HPWD staff members Jason Coleman, Jennifer McClendon, and DJ Warrick recently attended the Ogallala Commons Field Day in Hockley County, near Pep. HPWD is a sponsor of these educational workshops.
Playa lakes are focal recharge points for the Ogallala Aquifer, so the restoration of playa basins is of interest to landowners.
Stewarding Natural Resources
Ogallala Commons organizes field days and educational events that help landowners, agency personnel, students, communities, and the interested public to revitalize and conserve our natural resources. The purpose of Playa Field Days is general information about playa ecosystems as well as playa restoration options available through our collaborators USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service, USDA Farm Services Administration, and the Texas Playa Conservation Initiative. The aim of OC’s Stewarding Our Aquifer Field Days is to provide information about management practices that can reduce or stabilize groundwater depletion levels in the region, as well as assist in the transition from irrigated agriculture to rainfed agriculture— practices which include improving soil health, using cover crops, pasture-based agriculture, and greatly limiting or discontinuing irrigation.
PLAYA FESTIVALS
The realities of High Plains water cycle aren’t always easy to see, so our Playa Festival makes it come alive for students with demonstrations and field trips that show playa basins, flora and fauna, local watershed carved by draws and creeks, and the Ogallala Aquifer in real-life situations. The ecological keystones of our region’s water cycle are an estimated 60,000 playa basins. We may not have rivers, but the Southern High Plains has more playas than anywhere in the world. Playas are often dry, which is normal and natural, but when filled with water after heavy rains, playas become supercharged oases of life! Though ignored and neglected, playas are among the most important and most endangered wetlands in North America. Playas also provide the main recharge to the Ogallala Aquifer, and are vital to local ecosystems and economies. Our festivals are designed to fit with the school day, and students learn about playa ecology and the water cycle through science, history, biology, art and creative writing.
PLAYA CLASSROOM
In June of 2010, Ogallala Commons completed construction of the Playa Classroom. It is an education facility on a 20 acre playa wetland dedicated to educating the public about playas, giving visitors a unique opportunity to touch, see and experience a prairie wetland. The project was sponsored by USFW Partners for Wildlife, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Natural Resource Conservation Service, The Dixon Water Foundation, and Texas Parks and Wildlife. Guided tours and class field trips are available. For more information contact Darryl Birkenfeld, Ph.D., at (806) 9452255.
PLAYA FIELD DAYS Four times each year, Ogallala Commons conducts Playa Field Days for landowners, agency personnel, youth, and anyone interested.
These morning-to-lunch educational events are geared toward conservation of playa basins and their adjoining watershed, and include topics such as planned grazing management, identifying playa plants, understanding the role of playa critters like amphibians, waterfowl, shore birds, and macroinvertebrates, in addition to learning about conservation practices and cost-share programs that help to restore playa wetlands. We will post upcoming events and agendas on this page as they become available. If you would like to be included on our email list in order to receive notifications of these types of events, Email Darryl Birkenfeld or give him a call at 806-945-2255.