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EVENTS 2019
December Social: Happy Holiday Party
CCCA had its first and very fun Holiday Party on Monday, December 9th at the historic Faust Hotel. Cliff Kaplan, our Director-at-Large and HCA Program Manager, was our terrific emcee giving prizes for the craziest nature sweater about land, water, or wildlife. Attendees shared delicious appetizers and holiday cookies. A good time was had by all.
November Outreach: Heritage Day
CCCA had our outreach booth at the New Braunfels Heritage Day celebration, where we shared information about the importance of land preservation, the need to save our water, and what conservation means to wildlife.
Heritage Day is a yearly production by the Heritage Society of New Braunfels which features a day long demonstration of life in early New Braunfels and Texas featuring some of the preeminent living historians in the state. Activities include broom-making, open hearth cooking, weaving, floor cloth painting, calligraphy, music, blacksmithing, and 19th century toys and games.
Heritage Day is a yearly production by the Heritage Society of New Braunfels which features a day long demonstration of life in early New Braunfels and Texas featuring some of the preeminent living historians in the state. Activities include broom-making, open hearth cooking, weaving, floor cloth painting, calligraphy, music, blacksmithing, and 19th century toys and games.
November Outreach: "Fall into Spring"
CCCA had our outreach booth at the Fall Into Spring: Fall Water Conservation Event, where we shared information about the importance of land preservation, the need to save our water, and what conservation means to wildlife.
An important water conservation event, organized by the Canyon Lake Water Service Company, and hosted by Spring Creek Gardens, Fall into Spring is a festival focused on helping customers make landscape changes in the fall and winter so plants have time to get established and need less water to survive the heat in spring and summer. This family friendly event included education stations, a range of children’s activities, and gift-giveaways.
An important water conservation event, organized by the Canyon Lake Water Service Company, and hosted by Spring Creek Gardens, Fall into Spring is a festival focused on helping customers make landscape changes in the fall and winter so plants have time to get established and need less water to survive the heat in spring and summer. This family friendly event included education stations, a range of children’s activities, and gift-giveaways.
November Program: Nature Trails' Positive Impact on Emotional & Physical Health
| community_meeting_nov_2019_nb_trails_capriciosso.docx |
Ylda Capriciosso, New Braunfels Park
​Development Manager
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November Outreach: Fischer Fest
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CCCA had our outreach booth at the Fischer Fest celebration, where we shared information about the importance of land preservation, the need to save our water, and what conservation means to wildlife.
Fischer Fest is one of the smallest and most intimate Music Festivals in New Braunfels. |
Jensie Madden converses with a gentleman about the importance of conserving the water from the Edwards Aquifer.
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October Town Hall: State Propositions on the Ballot
State Representatives Kyle Biedermann (R-D73) and
​Erin Zwiener (D-D45)
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Attendees
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On October 24, CCCA and GEAA cosponsored a Town Hall where State Representatives Kyle Biedermann (R-District 73) and Erin Zwiener (D-District 45) discussed Props 2, 5, and 8, which are on the November 5th ballot and very important for conservation. Both representatives support the propositions.
If you'd like more information on Propositions 2, 5, and 8 go to https://ballotpedia.org/Texas_2019_ballot_measures.
Information about this and other voting facts can be found on http://www.co.comal.tx.us/Elections.htm.
These propositions are very important to Comal County.
- Proposition 2: Authorizes the Texas Water Board to issue bonds for water and sewer projects in economically distressed areas.
- Proposition 5: Ensures the existing sporting goods sales tax will go to the TPWD and Texas Historical Commission for protecting natural areas, water quality, and history.
- Proposition 8: Creates funding for infrastructure for drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects, including “green infrastructure” projects, which use undeveloped land for flood mitigation.
If you'd like more information on Propositions 2, 5, and 8 go to https://ballotpedia.org/Texas_2019_ballot_measures.
