KNCT - Simply Beautiful 91.3 FM

Joyce keeps you current with everything going on in the KNCT-FM listening area for the 55 and better crowd.

Meteorologist Bill Hecke provides you with up-to-the-minute forecasts and storm tracking.

Meteorologist Bill Hecke provides you with up-to-the-minute forecasts and storm tracking.

#TGIF #texas #weather 

AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has partnered with the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), Association of Texas Soil & Water Conservation Districts, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Wildlife Association and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association to highlight Soil and Water Stewardship Week. The week is centered on the importance of voluntary land stewardship in Texas. The statewide campaign runs April 25 through May 2 and the focus this year is “Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities”.

Forest landowners are an important part of Texas agriculture and the stewards of this resource. They work closely with their local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) district office to implement conservation practices that promote the health and sustainability of forests and forest ecosystems. These privately-owned forests contribute significantly to the Texas economy and provide numerous environmental and social benefits.

To truly have a healthy forest, proper management and conservation is needed. Thankfully, many forest landowners in Texas are implementing beneficial conservation practices such as strategic tree plantings, prescribed burning, brush management to remove diseased trees and invasive species, native grass management, wildlife management and even bee propagation to stimulate pollination. In certain instances, livestock can be included as part of a prescribed grazing plan to strategically manage the leaf litter, soil, and underbrush in a forested area, which can ultimately assist in preventing wildfires. Without these sustainable management practices, problems such as soil erosion, insect and disease outbreaks, invasive species encroachment, declines in biodiversity and even catastrophic wildfires can occur.

Trees filter air, reduce ambient temperatures, absorb carbon dioxide, and produce oxygen. They help conserve energy by casting summer shade and blocking winter winds. Tree roots hold the soil in place and fight erosion. Trees absorb and store rainwater, reducing runoff and sediments after storms, which also helps recharge groundwater supply and prevent flooding.

Essential products made from trees include paper products and lumber. Trees also offer habitat and food to birds, insects, lichen, fungi, mammals, and reptiles. Finally, trees increase our quality of life through a relaxing effect, reducing stress.

Partnering organizations in the “Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities” public awareness campaign includes Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas, Ag Workers Insurance, Ducks Unlimited, Earthmoving Contractors Association of Texas, Exotic Wildlife Association, Independent Cattlemen’s Association of Texas, Plains Cotton Growers, Project Learning Tree, San Antonio River Authority, South Texans’ Property Rights Association, Texan by Nature, Texas A&M AgriLife Blacklands Research and Extension Center, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council, Texas Agricultural Land Trust, Texas Association of Dairymen, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas Conservation Association for Water and Soil, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Forestry Association, Texas Grain and Feed Association, Texas Grazing Land Coalition, Texas Hemp Growers Association, Texas Independent Ginners Association, Texas Land Trust Council, Texas Logging Council, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Poultry Federation, Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association, Texas Water Resources Institute, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

#weather #texas

The Centex Planeteers with Jennifer Hetzel.

This month's non-profit spotlight is the Sunrise Movement, a movement to stop climate change and create millions of good-paying jobs in the process.

#climatechange #nonprofit #cleanenergy #greennewdeal #publicradio 

In this episode of KNCT’s Local Spotlight, Gary Emmert sits down with Lisa Griffin.  Lisa is the Chief Operating Officer at the Carlson Law Firm. 

They discuss a new scholarship opportunity for Killeen ISD. 

#education #school #college #publicradio

January 24, 2021

As our host Jennifer Hetzel continues her spotlight on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, this episodes focuses on their Inland Fisheries division.

The Inland Fisheries Division is responsible for managing the state's diverse freshwater fisheries resources. The goal of this management is to provide the best possible angling while protecting and enhancing freshwater aquatic resources. The resources include approximately 1,100 public impoundments covering 1.7 million acres and 191,000 miles of rivers and streams. These resources are used by about 1.21 million anglers 16 years of age and older whose fishing activities provide great benefit to the Texas economy through an estimated $960 million per year in direct angler spending on food, lodging, transportation and equipment.

Centex Planeteers airs live each Monday at 6:15pm on public radio, KNCT. You can listen by visiting our website at KNCT.org or downloading our free app, available on iTunes and GooglePlay.

The Centex Planeteers hosts a monthly "Virtual Science and Sangria" event on Facebook and their next topic is Groundwater in Central Texas. To view past events, visit Facebook.com/centexplaneteers.

This month's spotlight is the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.