The Expanding Effort to Protect the Endangered Houston Toad
The Houston toad, once common in Texas piney woods, now survives mainly on the 5,200‑acre Griffith League Scout Ranch in Bastrop County. After the 2011 Bastrop Complex Fire wiped out the local population, recovery programs by the Houston and Fort Worth zoos have restored numbers to 1980s levels, with 710 male toads recorded in 2023. The zoos are scaling up releases, targeting roughly three million eggs in 2024‑2025 and expanding to new sites such as Bastrop State Park and Milam County wetlands. Partnerships with Texas A&M and landowner easement initiatives aim to broaden suitable habitat beyond the historic stronghold.
Stargazing on Mustang Island Has Galactic Appeal
Texas’ Mustang Island State Park hosted a nightly stargazing event led by ranger Ben Taylor, who uses low‑impact red lighting to enhance visibility. Attendees enjoyed unobstructed views of planets, constellations, and upcoming meteor showers thanks to the park’s ocean horizon....
What Bluebonnets Mean to Coahuiltecan Descendants
The Indigenous Cultures Institute (ICI) in San Marcos is using the bluebonnet’s symbolism to revive Coahuiltecan heritage. It produced the play “Yana Wana and the Legend of the Bluebonnet,” now available for digital streaming with educator guides. A new mural...
A Forestry Museum Grows in East Texas
The Texas Forestry Museum in Lufkin celebrated its 50‑year anniversary, highlighting the legacy of East Texas’s once‑thriving lumber industry. Founded in 1976, the nonprofit now operates with three full‑time and three part‑time staff, offering free indoor exhibits and an interactive...
Go Night Kayaking on These Texas Waters
Night kayaking has evolved from a niche activity launched by Paddle SMTX in 2015 into a thriving Texas adventure market. Multiple operators—including Paddle SMTX, Paddle TX, Get Up and Go Kayaking, and Glow Row—now offer guided glow‑in‑the‑dark tours on rivers,...
Texas Artist Tom Lea Captured the Heartbreak of War
In May 2023 a water pipe burst inside the historic R.E. Thomason Federal Building, endangering Tom Lea III’s 54‑foot "Pass of the North" mural. Federal agencies and art conservators dehumidified the wall and restored the artwork without disturbing its lead‑based...
This Modern Honey Stand in Tomball Never Closes
Zachary Tate, a Texas beekeeper, opened a solar‑powered, self‑serve honey kiosk on Lutheran Church Road in Tomball. The kiosk uses QR codes, an AI voice assistant, and a Raspberry Pi‑controlled locker system to sell $15 bottles of raw, pesticide‑free honey harvested...
Jim Martinez Cultivates Lush Gardens in West Texas
Jim Martinez, a Marfa‑based landscape designer, has transformed West Texas’s stark terrain into lush, art‑infused gardens that appear in parks, homes, and memorial sites. His 2019 coffee‑table book *Marfa Garden* showcases striking photography and practical planting advice, cementing his role...
Pedernales Falls Is a Force of Nature
Pedernales Falls State Park, a 5,212‑acre preserve opened in 1971, has been a family recreation hub for the author since moving to Dripping Springs. The park sits amid the rapidly expanding Texas Hill Country, where only 5% of land is...
Amarillo’s Circus Room Walks a Tightrope Between Past and Present
The Circus Room, opened in 1962, is the oldest continuously operating bar on Route 66. Its circus‑themed décor—vintage Ringling Brothers posters, clown signage, and retro figurines—preserves a mid‑century roadside aesthetic. Despite the shift of traffic to Interstate 40, the dive has survived,...