Presenter: Richard Heilbrun

Commission Agenda Item No. 16
Briefing
Urban Wildlife Program
November 2007

I. Executive Summary: This item presents an update and overview of the department's Urban Wildlife Program. Established in 1993, the program has made significant gains in furthering the mission of the department.

II. Discussion: The urbanization of Texas, physically, biologically, and sociologically, poses several challenges to our agency. The program has made significant gains in preserving open space, increasing awareness of the needs of wildlife and the importance of natural resources, and in recruiting new constituents to support the agency's mission and scope of influence.

Located in El Paso, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Forth Worth, and the Valley, Urban Biologists provide technical guidance to city officials, land planners, developers, conservation organizations, absentee landowners, small property owners, and the general public.