From Maps to Mentorship: NRI partners with Borlaug Youth
The story of Texas’s working lands, or privately owned farms, ranches, and forests, is one of rapid changes that have widespread implications for national and food security, rural economies, and the conservation of wildlife, water, and other natural resources. Over 139 million acres of valuable landscapes supporting these processes are threatened by suburbanization, rural development, and land fragmentation driven by rapid economic and population growth.
Read Article
Working Lands, Wildlife: A Wild Goose Chase Win
In the rolling Baraboo Hills of Wisconsin, just a quarter mile from Aldo Leopold’s Shack—where A Sand County Almanac took root—a diverse group of two dozen gathered for the Wild Goose Chase II meeting. Private landowners, conservationists, federal agency leaders, policy experts, and academics united with a shared goal: conserving species while keeping America’s working lands thriving.
Read Article
Creative Solutions for Species Management: The ESA Toolbox
Today, the DOD manages over 500 species listed as either threatened or endangered under the ESA and hundreds more “species-at-risk” that may warrant federal protection in the future. The DOD is committed to providing conditions compatible with conducting military training, testing, and operational missions while ensuring the conservation of ecosystems on which these species depend. However, in some circumstances, overlap between military mission activities and species habitats can result in area access and training constraints. Creatively managing the military mission and species conservation can reduce—or even eliminate—potential conflicts.
Read Article
My Quest to Find the Elusive Texas Alligator Lizard
On a warm spring morning a few years ago, I ducked into a rock shelter on Austin’s Barton Creek Greenbelt while taking a walk. Sunlight cut through the live oaks and painted the walls of the limestone canyons. Only as I stood up to leave did I see it: a slender, serpentine lizard sitting on a ledge, its armored back banded in orange and white, its narrow face and glittering eyes set in an expression of faint distaste.
Read Article
Podcast Ep. #9: The Story of Texas Land Trends
Over the last 25 years, we’ve documented how rapid population growth has changed Texas lands through fragmentation, development, and suburbanization. More and more people are moving to Texas every year, prompting decision-makers to seek additional natural resources and land to support them. In a state as vast as Texas, which boasts 142 million acres of private farms, ranches, and forests, our working lands are the beating heart of our state. Losing working lands impacts everything from wildlife habitat to rural economies to food and water security for major urban centers. Our changing landscape will impact all Texans, and a better understanding of the drivers of change will support the future conservation of working lands.
Read Article
Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop set June 13th in Bay City
A Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop will be held on June 13th at the Bay City Service Center (2105 Ave. M, Bay City). This event is hosted by the Matagorda County SWCD#316, open to the public. Although the education is funded, there is a $30 registration fee for refreshments and steak lunch.
Read Article
Roads now featuring lovestruck turtles ignoring traffic laws
As spring blankets Texas in a wave of blooming wildflowers and budding trees, another seasonal sign is quietly creeping across roads and highways: turtles on the move. Oblivious to traffic and speed limits, these slow but determined travelers are part of a natural rhythm tied to the warmer months: a journey driven by the urge to mate and nest.
Read Article
Successful Reintroduction of the Reticulated Flatwood Salamander
One of the world’s largest and most experienced providers of timberland investment services recently achieved a groundbreaking conservation milestone by successfully reintroducing the federally listed reticulated flatwood salamander (Ambystoma bishopi) in collaboration with multiple agencies and partners.
Read Article
Wildlife management earns statewide recognition
Faculty, staff, student research, contributions earn awards from Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Read Article
Texas A&M AgriLife fills critical knowledge gaps on javelina
NRI researchers are laying the foundation for the science-based management and conservation of javelinas, or collared peccary. Until recently, this native species seemed overshadowed by other Texas wildlife and plagued by misconceptions.
Read Article
Podcast Ep. #7: The Managed Lands Deer Program and Families Who Hunt in Texas
The Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute hosts The Land Steward Podcast each month with specialists in the field with diverse backgrounds to have relatable conversations about land and wildlife stewardship. In Episode 7, BW, our podcast host was able to bring the show on the road to her family’s ranch in the Hill Country to share candid interactions and discussions about managing deer populations as a family and how that experience has shifted the mindset on the ranch.
Read Article
The Winter Sourcebook Volume VI is here
Directly from the field, the Winter 2025 NRI Sourcebook is here. Each season, we publish a digital collection of recently published peer-reviewed scientific publications, research reports, and resources developed to support the improvement of conservation, natural resource management, and private land stewardship. This collection is for you, your partners and community to use and share where we can collaborate to create resiliency.
Read Article
NRI publishes Status Update and Trends of Texas Working Lands 1997-2022
The new Texas Land Trends program report Status Update and Trends of Texas Working Lands 1997–2022 celebrates over two decades of applied research and extension outreach at the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI). Since its inception, the program is an important resource in understanding the complex landscapes of Texas’ working lands—farms, ranches, and forests increasingly threatened by rapid population growth.
Read Article
Updates and trends in landowner demographics and their relationship with wildlife management
NRI released a new Texas Landowner Survey (TLS) report, Updates and Trends in Landowners Demographics and their Relationship with Wildlife Management, with fresh insights on the Texas general population, land and wildlife stewardship and tax incentives. Most significantly, the report reveals that 49 percent of Texas operations are managed by just two landowners, which will be a critical consideration related to intergenerational land transfers, an aging landowner population and the potential for loss of land management knowledge and experience.
Read Article
Scientist Q&A with Dr. Sarah Turner
Like many scientists, Research Assistant Professor Dr. Sarah Turner, took a circuitous route to find her passion. We had the opportunity to sit down with her to learn more about her academic background—brimming with brilliant mentors, interesting internships and lots of challenging work—her education, fieldwork, and her future endeavors as she moves into an instructional role at Texas A&M.
Read Article
NRI Announces Funding for Land Management to Private Landowners within the Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape
The Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI), through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), is offering over $1 million in funding to support private landowners within the Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape.
Read Article
Advancing military readiness and ecological resiliency in the Hill Country
NRI facilitates private land conservation through the Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape
Read Article