Passport to Texas

By Cecilia Nasti/Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Government & Organizations Kids & Family

What's Passport to Texas about?

Your radio guide to the great Texas outdoors

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Passport to Texas episodes:

12.31.2019
Start the New Year with a First Day Hike
2019 First Day Hike at Davis Mountains State Park This is Passport to Texas If one of your resolutions is to sit less and move more in the New Year, may I suggest a First Day Hike to start things right. First Day...
12.26.2019
Forgotten Species: Javelina
Javelina Happy Hour This is Passport to Texas Javelina, also called Collared Peccary, is a Texas native and lives in scrubby and arid regions of the state. Similar to hogs in appearance, they are not related. But mistaken identity doesn’t change their...
12.25.2019
Forest Bathing
A moment of meditation at Lockhart State Park This is Passport to Texas An inspired Park Ranger at Lockhart State Park is introducing visitors to a Japanese practice called Shinrin yoku, or forest bathing. Forest bathing is bathing in the forest atmosphere. Lauren Hartwick...
12.24.2019
Designing with Nature in Mind
Nature’s Playscape This is Passport to Texas Thoughtful design plays a key role in meeting the conservation goals of Texas Parks and Wildlife. We are an agency that says: “Life’s better outside.” So, how does that translate into how we make buildings and...
12.19.2019
Butterfly Walks in the Rio Grande Valley
Blue Metalmark: This beautiful blue butterfly is often spotted in the butterfly garden at Resaca de la Palma State Park, and is one of the butterflies that makes the site unique. This is Passport to Texas Butterflies…. They flit. They flutter. And, Resaca de...
12.18.2019
Consider the Golden-Cheeked Warbler
Golden-cheeked warbler This is Passport to Texas Hear that? That’s the Golden-cheeked warbler. The Golden-cheeked Warbler is only in about 33 counties of Texas. It breeds nowhere else on the planet. Texas Parks and Wildlife state ornithologist Cliff Shackelford says we can be very...
12.17.2019
Keep Your Distance from Colonial Waterbirds
Roseate spoonbills & Woodstorks This is Passport to Texas Colonial Waterbirds gather on tiny islands dotted along the Texas Coast. Their beauty and diversity is attractive, but their populations have struggled over the years. Colonial Waterbirds in the past experienced some pretty significant...
12.12.2019
Here Comes the Sun
Running the board for a station that runs on sun. [Image Courtesy of Sun Radio] This is Passport to Texas We all know that plants, wildlife and humans depend on energy from the sun to survive. TPWD even installed 25 solar photovoltaic systems at...
12.11.2019
Renewable Energy at TPWD
It’s getting easier to be green… This is Passport to Texas Texas Parks and Wildlife has been investigating renewable energy purchase options. Through the State Energy Conservation Office there’s a group pulling together government entities to do a bulk purchase of renewable energy. Andee...
12.10.2019
Sustainability at Parks and Wildlife
Turning on renewable energy with Green Mountain. This is Passport to Texas Since 2010 Texas Parks and Wildlife has been exploring renewable energy options such as solar and wind technologies The state Energy Conservation office offered grants to state agencies who applied to...
12.05.2019
Why Parks Benefit People
Walt Dabney takes a stroll on his mountain bike. This is passport to Texas From 1999 until his retirement in 2010, Walt Dabney served as Texas State Park Director, leaving behind an improved state park system that observers say ranks among the...
12.04.2019
Gifts for the Conservation Minded
Give a gift of the outdoors. [Big Bend Ranch State Park] This is Passport to Texas Holiday gift giving season is upon us, and if you have nature lovers on your list—the giving is easy—and twice as nice. A seventy-dollar Texas State Parks...
12.03.2019
Holiday Fun Awaits You in State Parks
Barrington Farm Christmas This is Passport to Texas The holiday season is a special time to visit your state parks. Parks throughout Texas offer festive activities that could cause even old Scrooge, himself, to crack a smile. During the entire month of December...
11.28.2019
Know Hunting, Know Food with Jacques Pepin
Chef Jacques-Pepin, photo KQED This is Passport to Texas If you watch PBS television cooking shows, you’ve probably seen this man: My name is Jacques Pepin. 83-year-old Jacques Pepin is a classically trained French chef, author, and PBS cooking show host. He says in...
11.27.2019
Game Need Not Taste Gamey
Wild turkey cooked and ready to enjoy. This is Passport to Texas Don’t give up on eating wild game and fish because you think it tastes funny. Most wild game and fish, if it’s off-tasting, is ruined between the kill and the kitchen,...
11.26.2019
Braising them Slowly with Chris Kimball
Christopher Kimball, host Milk Street on PBS This is Passport to Texas Christopher Kimball hosted America’s Test Kitchen, Cook’s Country and now Milk Street on PBS. He is a hunter in his home state of Vermont. Yet, wild game cookery isn’t something...
