Friday, November 2, 2012

Fall 12' Playa Festivals



This season the Ogallala Commons conducted 7 playa festivals including kids from the Texas panhandle and eastern New Mexico. The festivals were put together and operated by Darryl Birkenfeld and Julie Hodges with the assistance of speakers from Texas Tech, West Texas A&M University, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife services, the South Plains Wildlife Rehab in Lubbock TX, as well as independent professionals. 
 
The first festival was on Thursday September 27th in Dora NewMexico for the 5th graders of Dora NM, Whiteface TX, and Morton TX. The festival was headed by Julie Hodges. Presentations were given by Justin Trammell, a graduate student at West Texas A&M University, Jim Steiert, an outdoor writer from Herford TX, Tish Stewart, an educator form Clovis NM, and Julie Hodges from the Ogallala Commons. The presentations were started by Julie Hodges who gave presentations on basic playa facts as well as the importance and how to keep a nature journal. The kids were then split into four groups which rotated between the four speakers. Justin Trammell gave a presentation on the micro, and macro-invertebrates found in playa lakes and the ecosystems that accompany them. Jim Steiert gave a presentation on waterfowl that can be found in playa lakes as well as the importance of buffers for playa lakes. Tish Stewart gave a presentation on the composition of playa soils and what makes them unique as well as the different species of plants that are associated with playa lakes. Julie Hodges gave a presentation on bird identification. After the rotations were over lunch was served. After lunch the kids loaded on to busses and were driven to a local playa where they were able to get out and experience all you can find in playas. With the help of the presenters the kids found funnel web spiders, spike rushes, ornate box turtles, and many other types of plants and animals. The kids collected the things they found for their classroom projects. After the kids had explored the playa the festival came to a close.

The second festival was held on October 3rd in Nazareth Texas for the 5th graders of Farwell and Nazareth. The festival was headed by Darryl Birkenfeld. Presentations were given by Justin Trammell, a graduate student at West Texas A&M University, Jim Steiert, an outdoor writer from Herford TX, Jimmy Walker, a graduate student from West Texas A&M University, and Darryl Birkenfeld, director of Ogallala Commons. The kids met at the Home Mercantile in Nazareth, TX. The first presentation was by Darryl Birkenfeld who went over basic playa facts, the water cycle, and the importance of nature journals. The kids were then transported just south of Nazareth to the Playa Classroom. There they were split into three groups who rotated between the speakers. Justin Trammell gave a presentation on the micro, and macro-invertebrates found in playa lakes and the ecosystems that accompany them. Jim Steiert gave a presentation on waterfowl that can be found in playa lakes as well as the importance of buffers for playa lakes. Jimmy Walker gave a presentation on playa raptors and their importance in the ecosystem. The kids then came back to the Home Mercantile where they ate lunch, after which the festival was concluded. 

  Intern Justin Trammell giving a presentation on the Micro and Macro-invertebrates found in playa lakes

Little "J" consuming a mouse
                    





The third festival was held on October 9th in Canadian Texas for the 5th graders of Canadian. The Festival was headed by Darryl Birkenfeld. . Presentations were given by Justin Trammell, a graduate student at West Texas A&M University, Jim Steiert, an outdoor writer from Herford TX, Jimmy Walker, a graduate student from West Texas A&M University, Janet Guthrie, who is with the Hemphill County UWCD, and Darryl Birkenfeld, director of Ogallala Commons. The students were split into two groups who attended presentations by Darryl Birkenfeld and Jim Steiert. The first presentation was given by Jim Steiert on the Highplains water cycle and why it matters. It was then followed by Darryl Birkenfeld who gave a presentation on how to keep and the importance of nature journals. The students were then split into three groups who listened to presentations by Justin Trammell, Jimmy Walker, and Jim Steiert. Justin Trammell gave a presentation on the micro, and macro-invertebrates found in playa lakes and other bodies of water and the ecosystems that accompany them. Jim Steiert gave a presentation on waterfowl that can be found in aquatic systems as well as the importance of buffers for aquatic systems. Jimmy Walker gave a presentation on raptors and their importance in the ecosystem.
 Justin Trammell and Micro-invertebrates






 The students and presenters then ate lunch after which Janet Guthrie who gave a presentation over water budgets and how to better conserve water, after which the students and presenters traveled to the Canadian River where the students collected organisms and plants from the river ecosystem. 

Intern Justin Trammell helping students capture organisms from the river

Damselfly






These included whirly-gig beetles, minnows, spike rush, willows, and wolf spiders as well as many other numerous plants and animals. At the end Justin Trammell gave an overview of salt cedar and how it affects our area as well as the salt cedar beetle and its current effects on slat cedar populations. The students then went back to school which concluded the festival. 



