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By LARISSA GRAHAM/The Lufkin Daily News

Carter Smith, executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, repeatedly praised Angelina County’s strong commitment to promoting and preserving state parks during his speech at the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce First Friday luncheon at the Pitser Garrison Civic Center.

In addition, Smith noted the Parks and Wildlife Department’s presence in Angelina County, especially in Lufkin.

“Every element of our mission is represented in this community,” Smith said.

The Parks and Wildlife Department, Smith added, has two goals, the first being to be stewards for state parks, the second to promote outdoor opportunities across multiple demographics.

“We have got to get people outdoors,” Smith said, “to enjoy the natural resources that (Texas) has in abundance.”

During the luncheon, Smith highlighted several topics that are ongoing, including the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Aside from its obvious impacts, such as the way it affects bird, plant and marine species in the Gulf of Mexico and along the coast, Smith noted that many in the Parks and Wildlife Department are concerned about the persistence of the incident. Currently, Smith said, Texas is assisting other states with rehabilitating wildlife affected by the oil spill, along with developing a method to determine the level of contamination if more oil makes its way to Texas shores.

“No one knows, but everyone is working to address this and clean it up,” Smith said. “No one wanted this to happen.”

The Parks and Wildlife Department has several additional projects in the works, Smith said, including a new hatchery on Lake Sam Rayburn. The hatchery will replace an outdated Jasper facility that was built in 1931 and work with seven other hatcheries around the state to produce 40 million fingerlings, or very young fish, each year. While the hatchery did experience a setback, it is back on track and, Smith said, could be done by early 2011.

Also at the forefront of the Parks and Wildlife Department’s mind is the treatment of introduced aquatic plant species, such as the Giant Salvinia, a plant native to Brazil that has the ability to drastically alter aquatic ecosystems. The department, Smith said, has launched a campaign called “Hello Giant Salvinia, goodbye fishing hole,” to promote boater education and encourage boaters to clean their boats after every excursion.

Despite all of their other projects, however, Smith told listeners that the department’s main concern, as it has been for some time, was to get people outdoors and into state parks.

“Getting people outdoors is an integral part of what we do,” Smith said.

Terry and Connie Sympson, marine operators of Jackson Hill Park and Marina, believed Smith’s speech was much-needed and very educational.

“The presentation was right up our alley,” said Terry Sympson. “We loved it.”

The Sympsons, like Smith, hope to promote state parks as family-friendly places to make lasting memories, especially for children.

“We try to encourage families to come up, and we make sure they have a place to be and a place to fish,” Terry Sympson said. “Kids won’t remember the 1,000th alien they killed in a video game, but they will remember catching their first fish.”

Larissa Graham’s e-mail address is lgraham@lufkindailynews.com

Full article from The Lufkin Daily News