Stewarding the Future:

Conservation Insights & Impact

The Stewards of the Wild Statewide Conservation Committee Newsletter

Issue 1 | April 2025

Texas Legislative Session Update: Conservation in the Capitol 

The Texas Legislature is back in session, and for conservation advocates, that means an opportunity to ensure that the state’s natural resources remain a priority. During the recent Lunch and Learn session hosted by the SOTW Statewide Conservation Committee, legislative experts John Shepperd and David Yeates of Texas Foundation for Conservation provided valuable insight into how conservation policies take shape in Austin.

As a refresher, the Texas Legislature meets every other year for 140 days. That tight schedule means that only a fraction of the thousands of bills introduced actually become law. As Yeates put it, "It's extraordinarily difficult to pass a bill and extraordinarily easy to kill an undesirable bill." With that in mind, conservationists must stay engaged to ensure the best policies move forward.

A major focus this year is the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) budget. The Department, which oversees everything from state parks to Texas Game Wardens to wildlife conservation efforts, is largely funded by user fees such as hunting and fishing licenses, boat registrations, and now, thanks to a recent constitutional amendment approved by Texas voters, the sporting goods sales tax. Ensuring that these funds are properly allocated is critical to maintaining Texas’ outdoor heritage.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal disease affecting deer populations, remains a key issue. As Shepperd explained, CWD management is politically complicated because it involves balancing conservation science, commercial hunting interests, and private property rights. "The agency is trying to do the right thing to protect a natural resource, but some business interests push back," he noted. Expect more debate in the legislature as new bills related to CWD are introduced.

Another ongoing conservation concern is oyster reef management. Overharvesting, environmental changes, and natural disasters have significantly impacted Texas’ oyster populations. TPWD has been working to regulate the industry by closing certain reefs to commercial harvesting while promoting oyster farming as a sustainable alternative. This, however, has led to tensions between conservationists and commercial oyster fishers. As Yeates explained, "There are too many boats and not enough oysters."

Every legislative session brings surprises, and this year is no exception. Just before the bill filing deadline, House Bill 4938 was introduced, proposing to abolish TPWD entirely. The bill sparked immediate outcry, with conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts flooding legislative offices with calls and taking to social media to voice their concerns. The proposal has been widely criticized and serves as a stark reminder of why conservation-minded Texans must remain engaged in legislative affairs. The next step for the bill is to be heard in committee. We’ll keep you posted on the bill’s progress.

How to Get Involved

Engagement is key. Legislators are often unfamiliar with the intricacies of conservation issues, and just a handful of calls or emails from constituents can influence policy decisions. Shepperd emphasized, "As few as six phone calls to a legislator’s office can make a difference in how they vote." (Gentle reminder that legislative engagement is on behalf of you as an individual, and not as a representative of Stewards of the Wild or TPWF.)

Stewards members can stay informed by tracking legislation through the Texas Legislature Online portal, attending Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission meetings, and participating in events like the recent Capitol Day Stewards hosted in February. "Building relationships with legislators and staffers is crucial," said Yeates. "They have to vote on everything, so they rely on people they trust for accurate information."

With the legislative session moving quickly, now is the time to raise awareness and ensure that Texas' natural heritage remains forever protected.

Additional Reading/Resources

SOTW Lunch and Learn Session: Feb 2025 Lunch & Learn - TFC, John Shepperd & David Yeates

Texas Legislative Council: The Legislative Process in Texas

Texas Legislature Online: TLO

TPWD Budget info: Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget

TPWD on CWD: Chronic Wasting Disease - Diseases - Wildlife - TPWD

CCA Texas on Oyster Restoration: Texas Oysters and a Path to a Sustainable Fishery

The Importance of the Texas Coast and our Greater Gulf

Our enduring Gulf means so much to so many—a multinational treasure of the Atlantic, a fish basket for North America, a center of global energy and chemical production, the receiving end of about half of all watersheds in the U.S., and a place rich with cultural significance, sea life, and coastal resources.

