By and large Laredoans love the great outdoors, and they need look no further than the many parks in Laredo.
There's the state owned Lake Casablanca International Park as well as the bounty of the Webb County ranchlands surrounding Laredo.
The City of Laredo Parks and Recreation Department leads the charge for quality programs to enjoy the great outdoors while learning about conservation of natural resources and good environmental practices..
Parks and Recreation co-sponsors the annual Fishing Derby with Lake Casa Blanca and State Game Warden Henry Leal. The educational event is open to children and teenagers for a fun-filled day with the family.
Every year, the majority of the young anglers arrive with the intention of landing a big catch. Soon, however, they realize that the Fishing Derby is simply a means to an end. While the focus of the extremely popular event centers on education and conservation of marine life, the program alsooffers a venue for quality time with the family.
Through Parks and Recreation Department personnel, youngsters learn instills proper fishing etiquette and through experts like game warden Leal, the learn about the game laws of the State of Texas including legal weights, lengths. and quantities of fish allowable by law.
On a lighter note, the different representative groups share information on actual fishing techniques including the use of different baits or lures for the varied species found in freshwater or saltwater.
The City of Laredo Parks and Recreation Department also sponsors the 8-point Cola Blanca youth division with the purpose of exposing Laredo children to the proper safety protocol when hunting.
Furthermore, the department creates innovative partnerships with other municipalities as well as state organizations to maximize the impact of field trips. Recently, Parks and Recreation chaperoned 27 children to the annual Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo in Austin. The multi-faceted event featured exhibitions on state parks, outdoor living, camping, native wildlife, mountain climbing and fishing.
"This expo provides an opportunity for citizens to see what the state offers to the public in regard to natural resources," said PARD director Horacio de Leon, Jr. "The kids were selected from our recreation centers and the majority had never been to an event like this or of this magnitude."
The overhead for this event remained minimal as de Leon managed to partner with the City of Austin Parks and Recreation.
"We all stayed at Reicher Ranch, which is a facility owned by the City of Austin and operated by their Parks department," explained de Leon. "The place is beautiful as it sits near Barton Springs."
De Leon also noted the department's effort in securing a $30,000 grant from the state to initiate camping excursions at nearby parks or private ranches.
"We've already been in contact with the state game warden Henry Leal on arranging trips to ranches with exotic animals," said de Leon. "The money from the grant would allow us to purchase all the equipment necessary for these camping trips."
De Leon added that the department hopes to unveil new programs in the near future.
"Right now we're in the planning stages for the development of new programs with the help of the state," said de Leon. "All our partners and sponsors have been very supportive of our endeavors and they all play a crucial role in the success of these programs."
So if you're a hunter, an angler, a BMX enthusiast, a bird watcher or someone who simply likes the outdoors, keep an eye and an ear open for the many events sponsored or co-sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department.