Nature Conservancy of Texas to host Iraan/Sheffield Kid Fish at Nature Conservancy’s Independence Creek Preserve

Kids invited to fish, swim, watch wildlife

San Antonio, Texas—April 6, 2006—The Nature Conservancy of Texas will hold an Iraan/Sheffield-area Kid Fish at Independence Creek Preserve from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 22. The event is free and open to kids in those communities from kindergarten through eighth grade. Advanced registration is required by April 17, 2006.

Sponsors for the event include Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Trans Pecos Banks – Iraan, CUDD, B&K Trucking and Thunderhead Weed Wash. Independence Creek Preserve is located 22 miles south of Sheffield on Highway 349.

Attendees will be able to take part in a morning of programs including angler education, water safety, game laws and fish identification. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided for lunch, along with drinks and snacks throughout the day. After lunch, participants will have the rest of the day to practice their fishing skills or enjoy a swim at the lakes within the preserve headquarters. Fishing gear will be provided by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for those who do not have their own.

Kids will be able to compete for prizes in several categories, including largest fish, smallest fish, most fish caught, most species caught and others. Participants should bring towels and swimwear, fishing gear if they have it, sunscreen and a hat. Restrooms are available at the pavilion. Alcoholic beverages, firearms, stereos and TVs are prohibited. For safety reasons, children must be supervised by their parents or other designated adults. No pets of any kind will be permitted.

Attendees should keep in mind that the Independence Creek Preserve is a wildlife sanctuary and that snakes, skunks and other wild animals may be present. Native American or other historic artifacts may be examined and appreciated but may not be removed. Vehicles must remain on roads unless otherwise directed by preserve staff.

To register and obtain directions, call Lisa Wrinkle at (432) 345-6773 or e-mail her at lwrinkle@tnc.org, or call Chris Amthor at (432) 639-2318 or e-mail him at chris.amthor@tpwd.state.tx.us.

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The Nature Conservancy is an international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy and its nearly 1 million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped protect more than 117 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. In the Lone Star State, The Nature Conservancy of Texas owns 35 nature preserves and conservation projects and assists private landowners to conserve their land through more than 70 voluntary land-preservation agreements. The Nature Conservancy of Texas protects 250,000 acres of wild lands and, with partners, has conserved close to a million acres for wildlife habitat across the state. Visit The Nature Conservancy of Texas on the Web at nature.org/texas.