A Wild Pig Management workshop will be held Dec. 7 in Lampasas. The workshop is a joint effort between the Lampasas River Watershed Partnership, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the Hill Country Soil and Water Conservation District and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.
The workshop will be held from 1-4 p.m. at the Lampasas County Farm Bureau, 1793 N. U.S. Highway 281. Preregistration is requested by Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. at https://tx.ag/Dec7WildPig or by calling 254-774-6008.
The workshop will provide local landowners with information about wild pigs and the problems they pose to agriculture, ecosystems and the health of humans and animals.
Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units are available to private pesticide applicator licensees — one integrated pest management, one laws and regulations, and one general. The cost for those needing CEUs is $20, payable with cash or check at the door. Otherwise, the event is free.
Threat to waterways, ecosystems
“Wild pigs are a threat to waterways and ecosystems as their numbers rapidly increase across the state every day and cause an estimated $500 million in annual damages,” said Lisa Prcin, AgriLife Research watershed coordinator for the Lampasas River Watershed, Temple. “This program is a great opportunity to learn more about effective management and trapping practices.”
Prcin said feral hogs were identified as a top concern in the Lampasas River Watershed Protection Plan as a contributor of bacteria in the river and stream system.
“Wild pigs continue to have a tremendous impact on agricultural production, water quality, habitat and native species,” said Josh Helcel, AgriLife Extension associate with the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Bryan-College Station. “This workshop will connect producers and landowners with wildlife professionals who will provide information and resources on how to effectively control wild pigs.”
Workshop topics
Heath Lusty, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Lampasas County, said the event will focus on direct instruction and demonstration of methods to control wild pig populations. The topics and information covered will include:
- Basic wild pig ecology and biology.
- Transportation regulations.
- Demonstration of the Pig Brig smart trapping system.
- Unveiling of the Hill Country Soil and Water Conservation District’s new locally led wild pig trap rental program.
Funding and support for the Lampasas Watershed Protection Plan is provided through a Clean Water Act 319 nonpoint source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information about the Lampasas River Watershed Partnership and this program visit www.lampasasriver.org.
For more information, contact Prcin at 254-774-6008 or lprcin@brc.tamus.edu.
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