11.21.2019
The Secret Lives of Marsh Birds
Least Bittern This is Passport to Texas Did you know there’s a secret gang of aviators hiding out on the Texas Coast? They’re not often seen. They’re more often heard. Trey Barron is a Wildlife Diversity Biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife. He’s talking...
11.20.2019
Buff-Breasted Sandpiper
By Tim Lenz from Ithaca – Buff-breasted Sandpiper Uploaded by Snowmanradio, CC BY 2.0 This is Passport to Texas The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is a small tan colored shorebird that stops to refuel in Texas during its long journey North. It’s a bird that...
11.19.2019
Texas Christmas Bird Count 2019-2020
Christmas Bird Count participants. Photo: Camilla Cerea/Audubon This is Passport to Texas For Texas birders it is sheer delight now that the annual Christmas Bird Count is nearly in sight. The Christmas Bird Count is a fantastic way for people to get involved...
11.14.2019
Fun with Fishes at Sea Center Texas
Sea Center Texas This is Passport to Texas Located in Lake Jackson, Sea Center Texas is a marine aquarium, fish hatchery and education center providing creative learning opportunities throughout the year. Right now, the main educational opportunity that we have are Summer Camps....
11.13.2019
A Walk on the Wild Side of a Backyard
Amy and Caleb Maxwell This is Passport to Texas Your backyard is a wild place filled with wild things. To see them, slow down, look and listen. My colleague Randall Maxwell’s children, 17-year-old Amy and 14-year-old Caleb shared their thoughts on backyard...
11.12.2019
Passion for Water and Woodworking = New Career
Surfing at South Padre This is Passport to Texas As a kid, Tony Smith loved knowing how things worked and creating with his hands; he also had a passion for water. We grew up in Houston and so we would go down and...
11.07.2019
Wet and Wonderful Paddling Trails
The Lady Bird Lake Paddling Trail is approximately 11 miles long and features multiple public access sites and recreational opportunities. The Lady Bird Lake Paddling Trail provides an excellent venue for the novice and experienced paddler alike. This is Passport to...
11.06.2019
Variety Defines Nature Tourism
Preparing for a star party, image Chris Oswalt, TPWD This is Passport to Texas The term “nature tourism” has evolved to include a diverse range of outdoor activities. Advancements in new tools and technologies enhance the outdoor experience. Nature tourism is any kind...
11.05.2019
Texas: Blazing Trails in Nature Tourism
Hawk Tower Bird Watching. This is Passport to Texas Texas Parks and Wildlife brought the nature tourism movement to Texas in the 1990’s. Madge Lindsay worked with a couple of other people and developed this idea of a birding trail. Shelly Plante is the...
10.31.2019
Centennial Artist Clemente Guzman
Centennial Artist, Clemente Guzman This is Passport to Texas I love nature. I love being outside. Artist Clemente Guzman has a genuine affection for the outdoors. He spent twenty-nine and a half years at Texas Parks and Wildlife depicting the natural beauty of...
10.30.2019
Centennial Artists and Texas State Parks
Texas State Parks. This is Passport to Texas The year 2023 is the centennial anniversary of Texas State Parks, and thirty-one Texas artists have been chosen to create illustrations for a printed book about the State Park System. The whole history of conservation...
10.29.2019
Ocelot Habitat Restoration
Endangered Ocelot This is Passport to Texas The endangered Ocelot once roamed many parts of Texas. But over the years, loss of their native thorn-scrub habitat has left only a handful of Ocelots in the Rio Grande Valley. We need to restore their...
10.24.2019
The Lesser Prairie Chicken
Lesser prairie-chicken. Image courtesy USFWS This is Passport to Texas The Lesser Prairie Chicken used to roam many parts of Texas. But over the years, the wide-open grassland prairies they depend on have been greatly reduced by development and land fragmentation. Lesser Prairie...
10.23.2019
Children Learning About Nature
Camp Wildflower, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Image courtesy of wildflower.org. This is Passport to Texas This is called the Dino Creek. Or Dinosaur Creek… The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center located in Austin is grooming the conservationists of tomorrow. Camp Wildflower is showing and...
10.22.2019
Dead Zones Tell No Tales
Gulf of Mexico This is Passport to Texas Every year the Gulf of Mexico endures Dead Zones. Areas of low-oxygenated water where animals suffocate and die. The condition is called hypoxia, and scientists estimate this year’s dead zone could be one of the...
10.17.2019
Great Comeback for Whooping Cranes
Whooping crane pair at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge This is Passport to Texas The majestic Whooping Crane is the tallest bird in North America and has a wingspan of seven and a half feet. But even with its impressive size, the Whooping...
10.16.2019
Learning to Hunt
