Using exclusion fencing to prevent feral hog access at feeding stations
Domestic pigs were introduced into the United States in the 1500s by Spanish explorers as a reliable food source. Those pigs and others brought from Europe and released into the wild established the original population of feral pigs. Today, there are around 3 million feral pigs in Texas that cause significant agricultural damage totaling over $670 million annually, and landowners have reported spending an additional $130 million in control costs.
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The Fall 2025 NRI Sourcebook is here
Directly from the field, the Fall 2025 edition of the NRI Sourcebook brings together a seasonal, digital collection of recently published peer-reviewed scientific publications, applied research reports, and science-based resources developed by Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute researchers and collaborators. Each volume reflects our commitment to advancing conservation, natural resource management, and private land stewardship through interdisciplinary, applied research.
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Fort Sill habitat restoration provides new opportunities for hunters
On about 40 acres, with roughly 300 acres scheduled to follow, Fort Sill’s Natural Resources team is carrying out what foresters call timber stand improvement. In plain language, it means thinning the understory of older, overgrown forest to let light back in.
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Conserving South Atlantic salt marsh through collective action
The South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative (SASMI) is a voluntary, non-regulatory partnership of individuals working together to protect and restore salt marshes across a four-state region from North Carolina to Florida. This regional initiative is coordinated by NRI’s Amanda Gobeli, who oversees federal, state, and local partner organizations and engagement for the implementation of their conservation plan. We recently sat down with Gobeli to discuss how her role within SASMI is shaping the defense against specific threats to our coastal salt marshes.
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Podcast Ep #11: Restoring the legacy of the Longleaf pine ecosystem
Today, organizations like the Texas Longleaf Team, led by Jenny Sanders, work to promote restorative land management practices to bring back this iconic species. Listen to Episode 11 of The Land Steward Podcast to learn more about their efforts.
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Why feral pig management is essential for new landowners
Texas faces a threat that is adaptable, pervasive, and alarmingly expensive: the feral pig (Sus scrofa), known variously as wild hogs, wild boars, or razorbacks. This invasive exotic species has populations estimated in the millions, and the damage they inflict can be severe. A new publication, "Managing Feral Pigs on Small Acreage Properties and Metropolitan Areas," underscores the urgent necessity of modernized feral pig management strategies, especially as Texas rapidly urbanizes.
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Nationwide effort to protect pollinators gains momentum
Pollinators, including bees, bats, butterflies, and birds, are vital to U.S. ecosystems and food security. These species transfer pollen from a flower’s stamen to its pistil, enabling fertilization and the production of fruits and seeds for plants that cannot self-pollinate. They support biodiversity and enhance crop yields, significantly contributing to the productivity of working lands and the economy.
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NRI Map Store featured in The Austin Chronicle
NRI's new Map Store featured in The Austin Chronicle's Day Trips & Beyond: September Events Roundup
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Texas A&M AgriLife guides solutions where wild and urban lands meet
From wildfire resilience to wildlife management, experts tackle Texas’ growing ‘wildland-urban interface’
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Ram Romance: Passion and Science in Sonora
Thanks to grant funding from WSF, a binational team of researchers based at Texas A&M University and at Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, is providing groundbreaking technology and expertise to study Sierra El Álamo’s sheep in the wild.
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