BRADY – The Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s McCulloch County Ag and Natural Resources Committee will conduct a free range and wildlife tour on Oct. 19.
The tour begins with a 7:45-8:30 a.m. registration at the Ed Davenport Civic Center in Brady. The day’s activities will include a noon meal and should conclude by 4:30 p.m.
Five Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be available for those with a private pesticide applicators license.
Vance Christie, AgriLife Extension agent in McCulloch County, said the focus of this year’s program will be the use of prescribed burning in management strategies for livestock and wildlife production.
“The program should be of great interest to landowners, producers and wildlife enthusiasts,” Christie said. “We’ll tour a plot at Brady Lake that’s just recently been burned for the second time in as many years. We’ll also visit a large pasture burn done on the Winters Ranch in 2009 and then view mechanical and chemical brush-control plots that were later burned on the Quinn Ranch.”
Speakers and their topics will include Dr. Charles “Butch” Taylor, superintendent of the Texas AgriLife Research station at Sonora, who will speak on using prescribed fire to mitigate wildfires and improve habitat. Dr. Charles Hart, AgriLife Extension range specialist at Stephenville, will discuss new brush control technologies. Dr. Michael Masser, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist at College Station, will address private-waters fish production and habitat improvement.
Christie said the catered noon meal is being sponsored by local agribusinesses, but room is limited, so all participants should RSVP to the AgriLife Extension office in McCulloch County by calling 325-597-1295 no later than noon Oct. 15.
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