Category: Habitat Management

Fire has long been an ecologically important factor in Texas, and more recently landowners and wildlife managers have been using prescribed burns as an effective wildlife and habitat management technique. Currently, a prescribed burn workshop is accepting applications for participants interested in learning more about prescribed fire. The course teaches attendees how to use prescribed fire as a tool for land management. The participant will gain an understanding of fire effects and how to use fire in a safe manner to accomplish certain habitat management objectives.

In addition, the course combines lecture, group discussion, teamwork, individual projects and field work to increase each student’s knowledge of fire weather, fire behavior, physical properties and characteristics of fuels, and the effects of fire on habitat, wildlife and soils. Students will become aware of the risks associated with prescribed burning, including smoke risks and the risk of fire escape. Laws pertaining to the use of prescribed fire and their influence on a burn manager’s planning and decisions will be explained. Continue reading Texas Prescribed Burn Workshops for Habitat Management

Texas Wildlife Association, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are hosting the South Texas Wildlife Conference. The event is scheduled for September 28-30, 2011 in Victoria, Texas, at the Spring Creek Place Event Center. The habitat management conference will focus on energy development and the future of wildlife habitat in South Texas. Much of the increase in the costs of Texas land for sale is because of landowner interest in recreation and wildlife habitat management, but there are also some other factors that many Texas landowners are finding out about, namely energy and mineral values from exploration companies.

The South Texas Wildlife Conference offers a rare opportunity to hear from a wide range of practitioners, land managers, policy makers, wildlife biologists, and wildlife researchers, about the future of energy development in the region and what it means for landowners. Habitat management sessions will inform landowners and other attendants about the latest studies concerning water, invasive grasses, habitat restoration strategies and general wildlife management techniques, as well as updates on issues that impact the precious natural resources found in this region. Wildlife conference topics include those with the greatest projected impacts: oil and gas, wind energy and uranium. Continue reading South Texas Wildlife Conference

As the temperature rises and the soil gets drier, water conservation is front and center. In fact, the Texas House approved a plan would offer land owners across the state property tax reductions for habitat management related to water conservation. The plan offers property tax reductions for landowners who set aside open-space habitat for water conversation. And the plan is quite progressive with more-productive conservation efforts receiving greater tax breaks.

Supporters of the water management initiative said the tax reductions would encourage groundwater conservation without forcing Texas government to hand out even more money. It is estimated that 90 percent of Texas water flows either through or under privately owned land, so it will take private landowners to get the job done. One of the best ways to get people involved is conservation initiatives is to make if monetarily worth their while. Continue reading Tax Reduction for Water Conservation

Real estate is an expensive investment and more and more landowners are buying rural property and ranches for recreational purposes. In fact, real estate agents focus more than ever on wildlife and habitat values on the Texas land they sale. Landowners want and love wildlife, many getting actively involved with wildlife and habitat management. There are many ways someone can learn to improve their land.

Ranch Management University, a four-day program targeting novice landowners, is scheduled April 12-15 at Texas A&M University in College Station. “This unique new landowner workshop is designed to help new landowners improve their understanding regarding management of the various wildlife and plant communities they find on their ranch properties,” said Dr. Larry Redmon, workshop coordinator and Texas AgriLife Extension Service state forage specialist. Continue reading Habitat Management: Range Management University

Brush species provide food and cover for many native wildlife species, but in excess brush can also cause habitat problems. Brush species vary by ecoregion, but brush management is a common habitat management practice for many Texas landowners. As a result, Brush Management Certification Training for Landowners, land managers and brush control contractors will be held at the Meridian at the Meridian Civic Center located at 200 West River on April 12, at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area located at 2625 FM 1340 Hunt, Texas, on April 26, and in Johnson City at the AgriLife Extension office located at 101 East Cypress on April 27.

It is important that any landowner or contractor who plans to conduct brush management within Golden-Cheeked Warbler or Black-capped Vireo habitat as part of work involving Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is encouraged to take this training and become brush management certified. The training is not required, however, everyone is welcome to attend and become certified and learn more about habitat management.

Certification of completion of the brush management training will be provided by the Texas Department of Agriculture. In addition, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will offer “certification” that allows the holder to control cowbirds, which are nest predators. Cowbird trapping and control falls under Predator Control for the wildlife tax valuation. Continue reading Brush Management Certification Training

Protecting natural habitat is the key component to successful wildlife management. Without quality native plant communities both the habitat and associated wildlife populations suffer. Texas, which has been aware of the importance of natural habitats for some time, has once again put it’s money where is mouth is. During the mid-90’s Texas passed the wildlife tax valuation, commonly incorrectly referred to as the wildlife exemption, that allowed landowners to manage for native wildlife and habitat while maintaining their agriculture taxes – without having to perform farming or ranching practices.

This legislation has gone a long ways towards protecting Texas’ wildlife habitat, but they are far from over. Now, a bipartisan group of legislators, representing both rural and urban parts of the state, is supporting a bill that would create an innovative incentive for landowners to protect water resources, preserve the state’s cultural heritage by protecting natural resources on privately owned land, and advance Texas’ long-range water plan – all without costing taxpayers money. Continue reading Protect Water Resources for Better Habitat, Wildlife Exemption