Excerpts from Texas' Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) applicable to Private Landowners.

QUICK LINKS TO SECTIONS OF THIS DOCUMENT:
Introduction

Priority Ecoregions

• Tier I - High Priority Ecoregions
• Tier II - Secondary Priority Ecoregions
• Tier III - Tertiary Priority Ecoregions

High Priority Habitats

Grant Programs

River Basins and Regional Water Planning Groups

Species of Greatest Conservation Need

• Birds
• Mammals
• Fish
• Reptiles and Amphibians
• Plants

INTRODUCTION
Texas is one of the most ecologically diverse states in the Union. According to NatureServe’s 2002 States of the Union: Ranking America’s Biodiversity, Texas is second only to California in terms of its biodiversity. Texas has the highest number of birds and reptiles and the second highest number of plants and mammals in the United States. It has the third largest rate of endemism in the country (TPWD 2002). Much of Texas biodiversity is due to sheer size. It covers approximately 267,000 sq. mi. of land and inland waters and lies adjacent to four states, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. It the second largest state in the Union and the largest of the lower 48 states. There are 10 ecoregions within the state ranging from the Pineywoods of East Texas to the deserts and mountain ranges of West Texas. The Gulf of Mexico lines 367 mi. of the Texas coast and provides important habitat for a variety of fish, invertebrates, birds and mammals.

Texas species are as diverse and the Texas landscape. There are 5,500 species of plant in Texas, and greater than 425 of those species are endemics. There have been over 600 bird species identified within the borders of Texas and 184 known mammal species, including marine species that inhabit Texas’ coastal waters (Schmidly 2004). It is estimated that there are approximately 29,000 insect species in Texas that take up residence in every conceivable habitat, including rocky outcroppings, pitcher plant bogs and on individual species of plants (Riley in publication).

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PRIORITY ECOREGIONS FOR TPWD

Tier I – High Priority Ecoregions for TPWD Efforts
Blackland Prairie
Conserved Status: This ecoregion ranked medium in conserved status because there is only a small percentage of public and non-profit conservation land and private property operated under wildlife management plans.
Threats: This is the most severely altered of Texas’ ecoregions, since most of the Blackland Prairie has been converted for cropland or urban development. Only an estimated 5,000 ac. remain in their historic condition in terms of plant species. All habitats in this ecoregion are threatened by rapid population growth and accompanying conversion to urban areas and pastureland, fragmentation and decreased land parcel size.
Rare Plants and Communities: This ecoregion ranks lowest in number of rare plant species and seventh in number of endemics, but all four native Blackland Prairie grass communities are rare.
Rare Animals: Many tall grass prairie birds have declined drastically due to land conversion and fragmentation. This region is an important stopover habitat for migrant songbirds and wintering raptors.
Priorities: Protection and restoration of remnant prairies is a high priority.

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes
Conserved Status: Overall, this ecoregion ranked relatively high in conserved status second only to the Trans-Pecos ecoregion, although conservation efforts are not evenly distributed across the region. The coastal marshes and barrier islands are relatively well conserved, whereas the inland prairies, coastal woodlands and some beach habitats are not.
Threats: All factors considered this is among the most threatened of the 10 ecoregions and the more threatened of the two high diversity ecoregions. The increased population growth and associated development along the coast have fragmented land, converted prairies, changed river flows, decreased water quality and increased sediment loads and pollutants within marsh and estuarine systems. Projections indicate continued high growth and increased fragmentation in most parts of this ecoregion.
Rare Plants and Communities: The region ranked high in rare plant species and endemism including five rare plant communities. All of the region’s 24 rare plants occur inland where the conserved status is lowest.
Rare Animals: Attwater’s prairie chicken, whooping crane, aplomado falcon, white-tailed hawk, Gulf Coast hog-nosed and eastern spotted skunks are all in need of attention, as are many bird species that depend on this important migratory stopover area.
Priorities: Protection efforts should focus on inland prairies and coastal woodlands. Many beach areas and mud flats need additional protection.