Information about this and other voting facts can be found on http://www.co.comal.tx.us/Elections.htm.
These propositions are very important to Comal County.
October Outreach: Arbor Day
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CCCA celebrated the enhanced quality of life trees bring to the community by having our outreach information table at the Arbor Day celebration at Landa Park. The Parks and Recreation Department, along with the New Braunfels Council of Garden Clubs was delighted to offer this FREE family friendly event.
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Elizabeth Bowerman, CCCA President & Jane Finneran, Treasurer staff the Outreach table at Landa Park Arbor Day festivities.
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October Field Trip: "Walk and Talk" Tour of the Headwaters at the Comal
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CCCA sponsored a Walk and Talk Tour of the Headwaters at the Comal. Nancy Pappas, Managing Director of the Headwaters, led the tour which included a walk through a restored native prairie that was reclaimed from an asphalt parking lot, a look into the historic cistern encasing the headwaters springs of the Comal River, a discussion of the archaeological discoveries on the property, and much, much more.
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Attendees
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September Social: Celebration for Conservation 2019
Dancing to the sounds of The Percolators, who played throughout the event for free.
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Who says you can't have fun while raising money and celebrating conservation? There was plenty of both!
On September 17, 2019, CCCA hosted its second annual Celebration for Conservation social and fundraiser at the Gruene Grove Patio Bar. Because of the generous donations of our supporters, individuals, and businesses, we celebrated the beauty of Comal County, with live music, free appetizers, and a very successful silent auction. Anyone who didn't come missed out on the opportunity to bid on so many terrific items. Everyone had the chance to take home a treasure. There was something for everyone. Don't miss your opportunity September 2020. The Celebration wouldn't have gotten off the ground if it weren't for our tireless volunteers who gave it all and more. Thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication to CCCA! |
Behind the crowd are the white tents where the many donations were displayed for the Silent Auction. It was amazing!
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September Outreach: Comal County Fair
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CCCA's outreach information table was at the county fair just inside the North Grant Street gate. The Master Gardeners were kind enough to share their garden space with us again this year. Joel and Glenna Dunnington shared information about our karst aquifer and how it enables rapid recharge after rain events.
Fair goers, especially kids, enjoyed pouring water through our karst rock to see how the aquifer recharges. |
Joel and Glenna Dunnington volunteered to provide information at the CCCA Outreach table.
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August Table Talk: Health & Nature
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Our first Table Talk was "Heath and Nature — How Nature Cures." Held on August 15 at Landa Haus, over 50 guests came to hear practicing counselors discuss how spending time in nature benefits the mental health and well-being of people of all ages, including children with ADD, military veterans suffering from PTSD, depression and detachment in the elderly, as well as those suffering from grief.
Group discussions with the panelists provided guests time to learn more about their specific areas of interest. Thanks to our panelists: Dr. Joey Achacoso, Amy Sugeno, Tammy Brown, Lilia Montes, and Lenny Scott. |
Our first Table Talk on Health & Nature was a big success.
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July Field Trip: Bracken Cave Bat Flight
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On July 20, 34 “Friends of CCCA” took part in a field trip to Bracken Cave to view the natural spectacle known as a “bat emergence.” While the group enjoyed light refreshments, our guide related the story of Bracken Cave and shared some interesting facts about these amazing creatures.
It was the perfect night for watching the bats emerge from the cave, which is stewarded by Bat Conservation International (BCI.) Bracken Cave is the summer home to the largest colony of bats in the world. An estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October making it the largest known concentration of mammals. The bats emerge between 6 and 8 PM flying southeast on a collision course with bugs such as cotton bollworth moths and army cut-worm moths being pushed away from crops southwest by winds. The bats consume several tons of insects per night and are truly a cotton farmer's friend. |
Attendees sit back to enjoy the stories of the Bracken Cave bats and learn how important bats are to cotton farmers .
