AUSTIN – At a time when the great grasslands of South Texas face threats such as land ownership fragmentation and non-native invasive grasses, Laborcitas Creek Ranch shines as a beacon, bucking the trends by adding acreage under conservation and diligently restoring native habitat to benefit diverse wildlife, from game animals to waterfowl and more.
ATHENS— The 2018 Texas Division of the Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest first place winners include Juliann Dooley of Warren for grades 10-12, Madeleine Alexander of Keller for grades 7-9, Lauren Yue of Coppell for grades 4-6, and Sanjitha Yeruva of Irving for grades K-3.
AUSTIN — Each day, over 550 Texas game wardens dedicate themselves to protecting the state’s natural resources. It’s a legacy they’ve carried on since game wardens first enforced resource conservation laws in the Lone Star State prior to the turn of the 20th century.
AUSTIN — In 1979 with fewer than 200 plants known to exist, the Tobusch fishhook cactus was thought to be almost extinct. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of multiple partners including the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Land Conservancy, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, The Nature Conservancy and central Texas landowners, today more than 3,300 cactuses are known to exist at 105 sites across the Edwards Plateau area of Texas. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is downlisting the cactus from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
BALMORHEA— Due to structural failure, the Balmorhea State Park pool will be closed until further notice pending repairs. Damage to the concrete apron under the diving board, which is used to stabilize the walls of the pool from erosion, was found during the pool’s annual cleaning this week. Park officials are evaluating the extent of the damage and taking steps to repair the structure.
AUSTIN- The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both Texas and federal waters will close 30 minutes after sunset on Tuesday, May 15 until a still-to-be determined date in July.
The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.
AUSTIN – In 2017, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the Llano River Watershed Alliance and Bass Pro Shops partnered together to help celebrate conservation successes in the South Llano River and recognize the ecological, recreational and economic importance of Guadalupe bass.
AUSTIN – Texas game wardens recently wrapped up a crackdown on illegal commercial fishing trade along the Texas-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley, citing nearly two dozen retail fish dealers for a variety of seafood industry related violations.
AUSTIN – Texas children and families will have enhanced opportunities to explore the state’s natural resources, thanks to more than $800,000 in 22 grants awarded this year through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Community Outdoor Outreach Program (CO-OP). The grants help fund community-based youth and family outdoors-oriented programs and activities like camping, hiking, fishing, kayaking and service projects.