Learning about salt cedar and the beetle that eats it


Intern Justin Trammell and Director Darryl Birkenfeld assist students with identification



The fourth festival was held on October 16th in Sudan, Texas for the 5th graders of Sudan and Amhurst. The festival was headed by Julie Hodges.  Presentations were given by Justin Trammell, a graduate student at West Texas A&M University, Jim Steiert, an outdoor writer from Herford TX, Julie Hodges from the Ogallala Commons, and Gail Barnes with South Plains Wildlife Rehab in Lubbock TX. Julie Hodges started the morning by giving a presentation on basic playa facts as well as the importance and how to keep a nature journal. The students were then split into two groups who listened to a presentation by Justin Trammell over the micro and macro-invertebrates found in playa lakes as well as another presentation by Julie Hodges on playa plants and soils. The students then ate lunch and boarded busses which took them to Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. Once they arrived at the refuge they listened to a presentation by Jim Steiert gave a presentation on waterfowl that can be found in playa lakes as well as the importance of buffers for playa lakes as well as a presentation by Gail Barnes on the local raptors and their importance in the ecosystem. The students then toured the refuge led by Jude Smith, the manager of the refuge. The students toured Paul’s Lake where they were able to see many different types of waterfowl, sandhill cranes and even a coyote as well collect items for their class’s scavenger bags, after which the festival concluded and the students returned to their prospective schools. 


The fifth festival was held on October 18th on the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge for the high school students of an alternative high school in Pep, TX. The Festival was headed by Julie Hodges. Presentations were given by Justin Trammell, a graduate student at West Texas A&M University, Jim Steiert, an outdoor writer from Herford TX,  Julie Hodges from the Ogallala Commons, and Gail Barnes with South Plains Wildlife Rehab in Lubbock TX. Julie Hodges started the morning by giving a presentation on basic playa facts as well as the importance and how to keep a nature journal. The students were then split into three groups who listened to presentations by Justin Trammell, Jim Steiert, and Gail Barnes. Justin Trammell gave a presentation on the micro, and macro-invertebrates found in playa lakes and the ecosystems that accompany them. Jim Steiert gave a presentation on waterfowl that can be found in playa lakes as well as the importance of buffers for playa lakes. Gail Barnes gave a presentation on local raptors and their importance in the ecosystem. The students then ate lunch and went on a guided tour of the refuge led by Jude Smith. The students toured Paul’s Lake where they observed many different types of waterfowl as well as a salina. The students filled their scavenger bags with feathers, natural salt, mummified predaceous diving beetles, and mummified tiger salamanders as well as many other natural wonders. After which the students returned to school and examined their findings concluding the festival. 
Gail and her friends

Getting down to the nitty gritty of aquatic sampling

Learning about wildlife guzzlers and rainwater harvesting



The sixth festival was held on October 23rd in Clovis New Mexico for the 5th graders of Zia Elementary school. The festival was headed by Julie Hodges.  Presentations were given by Justin Trammell, a graduate student at West Texas A&M University, Jim Steiert, an outdoor writer from Herford TX, Julie Hodges from the Ogallala Commons, and Robert Martin from the Nature Conservancy. Julie Hodges started the morning by giving a presentation on basic playa facts as well as the importance and how to keep a nature journal. The students were then split into three groups who listened to presentations by Justin Trammell, Jim Steiert, and Robert Martin. Justin Trammell gave a presentation on the micro, and macro-invertebrates found in playa lakes and the ecosystems that accompany them. Jim Steiert gave a presentation on waterfowl that can be found in playa lakes as well as the importance of buffers for playa lakes. Robert Martin gave a presentation over the amphibians and reptiles found in playa lakes. After which the students ate lunch and then walked to a close by playa-turned-park. With the help of the presenters the students explored the playa and filled their scavenger bags with feathers and plants. They also got to observe checkered garter snakes. After the students finished collecting they walked back to the school and examined their items concluding the festival.
The final festival was held on October 29th on Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge  for the 4th grade students of Bella Vista Elementary school in Clovis, NM. The festival was headed by Julie Hodges.  Presentations were given by Justin Trammell, a graduate student at West Texas A&M University, Jim Steiert, an outdoor writer from Herford TX, Julie Hodges from the Ogallala Commons, and Jessica Kissner, a graduate student at Texas Tech University. Julie gave a short introduction after which the students attended presentations by Justin Trammell, Jim Steiert, and Jessica Kissner. Justin Trammell gave a presentation on the micro, and macro-invertebrates found in playa lakes and the ecosystems that accompany them. Jim Steiert gave a presentation on waterfowl that can be found in playa lakes as well as the importance of buffers for playa lakes. Jessica Kissner gave a presentation on the amphibians and reptiles found in the area. After the presentation the students ate lunch then went on a guided tour with Jude Smith, the manager of Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. The students toured Paul’s Lake and observed many different types of waterfowl as well as some sandhill cranes. The students also got to experience the natural salt left by the salina and fill their scavenger bags with different types of feathers and bones, including a sandhill crane skull and a mummified tiger salamander. The students then traveled back to Clovis concluding the festival. 

The importance of vocabulary

Yummy! Mummified salamanders and bird skulls!


This concludes the playa festivals for fall 12’. Keep an eye out for upcoming events such as the playa field day on November 10th as well as a spring playa festival for Portales, NM and the Ogallala Commons annual conference.