Before we delve into the Gulf’s extraordinary ecological value, let’s dive into the numbers of this behemoth economic engine. At 600 square miles, the Gulf is the ninth largest body of water in the world, with over 3,800 miles of shared coastline between Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, the Mexican states of Tamauiipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, and Yucatan, and the island of Cuba to the southeast. The Gulf is also home to ten of the top 15 ports in the U.S. by tonnage, bringing international shipping and cruise industries to our shores by the boatload. And, with over 3,500 oil and gas platforms, the Gulf serves as the U.S. epicenter for global energy production.

It’s also a boon for Texas’ booming tourism industry. From the beaches of South Padre to the bustling port of Galveston, millions flock to the Texas coast every year. According to the Travel Texas Dashboard, travelers spent an estimated $25.3 billion along our Texas Coast in 2023, directly supporting an estimated 168,700 jobs with $8.1 billion in earnings and generated $2.3 billion in state and local taxes. Commercial and recreational fishing remain a huge hook, accounting for 44% of all U.S. anglers and generating over 1.7 billion pounds of annual seafood, more than the mid-Atlantic, Chesapeake, and New England combined. 

At the crux of these numbers sits a marvelous but fragile network of ecosystems that house over 16,000 species. Along the Texas Coast’s nearly 370 miles, several vital bays and estuaries sit where fresh and salt waters meet to support the life cycles and food webs of these myriad species. Intact   coastal wetlands also offer a layer of protection to nearby communities from storm surges and flooding. With population and industry trending ever upwards, coupled with a steady stream of Gulf storms and rising tides, the wild things and wild places along our Texas Coast are feeling the strain.

Together with TPWD, CCA Texas, Gulf Trust, Harte Research Institute (HRI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and other coastal conservation partners, we have spent decades tackling the Gulf’s most pressing challenges, including:

• Investing over $10 million in hatcheries and cutting-edge research facilities to improve southern flounder and red drum populations
• Installing the second largest artificial reef along the Texas Coast.
• Permanently protecting Powderhorn Wildlife Management Area (and future state park), a 17,351-acre swath of unspoiled coastal prairie that offers vital fish and wildlife habitat.
• Conserving over 6,700 acres of pristine barrier habitat along the Matagorda Peninsula, a bustling seasonal home to a remarkable array of wildlife, from nesting sea turtles to resident and migratory shore and wading birds.

And, in 2025, TPWF and our partners are launching new efforts along our Texas Coast to address everything from overharvested oyster reefs to supporting our friends at Sea Center Texas to joining Gulf Trust’s upcoming Trash-Free Gulf campaign (more information on these to come!).  

How to Get Involved

Read up! Gaining a better understanding of the issues affecting our Gulf is a great place to start. Some of our favorite resources are listed below.

• Take action. Join a beach or waterway cleanup. Check out TrashFreeGulf.com to find opportunities to volunteer with our partner Gulf Trust this May!
  
• Support coastal conservation – Donate or volunteer with one of the below organizations.   

Additional Reading/Resources:

TPWD: Studies from Coastal Areas , Texas GEMS

Gulf Trust: Gulf Trust

CCA Texas: CCA Texas - Coastal Conservation Association

HRI: Harte Research Institute | Harte Research Institute

Is the Gulf really worth saving? Thinking Deeper | Harte Research Institute

Listen: HRI’s Gulf Stream Podcast: The Gulf Stream Podcast | Harte Research Institute

Watch: "Beach combing" with Jace Tunnel, a weekly series from HRI

Watch: Chasing the Tide | PBS

Watch: Redfish Revival - A Film Presented by H-E-B

The Fight for Texas’ Bighorns: A Conservation Comeback Story

Desert bighorn sheep—one of Texas’ most iconic native species—are in trouble. Once considered one of the state’s greatest conservation success stories, their population has dropped by 50% since 2021. The culprit? A deadly respiratory disease called Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi), spread by the booming population of exotic aoudad sheep in West Texas.

