Burn and Conservation Blowout
Ozona Chamber of Commerce partners with nonprofit Wild Spirit Wild Places for a land stewardship and education blowout
A Land Stewardship & Prescribed Fire Educational Blowout presented by the Ozona Chamber of Commerce and a Texas nonprofit, Wild Spirit Wild Places, will take place at the Crockett County Fair Park Convention Center on Feb.18‐19, 2022. The event will feature informative presentations from various private and governmental organizations with missions to support Texas conservation and wildlife.
“The rural and wide-open region around Ozona has a rich history in ranching, wildlife, and land stewardship,” said Philip Walker, President of the Ozona Chamber of Commerce. “The Ozona Chamber is extremely excited to showcase a unique event that will bring folks together in fellowship to learn more about wonders of the land and the night sky! We are grateful to partner with and receive generous support from the Title Sponsor, Wild Spirit Wild Places.”
Educational presentations on important land stewardship topics will cover the benefits of prescribed fire, managing invasive animals like feral hogs, Devils River preservation efforts, conservation easements, cost-share programs, donkey adoptions, astro-tourism and night skies, eco-tourism, pollinator habitats, and more.
“Unfortunately, wide expanses of land in Texas are under threat with thousands of acres being lost across the state due to growth and development. This loss has profound effects on the Texas landscape, altering natural habitats and increasing pressures on our natural resources,” said CEO of Wild Spirit Wild Places, Karen Looby, “However, there is much that we can do if we come together as a community to mitigate these circumstances and preserve the land for generations to come.”
In addition, the event will conduct a prescribed fire ten minutes south of Ozona on the Baggett Family LP Ranch to provide education and training for event participants and volunteers. Representatives and instructors from Texas A&M Forest Service, Quail Forever, Texas Parks & Wildlife and more will be coordinating the prescribed burn. Slots for the prescribed fire educational event are very limited, and a total of 6 CFT’s will be available.
If you would like to participate in the event, tickets may be purchased in-person at the Ozona Chamber of Commerce or online via Eventbrite.com for $35. This pass includes unlimited Friday & Saturday class sessions and Saturday lunch and dinner. Tickets for those also interested in participating in the educational prescribed fire will be $75 and will also include Saturday breakfast. A fundraiser BBQ for the Crockett County Fire Department will be held Friday, February 18 at 7 PM (Crockett County Fair Park Convention Center) with donation of approximately $17.50. Lodging options are available at Ozona.com. No refunds will be given in the event the prescribed fire event is cancelled due to weather but other options will be made available. Cut-off date for event registration is February 11, 2021 at 5 PM. Limited sponsorship opportunities will be available on December 1 by contacting the Ozona Chamber of Commerce at 325-392-3737.
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About Ozona Chamber of Commerce
The mission of the Ozona Chamber of Commerce is to promote a healthy economy and improve
the quality of life in our community. Crockett County is the eighth largest of 254 counties in
Texas and covers over 3,000 square miles of ruggedly beautiful west Texas. The one and only
town within its boundaries is Ozona, which is known as "The Biggest Little Town in the World,"
with about 3,500 persons calling it "home" and known for its dark skies, rich ranching history
and independent spirit. To learn more about the Ozona Chamber of Commerce please visit
www.ozona.com.
About Wild Spirit Wild Places
Wild Spirit Wild Places is a nonprofit established by Desert Door distillery. We founded Wild
Spirit Wild Places because we are passionate about preserving the untamed, awesome expanses
of land. Today, the wide-open spaces that are the hallmark of Texas are under threat from
increased land development and fragmentation of generational ranch lands. Wild Spirit Wild
Places exists to protect these dwindling ranches and rangelands. Our motivation is simple — we
don’t want to be the generation that sat idly by while our wild places disappeared. For more
information on Wild Spirit Wild Places, please visit https://www.wildspiritwildplaces.org/ and
follow the organization on social media at @wildspiritwildplaces.
“Conservation is a state of harmony between Man and Land.” Aldo Leopold