Steve Hall teaching a Hunter Education Class This is Passport to Texas For many, hunting is learned as a family tradition, passed down from elders to future generations. But if hunting wasn’t shared among your friends and family, and you want to...
10.15.2019
Hunter Readiness: Preparing for the Season
Hunter Education Class: TPWD employee Joshua Ndegwa takes shooting instructions form Hunter Education Coordinator Steve Hall. This is Passport to Texas Deer season is fast approaching, and hunter readiness is key to experiencing a safe and successful hunt. Preparation, Practice and Planning for...
10.10.2019
Big Time Wild Hog Adventure
Wild Hog Adventure winner , his hunting buddies and their harvest. This is Passport to Texas Feral Hogs are an interesting predicament we have here in Texas. Justin Dreibelbis is the Private Lands and Public Hunting Program Director at Texas Parks and Wildlife. They...
10.09.2019
Big Time Waterfowl Adventure
2017 winner, Drew Lillie (on left), and friends after a successful hunt. This is Passport to Texas Would you like to go duck hunting on the Texas Gulf Coast? Or in the flooded-timber of East Texas? Well you don’t have to choose just...
10.08.2019
Big Time Nilgai Antelope Safari
2018 Nilgai Antelope Safari winner, Craig McCallum, with his bounty. This is Passport to Texas Often times if you’re not careful, they see you or hear you long before you see them. Justin Dreibelbis is the Private Lands and Public Hunting Program Director...
10.03.2019
On Deck for a Grand Slam
2018 Grand Slam winner, Greg May ,at right, with his stepson Cauy and their professional guide, Greg Horak. Greg harvested a very nice 6½ year old 11-point mule deer that gross scored 171. This is Passport to Texas It’s time to step...
10.02.2019
Big Time Gator Hunt
American Alligator This is Passport to Texas It’s hard to find a hunt that will make your eyes wider and your heart beat faster than looking for alligators in the swamps of East Texas. American Alligators are a really a conservation success story. Justin...
10.01.2019
The Deadline to Hunt Big is Nearing
Let’s Hunt BIG! This is Passport to Texas For just 9 dollars you can enter to win a Big Time Texas Hunts package and support wildlife conservation at the same time. Big Time Texas Hunts is a conservation fundraiser. Justin Dreibelbis is the Private...
09.26.2019
TPW TV–The Kraken Revisited
The Kraken doing its job as an artificial reef. This is Passport to Texas Early in 2017, Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Artificial Reef Program created a new underwater oasis for marine life by using a 371-foot cargo ship called The Kraken; sunk...
09.25.2019
State Park Trails
Mountain Biking at Big Bend Ranch State Park This is Passport to Texas Texas Parks and Wildlife’s recreational trails program develops new pathways in the state through a competitive grant program. Trails allow visitors to enjoy scenic vistas, pursue recreational sports, escape...
09.24.2019
Hikes and Walks in Texas State Parks
Takings a perky pup for a walk with the family in a state park. This is Passport to Texas Hiking opportunities at Texas state parks are varied. There are 1100 miles of trails and dozens of daily organized treks. Some of them...
09.19.2019
Big Time Texas Hunts Exotic Safari
Mason Mountain WMA–location of the Big Time Texas Hunts Exotic Safari. This is Passport to Texas Have you ever dreamed of hunting the kind of game only found on other continents? Then Big Time Texas Hunts Exotic Safari may be for you....
09.18.2019
TPW TV–Swift Saviors
Nesting chimney swift. This is Passport to Texas Chaetura [KAY-tura] Canyon… is a chimney swift sanctuary of sorts, found in the growing city of Lakeway…just west of Austin. Their numbers are declining dramatically, they’re down by probably fifty, sixty percent since the sixties...
09.17.2019
Kayaking in Texas State Parks
Kayak fishing at Gum Slough, part of the Hen House Ridge Unit at Martin Dies SP This is Passport to Texas Have you always wanted to learn to kayak? Then we have some great news! Ten state parks teach the basics of...
09.12.2019
Alligator Gar and Thermonuclear Weapons Testing
Alligator gar: What a lovely smile. This is Passport to Texas Here’s a fish story about alligator gar, a curious biologist and thermonuclear weapons testing. We’ve done a lot of work recently on the alligator gar. Being able to accurately age these fish...
09.11.2019
State of Texas Longhorn Herd
Texas Longhorn This is Passport to Texas The longhorn is a true Texas icon. This distinctive breed has played a role in Texas’ heritage. In the early 20’s Frank Dobie and a couple of other ranchers decided that the longhorn was so important...
09.10.2019
Dealing with Snakes
Albino Garter Snake This is Passport to Texas What should you do if you see a snake around your home? You can run into a snake anywhere. I’ve seen snakes in downtown Houston. Like all animals, snakes need food and shelter, so if you’re...
09.05.2019
TPW TV–Adult Onset Hunting
In a deer blind on a mentored hunt for adults. This is Passport to Texas During fall hunting season we join with friends and family in the field. Skill and luck ensure that we bring home quality protein for the table. But...