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June Program: Edwards Aquifer Protection Program
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Grant Ellis, Natural Resources Manager for San Antonio's Parks and Recreation Department
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| Presentation Summary June 2019.pdf |
May Program: "Of Caves & Karst"
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Geary Schindel, Chief Technical Officer for the Edwards Aquifer Authority and President of the National Speleological Society
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| Presentation Summary May 2019.pdf |
April Field Trip: iNaturalist Bioblitz
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A Bioblitz is a defined period of time in which observers make as many good observations of their local flora and fauna as as possible in a defined place. Observations are then published to the international iNaturalist website and contribute to a world-wide database. CCCA designed and led this Bioblitz along the Guadalupe River Trail as part of the 2019 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge Bioblitz.
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Volunteers spent a very hot day making observations of the local flora and fauna.
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April Program: Environmental Conservation
Kevin Thuesen, Environmental Conservation Program Manager for the City of Austin’s Water Quality Protection Lands (WQPL) Program
| Presentation Summary April 2019.pdf |
March Program: “Toward a Land Ethic: A Holistic Approach to Land Management”
Craig Hensley, Wildlife Biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife in Comal and Kendall Counties
| Presentation Summary March 2019.pdf |
CCCA’s March speaker was Craig Hensley, Wildlife Biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife in Comal and Kendall Counties. His presentation, “Toward a Land Ethic: A Holistic Approach to Land Management,” explored the benefits of viewing humans and the natural environment as one ecological system, interacting at all levels. Quoting the philosophy of famous environmentalist Aldo Leopold, Mr. Hensley suggested that understanding the close relationship between humans and nature helps us ensure better compatibility, cooperation and long-term success. He is available to work directly with landowners to incorporate these principles into their wildlife habitat management and other land management efforts.
February Landowner Workshop: "Saving Family Lands"
Spring Branch, Texas — The Comal County Conservation Alliance (CCCA) and the Hill Country Alliance co-hosted the workshop, "Saving Family Lands: Tools for Landowners in Comal County," on February 15, 2019 at the Anhalt Dance Hall in Spring Branch, Texas. The one-day workshop, which highlighted financial and conservation tools available to rural landowners in fast-growing Hill Country counties, attracted 90 attendees. The workshop was designed to provide farmers, ranchers, and other landowners with effective tools and resources to help them address issues inherent in passing family land on to future generations.
February Program: NBU Water Supply & Demand
Ian Taylor, CEO of New Braunfels Utilities
| Presentation Summary Feb 2019.pdf |
CCCA's February 2019 guest speaker was Ian Taylor, CEO of New Braunfels Utilities. Mr. Taylor presented an overview of NBU's water supply and how NBU plans to meet demand given the area's growing population.
January Program: Headwaters at the Comal
Nancy Pappas, Managing Director for Headwaters at the Comal
CCCA's January 2019 guest speaker was Nancy Pappas, Managing Director for Headwaters at the Comal. Ms. Pappas shared New Braunfels Utilities (NBU) mission to restore the 16-acre service center site that it has managed since the 1940s. Recognizing the historical and ecological significance of the site of the headwater springs to the Comal River, NBU embarked on a two-phase project. Phase I focuses on restoration of the natural environment—such as removing asphalt and invasive species and planting native species to restore biodiversity—and improvement of water quality through check dams, berms, and bank stabilization. The project has already reduced pollutants flowing from the site into the Comal by 90%. Phase II of the project will focus on re-purposing the buildings as a community resource with meeting rooms and educational installations. This re-purposing will employ smart building applications, such as the onsite recycling of water for toilets, rainwater harvesting, permeable walkways, and solar panels. Additionally, a Texas State University excavation team uncovered a significant number of prehistoric features and artifacts.
For more info, including tours and programs, visit the Headwaters website: https://www.headwatersatthecomal.com/
For more info, including tours and programs, visit the Headwaters website: https://www.headwatersatthecomal.com/