South Texas Plains
Conserved Status: This ecoregion ranked relatively high in conserved status overall. The South Texas Plains consists mostly of level to rolling terrain characterized by dense brush. Little of the brush country is conserved on public lands, but a relatively high percentage is in large stable ownerships and operated under wildlife management plans. Much of the high quality brush habitat that still exists in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) is in public ownership, but it is insufficient to sustain many of the region’s threatened plants, animals and communities.
Threats: Overall, this region ranked relatively high. Threats are concentrated in the LRGV due to the expanding human population, fragmentation, conversion to croplands, urban development, insufficient river flow and introduction of exotic plants.
Rare Plants and Communities: Rare plant communities include the Texas ebony-anacua, Texas palmetto and Texas ebony-snake-eyes assemblages. Rare species include Walker’s manioc, star cactus, Texas ayenia and Zapata bladderpod.
Rare Animals: The LRGV has particularly rich bird and butterfly faunas as well as the endangered ocelot and jaguarundi.
Priorities: The remaining fragments of brush in the LRGV should be protected and corridors between these habitats should be protected and restored.

Tier II – Secondary Priority Ecoregions for TPWD Efforts
Cross Timbers and Prairies
Conserved Status: This ecoregion, along with the High Plains, rank the lowest in conserved status. There is little public land, few private preserves and a low percentage of private land under wildlife management plans.
Threats: The Cross Timbers and Prairies ecoregion ranked medium in terms of land conversion, but the potential for rapid conversion and fragmentation in the future is suggested by high projected population growth. Threats in this region include fragmentation and land conversion of prairies, forests and savannahs, mesquite invasion of degraded grasslands and proliferation of exotic grasses. Rivers and streams have been altered by an extensive reservoir system. Hundreds of miles of riparian, or river, forests have been inundated and downstream flows reduced. Most ground nesting birds, grassland mammals, amphibians and egg-laying reptiles are also threatened by fire ant invasion.
Rare Plants and Communities: This ecoregion harbors only one rare plant and has relatively low endemism. Patches of Blackland Prairie grasslands within the Cross Timbers are made up of threatened communities similar to those described for other ecoregions.
Rare Animals: The region provides nesting habitat for the federally endangered blackcapped vireo and the golden-cheeked warbler.
Priorities: Protecting the ecoregion’s prairies, woodlands and remaining river corridors should be a priority.

Edwards Plateau
Conserved Status: Despite a small amount of public and non-profit conservation land, the region ranked medium due to the relatively high percentage of private land managed under wildlife management plans.
Threats: Land conversion values for the ecoregion, overall, were relatively low. However, projected population growth and subdivisions of large tracts of land are high, particularly in the eastern portion where intense development and fragmentation threatens the biodiversity and the region’s unique hydrology.
Rare Plants and Communities: The Edwards Plateau is internationally recognized for its unique flora and its karst systems. It has the highest number of plant endemism of any ecoregion in the state and ranks third in number of rare plants. Of the 29 plant communities found here, three occur nowhere else in Texas and two are found nowhere else in the world.
Rare Animals: Karst habitats support many species of salamanders and cave insects, many of which are restricted to only a few sites. This is the most important ecoregion for herpetological and invertebrate species due to high endemism, sensitive habitats and intense threats. Black-capped vireos and golden-cheeked warblers are the two bird species of greatest concern.
Priorities: The sheltered canyons, springs, caves and river systems are home to most of the biological diversity and should be priorities for public and private conservation efforts. Conserving relatively intact grasslands and maintaining sufficient old growth juniper habitat for the golden-cheeked warbler, especially in the western hill country, are also a priority.

High Plains
Conserved Status: This ecoregion is the least conserved because there is a low percentage of public and non-profit conserved land and wildlife management plans for lands located in the High Plains.
Threats: This ecoregion experienced a high rate of conversion to crops, but a considerable portion of it is now enrolled in the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program that has higher conservation value than cropland. Threats include fragmentation and land management practices that are harmful to species such as lesser prairie chickens. Other threats include the damming of springs, streams and rivers, the draining and conversion of playa lakes and surface mining.
Rare Plants and Communities: Plant endemism is low, but there are two rare species, five endemics and several distinct plant communities.
Rare Animals: Birds of concern in this region include ferruginous and Swainson’s hawks, burrowing owls, mountain plovers and lesser prairie chickens. The black-tailed prairie dog, swift fox and pronghorn need conservation attention as well.
Priorities: Increasing the percentage of conserved land to support several important game species and threatened animals is a priority.

