Requesting Data from Texas Natural Diversity Database

The Texas Natural Diversity Database (TXNDD) is the most comprehensive source for information on Texas rare, threatened, and endangered species, rare and unique native plant communities, and animal aggregations. One of the goals of the TXNDD is to provide observational data and other resources in a timely manner to conservation partners, academic institutions, developers, and other data users. The resources provided by TXNDD facilitate research and conservation actions and assist development project proponents seeking to evaluate their project areas for rare species and wildlife and plant communities so they may minimize impacts to precious Texas resources.

Requesting Data

As of Spring 2020, the TXNDD has two different methods to request and obtain information from the database. The method that you choose will depend on your data and timing needs and the software resources that you have access to.

TXNDD Information Request Tool (IRT)

TPWD developed an online application that allows users to draw or upload an area of interest, buffer the area of interest, and extract data using the buffered area. This is the best option for those users that are likely to request data repeatedly throughout the year.

User Requirements:

• Users must have an organizational ArcGIS Online (AGO) account. This is an account accessed through your company or organization.
• It is recommended that users have their own Username and Password to access your organizational account.
• Users must have permission to publish data (your organization’s AGO Administrator can define you as a Publisher).
• Users must have permission to use organizational credits. Credit usage for downloading data will be minimal but required.
• For further information about AGO accounts, please visit ESRI ArcGIS Online.

Pros and Cons:

• Continuous online access to TXNDD data
• Easy to use
• Spatial data and attribute table information only, reports are not available
• Cannot filter data by species, requests are exclusively location-based
  • If you need data on a specific species, please see the E-mail Information Request data request option below.

Requesting TXNDD IRT Access

If you would like to use the TXNDD IRT and meet the above user requirements, please send an email to Bob.Gottfried@tpwd.texas.gov and include the User Name to your organizational AGO account. In response to your request, you will receive an email confirming that you’ve been invited to the TXNDD IRT group and further instructions on how to access the online application.

Email Information Request

To request TXNDD data, please send an email to TexasNatural.DiversityDatabase@tpwd.texas.gov with the following information:

• The location of your area of interest by USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle name(s) or county name(s), depending on the size of your area of interest; or
• The species name (scientific and common name), if you are interested in a specific species rather than a specific area (i.e. you are preparing for a research project on a single species); and
• Optional, project type (e.g., road project, pipeline, communication tower, research-related, etc.)

Email Information Request Response

Email information requests will receive via email an attached zip file containing the following data (Please let us know in your email request if you can’t receive zip files and we will find another option for delivery.):

• ArcGIS shapefiles (up to 4 shapefiles) of all TXNDD records in the area of interest
• An Element Occurrence (EO) report and a Source Feature report for each record in the shapefiles
• An EO list and a Source Feature list that includes records from the USGS 7.5-minute quadrangles surrounding the area of interest
  • EO list and Source Feature list will not be included for requests made by county name or requests for specific species
• TXNDD support documentation that explains how to interpret the spatial data and report information

If you have any questions about either of these data request methods, please do not hesitate to contact either of the email addresses listed above.

GIS Capability

If you do not have GIS capabilities there is a free ESRI ArcGIS Earth tool that will allow you to view and query our spatial data.

Response Timing

Each email information request will be answered within five business days from the day it was received (e.g. requests received on a Monday will receive a response no later than the close of business on the following Monday.)

Project Review

Receiving data from the TXNDD does not constitute a project review. A project review entails TPWD's Wildlife Habitat Assessment (WHAB) Program reviewing environmental documentation for specific projects. More information is on our WHAB Project Review Requests webpage.