7:45 am
Check-in Begins
8:20 am
Welcome and Introductions
8:30 – 9:45
Wildlife Management Tax Valuation: An Appraiser’s Perspective
How Do I Qualify, What Are the Rules?
Dr. Gary Underwood and Brian White, Harris County Tax Appraisers
9:45 – 10:00
Break
10:00 – 10:45
Assessing My Property – What Are My Wildlife & Habitat Management Options?
Todd Pilcik, TPWD Wildlife Biologist, District 7
10:45 – 11:30
Creating Small Acreage Prairies from Old Pasture and Prairie Restoration
Tim Siegmund, TPWD Wildlife Biologist, District 5 and Pastures for Upland Birds Program
11:30 – 12:15
Catered Lunch
12:15 – 1:15
Managing Forested Habitats for Wildlife, While Being Fire-wise
John Warner, Texas A&M Forest Service, District Forester
1:15 – 1:30
Break
1:30 – 2:15
Converting an Existing Livestock Pond for Wildlife & Small Pond Management
Alice Best and Niki Ragan, TPWD Inland Fisheries Biologists, Houston District
2:15 – 3:00
Dealing with Invasive Species
Kelly Norrid, TPWD Urban Wildlife Technical Guidance Program, Houston
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
Registration Form is Below on Last Page
Heartwood Chapter
OUR SPEAKERS:
Wildlife Management Tax Valuation: An Appraiser’s Perspective
Dr. Gary Underwood, Harris County Tax Appraiser and
Brian White, Harris County Tax Appraiser
Contact: Harris County Appraisal District, 13013 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77040; Office: 713-957-5231
“Doc” Underwood resides in Katy, is single and has 2 daughters Pam and Heather and 3 grandkids Byrkly, Surcy and Dally. Doc, was
born in Gorman, TX and grew up in Sweeny ,TX. After HS graduation, he enrolled in Navarro Junior College and received his Associate
of Science degree. He then transferred to Sam Houston State University and earned a B. S. in Agricultural Education and then a M. A. in
Reproductive Physiology. Dr. Underwood taught Agricultural Science for 13 years at Cy Fair HS, Gorman HS, and Chico HS. He decided
to work on his Doctorate degree at Texas A&M University where he served on the faculty while finishing his degree. He left A&M in
1991 to start the Agricultural Program at Houston Community College. Doc was the first to graduate from Texas A&M with a doctorate
degree in Beef Cattle Production. Dr. Underwood has owned and operated a ranch consulting business, Total Ranch Concepts, for
over 45 years, working with livestock and wildlife ranches over the southern US states. His family has raised cattle and showed
livestock at all the major livestock shows in Texas. Doc started working for Harris County Appraisal District as Director of Ag/Timber
and Wildlife Appraisal in 1996 and still holds that position today. He is Chairman of the Harris County Agricultural and Natural Resources
Committee, which helps direct AgriLife Extension programs, such as the Pesticide Certification programs and Master Rancher Program.
In his spare time, Doc enjoys riding motorcycles and traveling the U.S. on his trike.
Assessing My Property – What Are My Wildlife & Habitat Management Options?
Todd Pilcik, TPWD Wildlife Biologist, District 7
Todd is a native Texan and works as a TPWD regulatory biologist in Wildlife District 7. His area of responsibility includes Brazoria and
Matagorda counties. Todd enjoys the outdoors, especially fishing.
Creating Small Acreage Prairies from Old Pasture and Prairie Restoration
Tim Siegmund, TPWD Wildlife Biologist, District 5 and Pastures for Upland Birds Program
Contact: 102 Nagle Hall, 2258 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 Office: 979-845-5798; [email protected]
Tim hails from Giddings, TX and attended college at Stephen F. Austin State University. He has worked for TPWD the last 7 years as a
regulatory biologist in the College Station office. He has worked on and enrolled over 2,000 acres into the Pastures for Upland Birds
Program aimed at restoring non-native pastures back to native grasses and forbs/wildflowers. He has presented at a handful of
conferences related to prairie restoration and management. Tim is an avid outdoorsman enjoying birding, plant ID, hunting and
fishing.
Managing Forested Habitats for Wildlife, While Being Fire-wise
John R. Warner, CF, CA; Texas A&M Forest Service, District Forester
Contact: Goodrich W. Jones State Forest, 1328 FM 1488, Conroe, TX 77384; Office: 936-273-2261; [email protected]
John has been with Texas A&M Forest Service for nearly 28 years and has a B.S. from Louisiana Tech University in Forestry/Business
and is working on his M.S. from Stephen F. Austin State University. He is a certified forester and certified arborist. John manages and
has oversight of the W. Goodrich Jones State Forest in Conroe, a 1,700-acre urban forest managed for demonstration, education and
the enjoyment of being outdoors for nearly 100,000 visitors annually. In fact, the Jones State Forest is one of the nation’s largest
managed urban forests. John focuses on building sustainable community partnerships. He utilizes management/care for urban trees
and forests to help individuals, landowners and people of all ages understand the importance and benefits provided by healthy
community trees and forested areas. Working with Texas Master Gardeners and Texas Master Naturalists, many hours of training have
provided thousands of hours of volunteer service work on the state forest and surrounding communities. Also, John’s success in
engaging youth to solve natural resource issues within their own communities has received national recognition.
