The Llano River Field Station of Texas Tech University @ Junction eagerly anticipates hosting the annual meeting of the Organization of Biological Field Stations in 2007. The OBFS meeting will begin the evening of Thursday, 13 September 2007 and end before noon on Sunday, 16 September 2007. Participants should plan to arrive by 5 PM Thursday evening, 13 September for the mixer and supper, which will be followed by opening remarks by the OBFS President and Director of the Host Station. Those participating in premeeting field trips should arrive on Wednesday, 12 September.
Description of Llano River Field Station @ TTU-Junction
The LRFS is bisected by the South Llano River on the 411-acre picturesque
campus located on the western edge of the beautiful Texas Hill Country. The
main campus habitat consists of mesquite thickets, pecan bottoms, open grassland,
and riparian areas and provides a natural landscape for academic learning,
recreation, and solitude. The Field Station concept is relatively new and was
established on Texas Tech's Junction campus in June of 2002 to provide a laboratory
and classroom environment for K-12, undergraduate and graduate students and
researchers from universities, institutes, and agencies. The Field Station
encourages and supports research of watershed, riparian habitats and rangeland,
wildlife and management. Research projects are encouraged on campus,
with local ranchers, at the Walter Buck Wildlife Management Center and at the
nearby South Llano River State Park.
The Station also features the Outdoor School designed to create innovative
educational experiences that immerse learners into authentic, real world, hands-on
activities that stimulate imagination and understanding of difficult abstract
concepts. The Outdoor School is an extension of the classroom and is not to
be mistaken for a camp. The units taught are aligned with the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and programs, with common focus and goals, are
individualized to each independent school district and individual classroom
teacher to make sure everyone's needs are acknowledged and met. (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hillcountry/OLC/index.htm)
Housing Accommodations
Housing at the Junction campus consists of five air conditioned/heated units
for 120 persons and ten screened cabins for 100 persons.
Study units are lodge style rooms consisting of bunk beds,
dressers with storage and mirrors. 2 Bath facilities (each with 2 sinks,
2 toilets and 1 shower) and a lounge area connect the two wings. Each
Unit houses an optimum of 16 persons (2 wings of 8). There are no kitchen
facilities located in the study units and food preparation in rooms is not
permitted.
Suite units are arranged with two suites connected by a common
bath. The bath consists of a shower and a toilet. Each Suite in
Tech House has 2 lavatories, 2-4 beds (sleeps 2-4 people per suite), 2 closets,
shelves and writing desk with good overhead lighting. Tech House has
a central lounge with comfortable chairs and a table for meetings or games. Tech
House is all on the ground floor with maximum sleeping capacity of 24. Each
suite in Robert Packard Hall has 2 lavatories, 1-Full size bed and 1-Full sized
Futon sofa/sleeper, 2 closets, shelves and writing desk with good overhead
lighting. Robert Packard Hall’s rooms are all upstairs (one flight)
with maximum sleeping capacity of 16.
Bear Bryant’s Screened-in cabinsprovide
rustic quarters at a low cost. Each cabin, shared by up to 12 people, is equipped
with electricity, bunks, tables, chairs, chests, ceiling fans and study area. The cabins
are served by 2 centrally located bathhouses. Bathhouse #1 has 13 sinks,
9 toilets and 6 showers for women and 13 sinks, 9 toilets, 4 urinals and 6
showers for men. Bath House #2 has 9 toilets, 10 sinks and 11 showers
for women and 6 toilets, 3 urinals, 10 sinks and 11 showers for men.
A list of area hotels in Junction will be provided on our meeting website.
Meeting Facilities and Equipment
Facilities for classes and meetings include traditional classrooms as well
as specialized labs for science, computer labs (1 Mac & 1 PC) and distance
learning/Conferencing Labs. There are 11 classrooms available for use. These
can accommodate groups from 20 persons up to 100 persons, depending on the
room setup. The dinning hall, which can accommodate up to 150 persons,
can be used as a meeting room.
Food Service
Meals are served cafeteria-style. Menus include freshly baked bread,
wholesome entrées and fresh salads & fruit. Junction is less
than a mile from the station and a variety of restaurants offer additional
options for eating.
