Sierra Club Climate Change Committee Meeting

Join us on Zoom! https://zoom.us/j/5133069449

PRESENTATION
6:30-7:15 or 7:30 – Local Land Use Affects Central Texas Climate

Dr. Nico Hauwert and Jim O’Donnell will be presenting on impacts to Central Texas landscape, primarily from ranching, farming, urbanization practices involving soil erosion, soil compaction, and deforestation that have led to local climate impacts, including heating, reduced rainfall, increased flooding, and greater wildfire risk. Dr. Hauwert will introduce biotic pump hypothesis, how the effects of deforestation and soil loss have led to increased temperatures, lower rainfall and desertification. How has this been modeled and/or observed in Central Texas? Jim O’Donnell will describe these impacts on a preserve site, the Vireo Preserve and active steps including building swales and planting trees to build soil and hydrate the landscape.

Biographies

Nico Hauwert, PhD. — Nico’s passion for studying the water cycles over the Edwards Aquifer arose from his exploration of the forests and underground frontier of Austin since 1979. His groundbreaking Austin-area studies included conducting the first direct groundwater tracing to discover aquifer flow occurs within days versus years, the first detection of widespread groundwater contamination in the Edwards Aquifer in 1994, and most precise measurement of recharge over the Edwards Aquifer in the Austin area using a climate tower coupled with other methods of verification. He currently serves as Program Manager Austin’s Balcones Canyonlands Preserve Program since October 2016. He taught geology for four years as adjunct professor with Concordia University. From 2000 to October 2016 he served as environmental scientist senior for City of Austin Watershed Protection Department. From 1993-2000 he conducted research on the Barton Springs Segment as Assessment Program manager and senior hydrogeologist for the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. He fought wildfires as a summer ranger at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon in 1987. He completed his Ph.D. dissertation in May 2009 from the University of Texas.

Jim O’Donnell — For over 30 years, Jim O’Donnell has combined his love of teaching, biology, and environmental stewardship to help protect the Black-capped Vireo and endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler in Central Texas. He taught science and environmental education in Dripping Springs for 28 years. During that time, he was instrumental in setting aside the 214-acre tract of land that is now known as the Vireo Preserve, which once supported the largest concentration of Black-capped Vireos in Travis County. As a result of his efforts and knowledge of the endangered songbirds and their ecosystems, Jim was appointed to the Biological Advisory Team that provided the basis and support for the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, a system of preserves established under a federal Endangered Species Act permit to protect multiple endangered and rare species in Travis County. After retiring from teaching in 2009, Jim has spent the last 11 years designing and implementing habitat restoration on the Vireo Preserve, which is now owned and managed by the City of Austin as part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Jim uses his knowledge of the species, plants, permaculture, and teaching to implement regenerative habitat restoration projects with a community of volunteers to benefit a variety of native Texas Hill Country ecosystems.

7:15-8:00 Climate Change Committee Meeting – Sign up for Action Teams: Austin Energy, the Permian Pipeline, Rio Grande Valley Support, Carbon Fee & Dividend, People Power, Data Entry, and Presentations and more –
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