Farmers, Ranchers, Master Naturalists, agency personnel, educators, and the interested public are invited to attend a Playa Field Day presented by Ogallala Commons (www.ogallalacommons.org) on Tuesday, October 14th from 9:30am-2:00pm beginning at Joe’s Pizza & Pasta (19151 I-40 Frontage Rd) in Bushland, TX. The field day will provide information about playa ecosystems and restoration programs, including presentations on upland gamebird management and warm season grass species suited for the Southern High Plains. A tour of grass trials at the Bushland TX AgriLife Experiment Station, plus a trip to a nearby playa will be held after lunch.

Those attending the Field Day should gather at 9am at Joe’s Pizza & Pasta for registration and refreshments. At 9:40am, an overview of playa ecosystems and the Texas Playa Conservation Initiative will be given by Heather Johnson, Migratory Game Bird Specialist: Region I, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Littlefield, TX. Next, “Supporting Upland Game Birds around Playas & Grass Buffers" will be outlined by Nolan Talkington, Coordinating Wildlife Biologist- Texas Panhandle Quail Forever, Amarillo, TX. After a break, the final presentation entitled, “Successful Grass Options for Playa Uplands & Grass Buffer” will be offered by Jameson Crumpler, Assistant Director, Texas Native Seeds Program, CKWRI, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Lubbock, TX.

At 11:30am, the group will have lunch, followed by Closing Remarks at 12:10pm by outdoor writer Jim Steiert from Hereford, TX. At 12:30pm, attendees will depart to tour warm season grass trials at the Bushland TX AgriLife Experiment Station, followed by a visit to a nearby playa led by Nolan Talkington.

Playas are shallow, rain-fed wetlands throughout the Great Plains. When containing surface water, playas provide crucial habitat for many wildlife that depend on water to survive. When dry, playas also support several other Great Plains wildlife species because they are often the only natural lands in a region dominated by agricultural production. Playas also recharge water to the underlying aquifer, filter nutrients and chemicals from the surrounding watershed, and add recreational value to the region.

Registration for the event is $25 per person.

The workshop is presented by Ogallala Commons and sponsored by High Plains Water District, the Dixon Water Foundation, and the Horizon Foundation.

AGENDA:

9:00am Attendees Gather for registration and light refreshments—Joe’s Pizza & Pasta (19151 I-40 Frontage Rd, Bushland, TX 79124)

9:30am Welcome & Overview - Darryl Birkenfeld, Director, Ogallala Commons, and playa landowner

9:40am Playa Ecosystems and TX Playa Conservation Initiative -Heather Johnson, Migratory Game Bird Specialist: Region I, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Littlefield, TX

10:10am Supporting Upland Game Birds Around Playas & Grass Buffers - Nolan Talkington, Coordinating Wildlife Biologist- Texas Panhandle Quail Forever, Amarillo, TX

10:40am Break

11:00am Texas Native Seeds Program: Species Options for Playa Uplands & Buffers - Jameson Crumpler, Assistant Director, Texas Native Seeds Program, CKWRI, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Lubbock, TX

11:30am Pizza & Pasta Lunch

12:10pm Closing Remarks by Jim Steiert Outdoor Writer and playa enthusiast, Hereford, TX

12:30pm Field Tour of warm season grass trials at Bushland TX AgriLife Experiment Station and a visit to a nearby playa

2:00pm Adjourn