KERRVILLE — It’s billed as a working summit. Some 300 environmentalists, agriculturists and others will meet Nov. 14-15 at the YO Holiday Inn here to sort out differences and common interests concerning natural resource policy for the 21st Century.
The first-of-its kind summit will host the Audubon Society and Nature Conservancy along with the Texas Farm Bureau and numerous farmers and ranchers. The hope is to come up with some action plans that could lead to efforts to conserve land, water and wildlife resources while respecting private property owners, according to organizers of Summit III: Environmental and Natural Resource Policy for the 21st Century.
Summit III, the next in a series of summit initiatives begun in Texas two years ago, at the YO Holiday Inn in Kerrville seeks public input that may lead to changes in legislation, agency guidelines, education and research.
“The bulk of the conference will be spent in concurrent working sessions where attendees will discuss issues and options for addressing the state’s problems of water quality and availability, pressure for public access and the fragmentation of land, and the maintenance of biodiversity and wildlife habitat,” said Dr. Bob Brown, Texas A&M University wildlife and fisheries sciences head. Brown is co-chairing the summit with Dr. Bob Whitson, Texas A&M University rangeland ecology and management department head.
To prepare summit-goers for the meeting, a booklet is being mailed in advance outlining recent trends in Texas demographics, rural and urban economics, water quality/quantity/use, land use, air quality, erosion and biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Conferees will hear brief summaries of those topics and updates on activities of previous summits, and learn about several successful conservation stories from Texas and other states. The booklet also may be viewed on the Web at http://agsummit.tamu.edu/sum3.htm
Special speakers include Rodney Wetherly of Heritage Beef Cattle Co. and John Flicker of the National Audubon Society. Gov. George W. Bush will address the conference via a video message.
The remainder of the summit will center on round table discussions – – where people with diverse backgrounds will have the opportunity to exchange ideas for solving our natural resource problems — and in breakout sessions where recommendations on the issues into action plans.
The summit begins at 8:30 a.m., Nov. 14. Presentations on Texas trends will include: population and economic trends, Dr. Lonnie Jones, Texas A&M University agricultural economics department; air and water quality, John Baker, Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission; water supply and demand, Tommy Knowles, Texas Water Development Board; land use, Wes Oneth, Natural Resources Conservation Service; and, biodiversity/wildlife, Andy Sansom, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The summit initiative task force reports will include: Water Rights, Ron Lacewell, Texas A&M Agriculture Program assistant vice chancellor; Communications, Gene Hall, Texas Farm Bureau; Leadership, Charlotte Watson, Texas Association of Family and Community Education Association; Education, Guy Finstad, Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas; and, Competitiveness, Robert Wood, Norwest Bank.
At 3 p.m. Nov. 14, participants will choose among five breakout sessions: water availability, moderated by Haskell Simon, Texas R.I.C.E.; water quality, Ross Wilson, Texas Cattle Feeders Association; land-use/fragmentation, Robert Potts, Nature Conservancy; land use/pressure for access, Joe Fitzsimons, San Pedro Ranch; biodiversity/wildlife habitat, Jim Teer, Welder Wildlife Foundation.
These sessions will identify problems and produce possible solutions which will be ranked by all participants. The outcome will be reviewed during breakfast at 7 a.m., Nov. 15. Strategy planning sessions will follow from 8-11 a.m. with participants attending the issue planning group of choice. Facilitators will report on the outcome at 11 a.m. and the summit will conclude at noon with a news conference to announce results and possible strategy that may be pursued by interested persons.
To register, request the Summit III brochure by calling (409) 847- 9066, Texas A&M University’s Agriculture Program Office of External Affairs. Hotel reservations may be made by calling the YO Holiday at (800) 531-2800 inside Texas or (210) 257-4440.
-30-