Pineywoods
Conserved Status: This ecoregion ranked medium in conserved status because of the relatively high percentage of publicly owned land and medium percentage of land under wildlife management plans. The northern half of the ecoregion is not well conserved and has unique habitats and rare species of plants and reptiles.
Threats: The Pineywoods ranked relatively low in terms of land conversion, but high in terms of projected population growth. Much of the longleaf pine and hardwood forest habitats have been converted to loblolly plantations, which have limited conservation value. The primary threats are fragmentation and land conversion. For instance, the consolidation of timber interests around the country has led to sales of large timber tracts in east Texas which may be converted to other uses. Fire suppression, fire ant and Chinese tallow invasion are also threats. Much of the best remaining bottomland hardwood habitat is threatened by potential reservoir construction.
Rare Plants and Communities: Plant endemism ranks relatively low, though the region supports 22 rare species and 27 endemics. The longleaf pine savannahs have been reduced from approximately 1.5 million ac. historically to 50,000 ac. today. Many of the acid seeps and pitcher plant bogs have been converted for other uses. The federal and state listed Houston toad exists in a confined area located in the spatially separated Pineywoods habitat near Central Texas (Bastrop County) known as the Lost Pines.
Rare Animals: The Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes and Pineywoods ecoregions share one of the world’s most diverse and highly threatened mussel populations. Reptiles of concern include the Louisiana pine snake, alligator snapping turtle and timber rattlesnake. In general amphibians are declining. Birds of concern are the red-cockaded woodpecker, Bachman’s sparrow and other grassland savannah nesters and winterers. The endangered Louisiana black bear may be attempting to naturally recolonize the area and the conservation of bottomland forests is critical to their return.
Priorities: Longleaf pine savannahs and other unique plant communities, including bogs, hardwood slope forests, and baygalls, should be preserved and restored wherever possible. Conservation and restoration of remaining bottomland hardwood habitats, such as in the San Bernard River Basin, is also important for many wildlife species.

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Tier III –Tertiary Priority Ecoregions for TPWD Efforts
Post Oak Savannah
Conserved Status: The Post Oak Savannah ecoregion ranked medium in conserved status because only a small percentage is public or non-profit conservation land.
Threats: This ecoregion ranked relatively low in threats overall. The primary threats are fragmentation and land conversion, especially from the damming of springs, streams and rivers. Other threats include fire ant infestation and fire suppression in both oak savannahs and pitcher plant bogs.
Rare Plants and Communities: Endemism in the plants of this ecoregion ranks lower than in others, though the area supports 17 rare species and 65 endemics. Many highly specialized plant habitats such as blowout sandhills, clay-pan savannahs, pitcher plant bogs, Catahoula and Oakville sandstone outcrops, chalk glades and limestone prairies support numerous rare plants, which are not found on public land.
Rare Animals: There are several species of concern in the region including loggerhead shrike, painted bunting, spotted skunk and the Brazos water snake.
Priorities: Conservation efforts in this region should focus on areas that support many of the region’s unique species and communities such as mesic hardwood woodlands, bogs, sandhills and bottomland hardwoods.

Rolling Plains
Conserved Status: The ecoregion ranked low in conserved status with a relatively small amount of public and non-profit conservation land and a medium percentage of land under wildlife management plans.
Threats: This region ranked medium in threats including land fragmentation and conversion. Exotic species such as salt cedar exist along many miles of riverbank.
Rare Plants and Communities: The only rare plant endemic to this region, the Texas poppy-mallow, is associated with the mesquite grasslands and Havard shin oak communities.
Rare Animals: Low forests on limestone out-pockets are important habitat for the endangered black-capped vireo. Both the federally listed Concho and Brazos water snakes occur here. The state listed Texas kangaroo rat also survives in this region.
Priorities: This region is a prime candidate for restoration efforts and many species would benefit from restoration of grasslands and riparian forests. Protection of the Texas poppy-mallow and high quality examples of communities such as Harvard oak-tallgrass, sandsage-midgrass and cottonwood-tallgrass grasslands and woodlands are also important.

