The Challenge of Growing Wine Grapes in the Hill Country: An Evaluation of Changing Grower Perceptions of Natural Hazards in Texas Vineyards

Abstract

The unique landscapes of Texas presents a variety of natural hazards with which farmers contend. Vineyards in particular are especially vulnerable to these hazards. In its relatively short history, the Texas viticulture industry has experienced frequent crop losses as a result of one or a combination of natural hazards. Sometimes the losses could not have been avoided, but at other times, the losses may reflect lack of knowledge or preparation. With a focus on the Texas Hill Country Viticultural Area, the research presented here is a continuation of a study conducted in 2009. We use a mixed methods approach to investigate grower awareness of natural hazards and whether their perceptions of the most significant hazards change over time. The results suggest that viticulturists are inconsistent when considering what constitutes the most significant natural hazard in their vineyards. This inconsistency often results in the frequent mitigation of those natural hazards which may actually have a lower probability of occurrence than other, potentially more precarious hazards.

Keywords:

• Drought
• Natural Hazards
• Texas
• Agriculture
• Viticulture

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christi G. Townsend

CHRISTI G. TOWNSEND is a Lecturer in the Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666. E-mail: [email protected]. Her research interests include natural hazards, physical geography and geomorphology, agricultural geography, and historical geography.

David R. Butler

DAVID R. BUTLER is Texas State University System Regents' Professor of Geography, and University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666. E-mail: [email protected]. His research interests include geomorphology, biogeography, natural hazards, mountain environments and environmental change, and Glacier National Park, Montana.

Richard W. Dixon

RICHARD W. DIXON is Professor in the Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666. E-mail: [email protected]. His research interests include climatology, meteorology, oceanography, environmental geography, quantitative methods, and hazards.