational project will conserve irreplaceable wildlife habitat and will bring the people of Texas an exciting new recreational opportunity,” said
Dan Friedkin, Chairman Emeritus of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.
The property between Corpus Christi and Houston includes unspoiled coastal
Email Marketing
• Renewal reminders for State Park Pass holders,
fishing and license holders, boat registrations, etc.
• Special event email blasts
• Magazine, TV Show, surveys, etc.
This year's Toyota Texas Bass Classic returns to Lake Fork and features
fifty of the world's best anglers and top country music performers including Pat Green, Little Big Town, and Justin Moore.
This spectacular event takes place May 9 -11 on the grounds at the Sabine River Authority, just east of the Lake Fork dam in Quitman. Other activities for
the whole family include the Texas Parks and Wildlife "Outdoor Adventures" area, interactive sponsor expo areas, and a fireworks show.
Single day general admission tickets are available for $15 in advance (or $25 at the gate) with proceeds benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife's outdoor
recreation programs. Buy your tickets now at participating Toyota dealers,
Brookshire’s, and Academy Sports + Outdoors stores. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com.
Since its inception, the Toyota Texas Bass Classic has raised $1.75 million to support fishing and outdoor education programs of Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Lake Fork is located in the heart of East Texas just 80 miles east of Dallas
between I-20 and I-30.
Recreation Grants Programs
• The Local Park Grants Program administers grants that provide
50% matching funds to acquire property and/or develop outdoor
and indoor public recreation facilities.
Grant Name Award Limit Population
Outdoor Recreation $400,000 Less than 500,000
Small Community $75,000 Less than 20,000
Urban Outdoor Recreation $1 Million Greater than 500,000
Urban Indoor Recreation Currently Suspended Greater than 500,000
• Community Outdoor Outreach Program
Funds can be used for direct program costs – No match required
• Recreational Trails Program
80% matching grants; $200,000 limit (Off-highway recreational vehicles such as motorcycles and ATVs)
• Boating Access Program
75% matching grants; for construction of public boating access facilities. Must maintain for 25 years.
• Boat Sewage Grants
Federal funds; 75% of approved project costs. (Pump-outs and portable toilets)
Recreation Grants Programs
Our Newest Conservation License Plate
• The “Camping” license plate is the fastest selling speciality plate
ever introduced in Texas!
• Only $30, with $22 going to support Texas State Parks
Coming Soon--
A New Wildlife License Plate!
• Getting pubic input on five wildlife plates
• Will select “winning” plate to introduce in the spring of 2015.
• Sales from this plate will benefit Texas native wildlife.
Texas Parks & Wildlife Website
www.tpwd.texas.gov
Texas State Parks
www.texasstateparks.org
Great Texas Wildlife Trails
www.tpwd.texas.gov/wildlifetrails
Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine
www.tpwmagazine.com