Trans-Pecos
Conserved Status: This ecoregion is the most conserved of all ecoregions, but the conserved lands are not evenly distributed across the region. The desert grasslands of the region are poorly conserved, as are much of the forests along the Rio Grande and plant communities around springs.
Threats: Threats in this region are the lowest of any ecoregion but include persistent drought and groundwater withdrawals that have damaged many existing springassociated communities. Expansion of human activities in the El Paso region will negatively impact habitats in the surrounding areas.
Rare Plants and Communities: The region is one of Texas’ botanically richest and most unique. Approximately one of every 12 plant species occur nowhere else in Texas. The Trans-Pecos supports three times the number of rare plants than any other region. Much of the banks of the Rio Grande are choked with salt cedar, making the protection of the rare patches of cottonwood-willow and velvet ash-willow communities important. Many springs and their associated cienegas and creeks once contained numerous rare plants, but most have dried out. Of the few springs that remain, only three are permanently conserved.
Rare Animals: This region has the highest percentage of vertebrate species of concern. The bird, mammal and insect faunas are rich and unique. Rare birds include the golden eagle, the common black hawk, elf and flammulated owls, peregrine falcon, Montezuma quail and others. Mammals include the black-tailed prairie dog, kit fox, desert bighorn, pronghorn, Mexican black bear and hooded skunk. This is by far the most herpetologically diverse ecoregion. Species of concern include the Chihuahuan mud turtle and the dunes sagebrush lizard.
Priorities: The high desert grasslands, spring communities and riparian woodlands along the Rio Grande need additional conservation action.

High Priority Habitats
Despite the many benefits associated with studying at the ecoregion scale, the very real and often critical conservation needs of some habitats, communities and species can be missed by this approach. Every ecoregion in Texas is home to important game species, threatened and endangered species, significant habitats and communities. The Priority Ecoregion Analysis showed that native prairies and grasslands, riparian habitats that cross ecoregion boundaries, are the most important wildlife habitats, contain the highest numbers of rare species and are often the most threatened. These habitat types will be a priority for the department in the future.

Native Prairie and Grassland Habitat
Native prairies and grasslands once covered Texas from the shortgrass prairies in the Panhandle; to the coastal marshes of the Gulf; to the desert and montane grasslands of the west; and even to small openings within the Pineywoods. These habitats supported a vast array of species including bison, prairie dogs, eastern meadowlarks, northern bobwhites, big bluestem and Indiangrass. Without native prairies and grasslands, cattle ranching and cotton production would not have been successful in the state; but relatively little native habitat remains today. Even those patches of prairies and grasslands that have not been altered or converted to other uses often support fewer species due to fragmentation, fire suppression, overgrazing and woody plant invasion. Nevertheless, with proper management, native prairie and grassland habitats are resilient and many can be restored.

Riparian Habitats
Riparian habitats include vegetation found along the banks and on the floodplains of rivers, creeks and streams. Riparian forests that cover broad floodplains are often referred to as bottomland hardwood forests. In arid regions, and in times of drought, riparian corridors are often the only place where trees and wildlife species are able to survive. These corridors support highly diverse wildlife because they are critical feeding areas and serve as valuable refuges. Riparian forests improve water quality and quantity and provide important nutrients to the streams and rivers. Riparian vegetation also holds water by slowing the rate at which water moves from the land into streams and shaded waterways lose much less water to evaporation.

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GRANT PROGRAMS
Landowner Incentive Program (LIP)
Most rare species inhabit privately owned and managed lands in Texas. Incentive programs to assist private landowners in protecting and managing rare species can have a direct and positive impact on their conservation. It is the goal of this program to provide financial and technical assistance to landowners to help conserve rare species in support of the newly drafted Texas State Wildlife . The LIP program is flexible and is open to all private landowners who have a desire to voluntarily manage for rare species on their land. Learn More

State Wildlife Grants (SWG)
The purpose of this program is to meet the goals set in the Texas Wildlife Action Plan which was completed in September of 2005. Both species and habitat goals have been laid out in the document as well as specific projects. Of specific interest are those projects that are listed as high and medium priorities. The projects should be substantial in character and design, meaning that they should be appropriate projects for the intended objectives and at an appropriate cost considering the activities. 

Wildlife Diversity Conservation Grants
The purpose of this grant offering is to help implement conservation practices that benefit priority species and habitats as identified in the TWAP as well as fund nongame, threatened, and endangered species habitat projects. Of specific interest are those projects that are listed as high and medium priorities in the Plan. The projects should be substantial in character and design, meaning that they should be appropriate for the intended objectives and an appropriate cost considering the activities. All projects must be clearly achievable within the project timeline submitted and funding must be complete or obligated by August 31, 2009. Learn More

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SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED
Species of greatest conservation need are those animals, both aquatic and terrestrial, that are at risk or are declining in Texas. They include threatened and endangered species, as well as many other species whose populations are of concern in our State.

Key to Symbols
Status

• FE,SE - Federally or State endangered species or population.
• FT,ST - Federally or State threatened species or population.
• FC,SC - Species of concern at the federal or state level.

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