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$45.00/Person
The University of Houston Coastal Center and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are co-hosting the second Coastal Prairies Restoration Practitioners Forum on April 26-27, 2023. Being aware that the Gulf Coast Prairie extends the length of the Texas Gulf Coast east into Louisiana, we are bringing the show on the road and holding the forum in Goliad, Texas, this year. However, we will be addressing topics that will apply to any restoration practitioner in the coastal prairie universe. See detailed agenda below.
Forum sessions will be useful for hands-on practitioners who make decisions on managing invasive species, brush management, seeding native plants, and prescribed grazing. The forum is structured to allow presenters time for an in-depth discussion with attendees in the auditorium and in the field. In partnership with the Goliad County AgriLife Extension Service, Agricultural Pesticide Applicator license holders can receive 3 CEUs for this program.
All indoor presentations will be at the Julie Wimberly Memorial Homemaking Building (location map) in Goliad. The address is 925 US Hwy. 183, Goliad, TX 77963.
The Julie Wimberly MHB is part of the Goliad County Fairground complex, located east of US Hwy. 183 (aka South Jefferson St.) and north of the San Antonio River. Look for the brown sign on the highway marking “Goliad County Fairground.”
When looking up the location of the Julie Wimberly MHB, either of these two street addresses will work:
Entrance to the parking lot is from Ball Park Road.
Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss restoration strategies at sites where prairie restoration and management are in progress. Day 1 of the event opens with a visit to the Grahmann Family Ranch. After the site visit, it is a short drive to Julie Wimberly Homemaking Building for forum registration and a light lunch. Following afternoon presentations/discussions and a BBQ dinner, we will drive to the Wexford Ranches’ Duke Ranch for a tour/discussion and to enjoy Sunset on the Prairie. Both ranches are recipients of TPWD’s Lonestar Land Steward Award. After the presentations conclude on Day 2, we will have a sandwich lunch in Goliad, followed by an optional tour of the Powderhorn Ranch Wildlife Management Area. Directions to all tour sites will be sent to registrants.
Registration will be capped at 50 people so we can assure successful interaction between presenters, attendees, and to facilitate effective field tours.
NOTE: Speaker bios and presentation materials from the 2022 Coastal Prairies Restoration Practitioners Forum are also available.
The registration fee of $45.00/person includes registration for both days of the forum, field site visits, Wednesday dinner, Wednesday and Thursday sandwich lunches, and break refreshments.
11:00 AM START
Site Visit to Grahmann Ranch, Host: Eric Grahmann (Brush Management, Grazing, and Re-seeding Project)
12:30 PM
Leave Grahmann Ranch for Goliad
1:00–1:30 PM
Registration and Light Lunch at Goliad Julie Wimberly Memorial Homemaking Bldg.
1:30–2:15 PM
Huisache Management (Trey Barron, TPWD) - 10–15 minutes for discussion
2:15–3:00 PM
Running Live Oak Management (Dan Walker, TPWD) - 10–15 minutes for discussion
3:00–3:15 PM
Break
3:15–4:00 PM
Chinese Tallow and McCartney Rose Management on the Texas Mid-Coast (Speaker TBD) - 10–15 minutes for discussion
4:00–5:00 PM
Prescribed Grazing (Matt Machacek, NRCS and Grazing Lands Coalition) - 15–20 minutes for discussion
5:00–5:45 PM
BBQ Dinner at Goliad
5:45 PM
Depart for The Duke Ranch, Host: Kai Buckert
6:15–8:30 PM
The Duke Ranch Tour, covering Historic and Current Perspectives of Prairie Management, until Sunset on the Prairie (8 PM)
8:30 PM
Leave The Duke Ranch for Lodging
8:00–8:20 AM
Registration with Coffee, Juice, and Pastries
8:20–8:50 AM
OWB Current Research and Agri-Life Publications (Meagan Lesak, TPWD) - 10 minutes for discussion
8:50–9:50 AM
Managing OWBs for Structure with Patch Burn Grazing (Dr. Poncho Ortega, Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute) - 10–20 minutes for discussion
9:50–10:05 AM
Break
10:05–10:40 AM
Managing OWB at Mad Island (Stephen Goertz, TNC) - 10–15 minutes for discussion
10:40–10:55 AM
Pure Live Seed, Seed Tags, No-till Seed Drills, Commercial Seed Sourcing, Species Accession, and Seed Collecting (Texas Native Seeds Doug Jobes and Dr. Tony Falk, CKWRI)
11:55 AM–NOON
Closing Remarks and Adjournment
NOON
Sandwich Lunch and Departure to Powderhorn Ranch WMA for Optional Field Visit
1:15 PM
Optional Powderhorn Ranch WMA Visit, covering Applied Brush Management and Prescribed Fire
Lodging is available in Goliad and Victoria. The Hampton Inn in Victoria will have a special “Coastal Prairies” group rate of $87.00/night for a 2-Queen or 1-King bed room. Additional lodging is available in Victoria at the Texas state government rate. The Antlers Inn and Best Western are also located in Goliad.
Hampton Inn
7006 N Navarro St.
Victoria, TX 77904
361-573-9911
Additional lodging is available in Victoria.
Antlers Inn
1013 W Pearl St.
Goliad, TX 77963
361-645-8215
Best Western Plus Goliad Inn and Suites
754 E Pearl St.
Goliad, TX 77963
361-645-3100
If you have questions about the 2023 Coastal Prairie Restoration Practitioners Forum, please contact either of the organizers below:
Evelyn L. Merz
Program Director
UH Coastal Center
elmerz@central.uh.edu
713-201-4061
Tim Siegmund
Private Lands Program Leader
TPWD - Wildlife Division
Tim.Siegmund@tpwd.texas.gov