Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Jim Cathey, 979-845-0916, jccathey@ag.tamu.edu
GATESVILLE – Dan Gaskins has been named a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service assistant and will be headquartered at Gatesville, said Dr. Jim Cathey, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist.
“Dan will provide educational programs and landowner assistance across the 13-county Cross Timbers region as part of the Lone Star Healthy Streams Program,” said Cathey, who is also the wildlife and fisheries sciences associate department head at College Station. “More specifically, he’ll be dealing with the program’s feral hog component. He’ll be conducting watershed-based educational programs focused on feral hogs and providing technical assistance to landowners to help them determine a feral hog population reduction strategy that is specific to their needs and their property.”
Gaskins worked as an intern for the Texas A&M Forest Service and recently graduated with a bachelor’s of science degree in forestry from Texas A&M University.
Gaskins will cover the Lake Granbury Watershed in Hood, Parker, Palo Pinto, Ranger, Erath and Jack counties; the Lampasas River Watershed in Bell, Burnet, Coryell, Hamilton, Lampasas, Mills and Williamson counties; and the Leon River Watershed below Proctor Lake and above Belton Lake in Comanche, Hamilton, Erath, Coryell, Mills and Bell counties.
Gaskins is a member of the National eXtension Feral Hog Community of Practice, the Society of American Foresters and the Texas Forestry Association.
“Dan grew up hunting, fishing and camping in the rangelands of Texas and the mountains of New Mexico,” Cathey said. “His passion for the outdoors led him to his career in the wise use and management of natural resources. His distinct educational and personal background will provide him a unique perspective for tackling wildlife challenges, which should serve him well in his new position.”
Gaskin’s position is funded through a Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the U.S Environmental Protection Agency.
Gaskins can be reached at 254-248-0562, dan.gaskins@tamu.edu .
For more information on feral hogs, see: http://feralhogs.tamu.edu http://feralhogreports.tamu.edu and www.extension.org/feral_hogs .
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