What's Passport to Texas about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Passport to Texas episodes:

Start the New Year with a First Day Hike

Forgotten Species: Javelina

Forest Bathing

Designing with Nature in Mind

Butterfly Walks in the Rio Grande Valley

Consider the Golden-Cheeked Warbler

Keep Your Distance from Colonial Waterbirds

Here Comes the Sun

Renewable Energy at TPWD

Sustainability at Parks and Wildlife

Why Parks Benefit People

Gifts for the Conservation Minded

Holiday Fun Awaits You in State Parks

Know Hunting, Know Food with Jacques Pepin

Game Need Not Taste Gamey

Braising them Slowly with Chris Kimball

The Secret Lives of Marsh Birds

Buff-Breasted Sandpiper

Texas Christmas Bird Count 2019-2020

Fun with Fishes at Sea Center Texas

A Walk on the Wild Side of a Backyard

Passion for Water and Woodworking = New Career

Wet and Wonderful Paddling Trails

Variety Defines Nature Tourism

Texas: Blazing Trails in Nature Tourism

Centennial Artist Clemente Guzman

Centennial Artists and Texas State Parks

Ocelot Habitat Restoration

The Lesser Prairie Chicken

Children Learning About Nature

Dead Zones Tell No Tales

Great Comeback for Whooping Cranes

Learning to Hunt

Hunter Readiness: Preparing for the Season

Big Time Wild Hog Adventure

Big Time Waterfowl Adventure

Big Time Nilgai Antelope Safari

On Deck for a Grand Slam

Big Time Gator Hunt

The Deadline to Hunt Big is Nearing

TPW TV–The Kraken Revisited

State Park Trails

Hikes and Walks in Texas State Parks

Big Time Texas Hunts Exotic Safari

TPW TV–Swift Saviors

Kayaking in Texas State Parks

Alligator Gar and Thermonuclear Weapons Testing

State of Texas Longhorn Herd

Dealing with Snakes

TPW TV–Adult Onset Hunting