Unlike bighorns, aoudads are merely carriers of M. ovi, experiencing virtually no symptoms. But for bighorns, exposure is often fatal, wiping out entire herds in just a few years. This isn’t just an ecological crisis—it’s a loss of Texas history. These animals once roamed the Trans-Pecos region in the thousands, their presence etched into ancient rock art. By the mid-20th century, however, overhunting, habitat loss, and disease drove them to extirpation in Texas.

Decades of conservation efforts—led by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and several wildlife conservation organizations—helped restore the species. More than 800 bighorns were reintroduced across West Texas, and by 2018, their numbers had climbed above 2,000. The return of desert bighorns was heralded as one of the greatest wildlife recovery efforts in Texas. But now, those hard-won gains are at risk.

Aoudads, introduced as an exotic game species in the 1950s, have rapidly expanded across West Texas. Highly adaptable and fast-reproducing, they outcompete bighorns for food and water. More critically, their role as M. ovi carriers poses an existential threat to Texas’ remaining bighorn herds. A single infected aoudad can introduce M. ovi to a herd, triggering devastating pneumonia outbreaks. The loss of even one generation of lambs can set bighorn recovery efforts back by decades.

But Texans aren’t giving up.

The newly launched Texas Desert Bighorn Sheep Coalition is leading a multi-year effort to combat M. ovi, manage aoudad populations, and ensure a sustainable future for Texas’ bighorn herds. This coalition, led by TPWD and supported by TPWF, Texas Bighorn Society, and Wild Sheep Foundation, brings together biologists, landowners, and conservationists to develop science-based solutions that will help ensure bighorns remain a part of Texas’ wild landscape.

One of the most promising steps has already been taken: TPWD and its partners recently translocated nearly 80 bighorn sheep from Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area to Franklin Mountains State Park. Because there are no aoudad present in the Franklin Mountains, this new herd will have a fighting chance to remain M. ovi-free. It’s a critical step toward ensuring Texas has a healthy, self-sustaining bighorn population for future generations.

And this is just the beginning. The Texas Desert Bighorn Sheep Coalition is:

• Developing science-driven strategies to manage M. ovi and protect Texas’ remaining herds.
• Engaging landowners and stakeholders to promote habitat conservation and responsible wildlife management.
• Hosting workshops and training sessions to equip conservationists, outfitters, and biologists with the latest research on bighorn health. 

The coalition’s goal is clear: to reverse the decline and restore a healthy bighorn population to the mountains of West Texas.

For Stewards of the Wild members, this is a pivotal moment to get involved. Whether through advocacy, land stewardship, or spreading awareness, the future of Texas’ bighorns depends on those who care about keeping Texas wild. 

How You Can Help

• Support TPWF’s bighorn conservation efforts.
• Advocate for science-based wildlife management.
• Encourage others to join a Stewards of the Wild chapter to be part of the next generation of conservation leaders.
• Help raise awareness about Texas’ bighorn conservation efforts by sharing this story and engaging with conservation initiatives. 

Together, we can secure a future where Texas’ bighorns roam wild and free, just as they have for centuries.

Additional Reading/Resources:

Restoration and Management of Bighorn Sheep in Texas: DBSLAW_Report_2012.pdf

Background on M. ovi: Disease Alert: Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae

Deep dive on M. ovi: Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae: A Most Variable Pathogen - PMC

TPWF efforts: Desert Bighorn Sheep Research - Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation

Texas Bighorn Society: Wildlife Conservation | Texas Bighorn Society

Wild Sheep Foundation: Home | Wild Sheep Foundation

From Texas Monthly: Why the Bighorn Sheep Might be Texas's Greatest Wildlife Comeback Story

TPWD bighorn video: Restoring Texas Bighorn Sheep

Why should we care about native species? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9l6Y5kzvns&t=33s

Saving Texas Prairies: A Call to Action for Conservationists

Once, Texas was a land of endless grasslands—vast, rolling prairies teeming with wildflowers, birds, and pollinators. But today, only a tiny fraction of these prairies remain. Of the original 20 million acres of tallgrass prairie, less than 1% is left​ This rapid decline threatens not only Texas’ natural beauty but also the many species that rely on prairies to survive.