Converting an Existing Livestock Pond for Wildlife & Small Pond Management
Alice Best and Niki Ragan, TPWD Inland Fisheries Biologists, Houston District
Contact: College Station, 979-272-1430; [email protected] and [email protected]
Alice Best received a B.S. in Marine Science from Eckerd College, St. Petersburg FL, and her M.S. in Fisheries Ecology from Auburn
University, Auburn AL. Her work experience has included fish community research with the TPWD River Studies Team, environmental
DNA surveys for endangered fish species in Alabama, developing a logbook survey program with the offshore charter industry on the
Texas coast, Largemouth Bass population, diet, and growth research in the Mobile Delta, and ichthyological surveys in Alabama,
Mississippi, and Tennessee. Alice is a native Texan and was excited to return to her home state in 2014 when she accepted her current
position as an Assistant District Management Supervisor for the College Station – Houston Inland Fisheries District.
Niki Ragan is a Fisheries Biologist for Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) in the Inland Fisheries Division. She received her B.S.
in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University in 2006 and her M.S. in Biology from Sam Houston State University in
2014. Before graduate school, she worked as a seasonal technician for the Colorado Division of Wildlife (now CO Parks & Wildlife) and
as a technician for TPWD’s Heart of the Hills Fisheries Science Center. After graduate school she worked for Water Monitoring
Solutions, Hageman Reserve, and New Mexico Game & Fish’s Lisboa Springs Fish Hatchery. She returned to TPWD in April 2016 when
she accepted the Urban Expansion Biologist position with the College Station – Houston District office.
Dealing with Invasive Species
Kelly Norrid, TPWD Wildlife Biologist, Urban Wildlife Technical Guidance Program, Houston
Contact: 14320 Garrett Rd, Houston, TX 77044; Office: 281-456-7029 ext. 22; [email protected]
Growing up in southeast Texas, Kelly spent countless hours exploring his backyard - which just happened to be the creeks and game
trails of the Sam Houston National Forest. Using field guides, he taught himself about the plants and animals he was discovering. Kelly
decided to channel his love of the outdoors into a career. His diverse background includes participation with wildlife reintroduction
programs, plant surveys of Buffalo and White Oak Bayous, rare plant surveys throughout southeast Texas. This background led Kelly to
participate in habitat restoration projects throughout the area. This work led Kelly to become proficient in the identification of native
plants and the ecology of southeast Texas. In early 2010, Kelly was hired by Texas Parks and Wildlife to be the Natural Resource
Specialist for Sheldon Lake State Park and later, Davis Hill State Natural Area. This position saw Kelly overseeing the day to day
management of the natural resources of Sheldon Lake and to help lead and manage the habitat restoration efforts for both Sheldon
Lake and Davis Hill. January, 2015, Kelly became part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife, Wildlife Diversity Program by becoming an Urban
Wildlife Biologist serving the Greater Houston/Galveston Area.
DIRECTIONS - Big Stone Lodge in Dennis Johnston Park
Located at 709 Riley Fuzzel Road, Spring 77373. The newly-renovated facility serves as headquarters for Harris County
Precinct 4 Parks Department staff and features programming through Precinct 4’s Community Center/Senior Adult Program.
DIRECTIONS:
From Downtown Houston:
Travel north on the Hardy Toll Road and exit Riley Fuzzel Road
Turn right onto Riley Fuzzel Road
Travel approximately 1/4 mile and turn left into Dennis Johnston Park
From the entrance, follow the road to Big Stone Lodge at the rear of the park.
Traveling North on I-45:
Exit FM 2920 and turn right onto Spring Cypress
Continue on Spring Cypress through Old Town Spring
At the end of Spring Cypress, turn left onto Hardy Road followed by a right onto East Noble Street to reach Aldine Westfield
Turn left onto Aldine Westfield and then turn right at the traffic light onto Riley Fuzzel Road
Pass under the Hardy Toll Road and look for the entrance into Dennis Johnston Park on the left
From the entrance, follow the road to Big Stone Lodge at the rear of the park.
Traveling South on I-45:
Take the Spring Stuebner East exit and keep to the right on feeder road to follow the curve underneath I-45 to Spring Stuebner East
Stay straight on Spring Stuebner until the dead-end and curve at Hardy Road; follow the curve across the railroad tracks onto Riley Fuzzel
Road
Pass under the Hardy Toll Road and look for the entrance into Dennis Johnston Park on the left
From the entrance, follow the road to Big Stone Lodge at the rear of the park.
MANAGING YOUR LAND FOR WILDLIFE WORKSHOP
REGISTRATION FORM
Name ___________________________________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________ City _________________________
Zip Code_______________ Phone Number_____________________
Fax Number for Registration Confirmation (optional) _______________________________________
OR Email for Confirmation (optional) ___________________________________________________
(Email address used for registration confirmation only.)
County(ies) [required] and Acreage of Your Property ______________________________________
_____ Number of Vegetarian Lunches, If Desired
The $30.00 per person fee includes ALL workshop materials and delicious catered lunch.
_____ Number of people registering for Managing Your Land for Wildlife Workshop
Make checks payable to “Heartwood TMN”
MAIL registration form with check to:
Heartwood TMN, Wildlife Workshop, P. O. Box 9611, The Woodlands, TX 77387-9611
If you are registering more than 1 person on this form, please write the names of all the attendees in the space
below or on back of this sheet so that we can have name badges ready for everyone.
QUESTIONS? Please call 281-456-7029 ext. 21 or 22.
TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on
the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a
Text Telephone (TDD) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 7352989. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and
Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.
TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color,
religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an
accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text
Telephone (TDD) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989. If you believe
you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA
22041.