A conference devoted to helping women manage natural resources in the Edwards Plateau. The conference will cover stewardship of natural resources, deer management fundamentals, becoming a Texas Master Naturalist and more. Those with a passion for natural resource stewardship and a love for the Texas Hill Country will want to be there.” Among the speakers will be wildlife biologists, animal scientists, range scientists, estate attorneys and financial planners.
Day One:
The conference’s preliminary agenda for the first day includes a presentation on the history of the Hill Country plants, animals and early people found in the region, and how the region has changed with time and the challenges those changes present.
Other topics and speakers on this year’s agenda include:
– What is Land Stewardship? Dr. Barron Rector, AgriLife Extension range specialist, College Station.
– Water in the Hill Country – Our Most Valuable Resource, Dr. Diane Boellstorff, AgriLife Extension water resource specialist, College Station.
– Reptiles and Amphibians – Get to Know Your Neighbors, John Karges, The Nature Conservancy associate director of field science, San Antonio.
– Stewardship of the Land – What’s Involved? Dr. Bob Lyons, AgriLife Extension range specialist, Uvalde.
– Birding in the Texas Hill Country, Dr. Maureen Frank, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist, Uvalde.
– What Women Need to Know About Finances? Cissy Williams, senior vice president-lending in San Saba, and Jeri Langehennig, vice president-relationship manager in Mason, both with Capital Farm Credit.
– Pasture-Raised Poultry, Mandy Krause, co-owner of Parker Creek Ranch, D’Hanis.
– Stewardship in the Edwards Plateau: The Next Generation, Dr. Megan Clayton, AgriLife Extension range specialist, Corpus Christi.
Day 2:
The second day will include tours that concentrate on “Hunting Property Use Options” in the morning. Rector will lead a session on plant identification and Annaliese Scoggins with Texas Parks and Wildlife will lead a session on tracking and animal scat identification. A skeet shooting demonstration will be led by Denise Harmel-Garza, AgriLife Extension associate, College Station, and an archery shooting demonstration is being coordinated by Brad Roeder, AgriLife Extension agent in Gillespie County.
Cost
Cost of the two-day conference is $75 and includes all meals, break refreshments and tour transportation costs. Hotel rooms are available at the Inn on Barons Creek for $99 per night under the Bennett-TAMU group code.
The Women’s Natural Resource Management Conference is funded by the Ruth and Eskel Bennett Endowment, said Dr. Larry Redmon, co-chair and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Bennett Trust specialist.
The women’s conference is an extension of the Bennett Trust Land Stewardship Conference, which has been held three times in Kerrville, Redmon said. “More and more women are becoming landowners through inheritance and other means, and we want to help these women be a success in the management of their natural resources,” he said. “By offering a ladies conference, we hope women will feel more comfortable with attending and participating. We also want to encourage mothers to bring their daughters; it is a generational thing.”
“Everyone involved in the planning process is excited about our new Edwards Plateau Land Stewardship conferences,” he said. “And thanks to the Bennett’s generosity, this will be a unique learning opportunity for all of us for years to come.”
Cancellation/Refund Policy
If a cancellation becomes necessary, please send notification to agriliferegister@tamu.edu. Cancellations received no later than September 20, 2017 will receive a $37.50 refund.