Recreation and Activities
Canoeing, tubing, and fishing on the river, hiking, volleyball, sand volleyball
and basketball and swimming are some of the recreational activities available. Our
facility also offers a Challenge (Ropes) course. Much of the campus contains
natural areas, which encourage birding and wildlife observation.
Socials/Entertainment/Meeting Theme
We have planned
a South Llano River bonfire and barbeque followed by a country-western dance
at the pavilion and amphitheatre for Friday evening. Other evening
activities/day trips will be developed in conjunction with the OBFS meeting
program plans. The theme for the 2007 OBFS meeting and auction is, “How
the West Was Won” and was inspired by a rhinestone cowboy named Peter. Peter
was Lewis, or possibly Clark, in Montana.
Travel
Texas Tech University Field Station is located in near Junction in Kimble County,
Texas. For air travel, Austin-Bergstrom airport generally provides
the least expensive airfares and most convenient connections, and is 2.5-hour
drive from Junction. San Antonio Airport is another option for air
travel and sometimes provides reasonable rates and connections and is a 2-hour
drive to Junction. Rental cars are readily available at each location.
Premeeting Field Trips and Excursions
We have a tentative
suite of field trips planned for the meeting including: 1) tubing, rafting
or canoeing down the Devils, South Llano or Guadalupe rivers or 2) Enchanted
Rock State Park and Selah, the Bamberger Ranch. The South Llano River State
Park is 3 miles from the station. Those who wish to experience
the landscape and biological diversity of this region and explore some of the
rugged beauty of rivers, springs and countryside should plan to join the field
trips.
For pre-, post- meeting and accompanying guests, eight of Texas' top 13 tourist attractions are within 2 hours from Junction including the Alamo, San Antonio's Famous Riverwalk, Sea World and Fiesta Texas. The San Marcos Outlet Mall currently has over 200 shops where everyday prices reflect 25 to 75% savings. The Gulf Coast and Padre Island are within a few hours drive from Junction.
Field Trip 1: Devils River and 
Dolan Falls. At
the southwestern corner of Texas, in Val Verde County, is an oasis. One that
brings life to an area of dramatic contrast. Secluded and undeniably breathtaking,
the Devils River winds its way though some of the most visually striking land
in the state. Many fish species found nowhere else on earth call the
river home. And because dams, pollution and development have never corrupted
its course and flow, the Devils River constitutes a biological community that
has remained substantially unaltered over time.
Field Trip 2. Enchanted Rock and Bamberger-Selah Ranch
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area consists
of 1643.5 acres on Big Sandy Creek, north of Fredericksburg, on the border
between Gillespie and Llano Counties. It was acquired by warranty deed in 1978
by the Nature Conservancy of Texas, Inc., from the Moss family. The state acquired
it in 1984, added facilities, and reopened the park in March 1984, but humans
have visited here for over 11,000 years. Enchanted Rock was designated a National
Natural Landmark in 1970 and was placed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1984. The Rock is a huge, pink granite exfoliation dome, that rises
425 feet above ground, 1825 feet above sea level, and covers 640 acres. It
is one of the largest batholiths (underground rock formation uncovered by erosion)
in the United States.
Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve is a 5,500 acre ranch that
has been described as the largest habitat restoration project on private land
in Texas. The ranch is a working example of grass-based agriculture the practices
of good conservation and their value to the entire ecosystem. To educate visitors
by providing facilities and programs which enhance the visitors' experience
and encourage appreciation and awareness of Selah's and their own natural and
cultural heritage. To provide a place where visitors of all ages can experience
the beauty of nature, learn the importance of good conservation and land stewardship,
and leave with a sense of power that the individual can positively impact his
or her environment.
We will be working with the president of OBFS and the meeting committee to put together an agenda of plenary and other sessions that will be of interest and value for types of stations. We hope to provide sufficient off time to use station tubes and kayaks in the river, hike our nature and birding trail, or visit the nearby Llano River State Park and Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area. Hope to see ya all in Texas in 2007.
For more information contact:
Tom Arsuffi, Director
Field Station & Research
254 Red Raider Lane, PO Box 186
Texas Tech University
Junction, TX 76849
tom.arsuffi@ttu.edu
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hillcountry/junction/