But there’s hope. Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) is engaging conservation partners to restore prairies and support the pollinators that call them home. Through two key initiatives— the Grassland Restoration Incentive Program (GRIP) and the Pollinators & Prairies program—TPWF is working with landowners, conservationists, and volunteers to make a real impact. And you can be part of the solution.

Why Prairies Matter

Prairies do more than provide scenic landscapes. They:

• Support pollinators – Native bees, butterflies, and birds depend on prairie plants to survive. These pollinators, in turn, play a crucial role in agriculture and food production​.
• Prevent flooding and erosion – Prairie grasses have deep root systems that help absorb rainwater, reducing flooding and keeping Texas rivers clean​.
• Store carbon – Unlike forests that can burn and release carbon back into the atmosphere, prairies act as stable carbon sinks, making them a natural solution to climate change​. 

How TPWF is Helping

• Grassland Restoration Incentive Program (GRIP): Recognizing that over 95% of Texas land is privately owned, GRIP—developed by the Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture (OPJV)—offers financial incentives to landowners to restore native grasses, manage invasive species, and improve wildlife habitat​. Participating landowners work with a wildlife biologist to create a detailed restoration plan and agree to maintain the restoration for at least five years. The voluntary and cost-share nature of the program attracts landowners who are motivated to maintain it for much longer. TPWF provides philanthropic support through many funders, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
• Pollinators & Prairies: Launched by TPWF in 2024, this program brings together conservation partners and provides critical funding to support efforts to increase prairie habitat and pollinator populations in Texas. Pollinators & Prairies helps landowners restore and conserve grasslands, encourages the planting of pocket prairies and native plants for pollinators, and supports research on declining species such as the American bumblebee.

Together, these initiatives are conserving precious habitat to help pollinators and prairies thrive.

How You Can Help

Here are three simple ways to support Texas prairies:

• Plant a pocket prairie – Even a small backyard garden with native grasses and wildflowers can provide vital habitat for pollinators. TPWF is developing an app that will launch in late 2025 to help you know what will grow best in your region and how to plant for success.
• Support prairie conservation – Donate or volunteer with one or more of the organizations listed below to help restore and protect prairies.
• Promote land stewardship – A variety of programs are available to help landowners restore and conserve native prairies. Whether you're a landowner or simply an advocate, you can encourage participation in these impactful initiatives.

Stewards of the Wild, this is your call to action. Whether you’re planting wildflowers, educating your community, or helping spread the word, every effort matters.

Additional Reading/Resources:

TPWF Pollinators & Prairies Program Info Home - Pollinators and Prairies

TPWD: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Private Lands and Habitat Program

Native Prairies Association of Texas: Why Prairies Matter – NPAT , WhatandWhyPrairies-2.pdf

Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture: GRIP | opjv

Resources for Landowners: Land Conservation Tools and Resources for Landowners in Texas

How to Make a Pocket Prairie: Make a Pocket Prairie - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Native Plant Society of Texas: Native Plant Society of Texas

Texas Wildlife Association: Texas Wildlife Association

Wildlife Habitat Federation: Wildlife Habitat Federation

Texas as a Private Lands State: A Brief History

If you’ve lived in Texas long enough, you probably know that Texas is a private lands state. In fact, over 95 percent of Texas land is privately owned. That statistic is surprising to many, especially those new to our state.

So, how did Texas, known the world over for its vast landscapes, become a private lands state?

To understand, you just have to remember the Alamo! Well, the Battle of San Jacinto, to be precise. This decisive battle of 1836 ended the Texas Revolution, winning the Texian army its independence from Mexico. When Texas entered the Union in 1845, it did so as an independent republic—bringing with it $10 million in war debt. Congress agreed to Texas’ annexation with the stipulation that Texas retain its roughly 200 million acres of public lands and its debts, making it the first state to control its public lands after America’s original 13 colonies.

