Inks Lake State Park teaches back-country skills in new survival series
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
HOOVER’S VALLEY — Imagine you’re on the TV show “Survivor,” and, during tribal council, you and another contestant are in danger of being voted off. Host Jeff Probst hands each of you a firestarting kit and says whoever builds a fire first and burns through a rope gets to stay and play another day.
Could you do it?
If not, Inks Lake State Park interpreter Sean Jones has just the workshop for you. The park is hosting a new survival series with the first lessons demonstrating how to start a fire, without matches or lighter, of course.[box]IF YOU GO
WHAT: Inks Lake State Park survival series
WHEN: Lesson on fire starting is 5-6 p.m. Oct. 5 and Oct. 6
WHERE: Amphitheater in Inks Lake State Park, 3630 Park Road 4 in Hoover’s Valley
COST: $3 plus park entrance fee
FOR MORE: Call (512) 793-2223[/box]
While you could use the skill on “Survivor,” Jones and the park staff sees it as a bit more pragmatic.
“We’ve found that one of the barriers to getting outdoors and enjoying the outdoors is people find they don’t have the skills to really enjoy the outdoors,” Jones said. “During the survival series, we’ll introduce skills people can use outdoors.”
The firestarting lesson is 5-6 p.m. Oct. 5 and Oct. 26 at the amphitheater in Inks Lake State Park, 3630 Park Road 4.
“Sometimes you don’t have a lighter or matches, so this will be for showing people how to start a campfire with, maybe, a few things they find in their daypack.”
The workshops cost $3 in addition to park entrance fees.
“We want to help people feel comfortable outside,” Jones said. “We want to help people develop those skills so they’ll enjoy the outdoors beyond their campsite or vehicle.”
The fire starting program is one in a series of topics. Jones said the next one in November likely will highlight edible plants.
“When we do our (guided) hikes out here, people perk up when we start talking about edible or beneficial plants,” he said. “People like to learn about the historic uses of plants. They are interested in learning which ones are edible.”
Throughout the fall and winter, the topics will change. Jones said participant interest will drive some of the selections.
“We’ll see what people want,” he said. “We’ll see what the feedback is and go from there.”
Inks Lake State Park offers several programs and events during the year. Go to www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/inks-lake or call (512) 793-2223 for more information or updates.
daniel@thpicayune.com