Texas Brigades Achievements
Dr. Dale Rollins, Extension Wildlife Specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension, came up with the idea for the Brigades as a way to expand Extension’s educational efforts by developing wildlife ambassadors.
As the saying goes, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” To that end, the Bobwhite Brigade has been cloned in five other states through collaborations with Quail Unlimited. In Texas, the Bobwhite Brigade has expanded from its original camp in the Rolling Plains (initiated in '93) to East Texas (initiated in '96) and finally to South Texas (initiated in '98). The Buckskin Brigade (South Texas), an offshoot of the Bobwhite Brigade, fledged in June 2000, and a second Buckskin (in North Texas) held its first Battalion in 2002. The latest addition is the Bass Brigade, launched in 2004. The Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society models its own summer camp (initiated in 1996) after the Brigades.
Brief Summary of Brigade Accomplishments (through May 2010)
Ø Winner of two national and four state awards for excellence
Ø Empowered 1,800 youth with critical thinking, networking and communication skills
Ø Trained volunteers (i.e., cadets) have presented over 3,822 educational programs, 655 newspaper/magazine articles & TV interviews, and more than 3,741 other educational efforts over the last 18 years resulting in over 209,854 direct contacts (65,300 youth)
Ø Six cadets have earned recognition as “Youth Conservationist of the Year” from the Sports Conservationists of Texas organization
Ø Trained 342 adult volunteers leaders, many of whom continue to support the program by serving on camp steering committees or as instructors
Ø Original Bobwhite Brigade cloned to two additional Texas locations and to five other states; deer version (Buckskin Brigade) initiated in 2000; Bass Brigade started in 2004
Ø Featured in 24 TV stories (including features on Texas Parks & Wildlife, Texas: An Outdoor Tradition, Texas Country Reporter, and BassPro Shops Outdoor World)
Ø Generated full-page stories in Sunday editions of Dallas Morning News, Austin American Statesman, Tyler Telegraphy, Uvalde Leader News, Abilene Reporter-News, San Antonio Express-News, and San Angelo Standard Times
Ø Generated feature stories in Texas Fish & Game, Texas Hunting Directory, Texas Wildlife Association, Quail Unlimited, Ranch and Rural Living, Texas Farmer-Stockman, Texas Outback, Texas Sporting Journal, Landscapes, and Covey Rise
Ø Generated extramural support in excess of $950,119 to support camps and yearlong programming
Ø Serves as a model for interagency cooperation and coordination