In the years that followed, Texas used its remaining public lands as its best barter. As part of the Compromise of 1850, Texas ceded about one-third of its original territory to the U. S. for $10 million, settling much of its pre-statehood debts, and reshaping Texas into its modern-day footprint.  

The land-rich state used its seemingly bottomless coffers of acreage to fund everything from a railroad to the permanent school fund, and even the current Texas Capitol Building. The cost for the pink-granite-domed marvel? Three million acres in the Texas Panhandle. The cost for Texas and Pacific Railway Company to build a railroad through Texas? Only 3.5 million acres of land, some of which sat atop a yet-to-be-discovered gold mine of oil in the Permian Basin, which brought Texas and Pacific Railway back from bankruptcy after the Panic of 1873. During this time, Texas sold over 55 million acres of land to new settlers, while more than 86.5 million acres—more than half the present area of Texas—was given away outright through grants and other agreements. Learn more about Texas Land Grants.  

Shortly after the turn of the 20^th century, virtually no unappropriated public domain remained. Today, roughly 3 million acres are federally appropriated, including 675,000+ acres managed by the U.S. Forest Service and 14 National Parks for public use. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) owns or operates 88 (soon to be 89) state parks, state natural areas, and state historic sites, 50 wildlife management areas, and eight fish hatcheries, comprising 1.4 million acres that are managed in the public trust for recreation and conservation.

How TPWF is helping

What Texas lacks in public lands, it makes up for in determination to achieve conservation at landscape scale. TPWD, with the help of TPWF, is actively working to expand the footprint of Texas State Parks. Since its inception, TPWF has invested over $50 million to enhance and expand the parks system, including supporting the landmark purchase of Powderhorn and the creation of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park. And with the help of conservation partners and private landowners, we are working together to protect critical habitats on private lands through programs like the Grassland Restoration Incentive Program (GRIP) through the Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture, and TPWF’s Buffer Lands Incentive Program (BLIP). And, through the Lone Star Land Steward Awards, now in its 29^th year, TPWF continues to champion and celebrate the work of hundreds of dedicated land stewards who are rewilding Texas one acre at a time.  

How You Can Help

In addition to the private land tips provided in our last story, you can support Texas’ public lands by:

• Visiting Texas State Parks and Texas’ 14 National Parks, Monuments, Preserves and Seashores. Park fees play an important role in funding our parks!
• Volunteering! Parks rely on a robust network of volunteers to manage this public resource. 
• Organizing a park work day or support project through your local Stewards chapter.

Texas is vast, and vast are the needs of its many wild places. Stretching over 172 million acres, with over 142 million acres of privately-owned farms, ranches, and forestlands, Texas requires a Texas-sized village to ensure a wild future for all its lands, both public and private.  

Additional Reading/Resources:  

Texas Monthly:  Why Does Texas Have So Little Public Land?

Texas Highways:  "Dirtbagging" the Public Lands of Texas

Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine: New Parks on the Horizon|May 2023 | TPW magazine

Texas State Parks Volunteer Info: Texas State Park Friends Groups and Support Organizations   

AgriLife Today: Texas Land Trends Report highlights status of agricultural lands - AgriLife Today

For More Texas History: Texas State Historical Association, The Bullock Texas State History Museum

Want to get involved with the Statewide Conservation Committee (SCC)?

Complete the interest form linked below to let us know you're interested in joining this incredible group!

Looking for resources to further your conservation knowledge?

Thank you to our Stewards of the Wild statewide program sponsor!

The Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville is the leading wildlife research organization in Texas and one of the finest in the nation. Its mission is to provide science-based information for enhancing the conservation and management of wildlife in South Texas and related environments.

Stewards of the Wild, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s conservation leadership program, equips emerging leaders aged 21 to 45 with opportunities to actively participate in the stewardship of Texas’ wild things and wild places by providing education, networking, and outdoor experiences.

Copyright © 2025 Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation

6220 Gaston Ave. #700

Dallas, Texas 75214