Right now, you can't miss the wildflowers, particularly the
Texas bluebonnets blanketing the sides of the road. The blooms
are a seasonal reminder of our state's natural beauty. But the
fact is Texas' natural beauty is always in season. Caddo Lake is
our state's only natural lake, home to 216 bird, 47 mammal, and
90 reptile and amphibian species. In recent years, the lake has
been under siege by an invasive, non-native plant, the giant
salvinia. I worked closely with the Caddo Lake Institute,
founded by Don Henley, who was raised nearby, and the Texas
Water Research Initiative, to obtain funding to help eradicate
the giant salvinia. The lake and its diverse native plants and
animals are now recovering, and future generations will be able
to enjoy its pristine beauty. Caddo was first seen by Native
Americans in the 18th century, but substantial development would
only begin with invention of the steamboat and US annexation of
both Louisiana and Texas in the 19th century. The cities of Port
Caddo, Swanson's Land