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Tiffany McFarland

Tiffany McFarland

Senior Research Associate

tmmcfarland@ag.tamu.edu

Tiffany McFarland is a senior research associate at the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute. She supports research and policy projects pertaining to the study and conservation of threatened and endangered species, as well as those proposed for future listing. She works with the policy team on an array of projects, partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S Department of Defense, to help address the current and future status of threatened, endangered, and at-risk species and to help develop innovative conservation strategies that address complex conservation challenges.

Tiffany earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 and her master’s degree from the University of Arizona in Tucson in 2009. Her graduate research focused on the application of GIS and remotely sensed vegetation data to model avian breeding habitat along southwestern riparian ecosystems.

Tiffany joined the institute in 2009, working with the Research and Management of Endangered Species team on projects that focused mostly on the distribution, abundance, productivity and habitat use of the endangered golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo within their breeding ranges in Texas and in Oklahoma. She oversaw the coordination of these projects and assisted project leaders.

A Texas native, Tiffany enjoys spending time in the woods, hiking, biking, birding, and sharing her love of the outdoors with her daughter.

Field Notes

  • Endangered Species Act Toolbox: A Guide for Department of War Natural Resource Managers Aug 17, 2026

    Across Department of War (DoW) installations, natural resources managers operate at the intersection of mission execution and statutory conservation responsibilities. Military training and testing lands support high‑tempo operations while sustaining habitats for listed and at‑risk species. When mission activities intersect with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), installations need tools for early planning, coordinated action, and mission‑sustaining conservation solutions.

    The ESA Toolbox, developed as part of the Recovery and Sustainment Partnership by the DoW’s Natural Resources Program and the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, provides installation natural resources managers and partners with a practical, mission‑focused resource for navigating ESA requirements while maintaining readiness.

  • Creative Solutions for Species Management: The ESA Toolbox Jun 1, 2025

    Today, the DOW 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 DOW 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.