Even
though 95% of Texas is privately owned, the mere mention of the state’s name
conjures up images of wide open spaces. Upon
closer examination, however, the Lone Star State may look a little smaller, as
large acres of land are being increasingly divided into smaller and smaller
parcels. The subsequent fragmentation of the landscape has implications for
landowners, because fragmentation can lead to more invasive species, an
increase in soil erosion, and a decrease in water quality, all of which drive
up the costs of ecosystem services. Fragmentation is also the single greatest
threat to wildlife in Texas (Wilkins et al. 2003). For example, deer and wild
turkey both have home ranges that are about 640 acres at a minimum, but the
average size of land parcels in Texas is 521 acres (Lopez et al. 2014). How,
then, should small acreage landowners attempt to benefit wildlife? One answer
lies in the formation of cooperative associations.
Cooperative
associations are organizations in which neighboring landowners join together to
promote similar interests. They can be particularly helpful in engaging smaller
acreage landowners in conservation and land management practices. Wildlife Management
Associations (WMAs) are one type of association that are commonplace in Texas. These
associations are voluntary land cooperatives in which the landowners agree to
manage wildlife in accordance with a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
wildlife management plan (Limesand 2006). There are over 170 WMAs in Texas that
collectively cover more than 1.8 million acres, and the numbers continue to
increase (TPWD 2015). There are multiple benefits to joining a WMA, such as
enhanced recreation opportunities, improved ecosystems, an increase in the
quality and/or quantity of wildlife, an increase in species diversity and
habitat diversity, decreased poaching, and a lessening of the effect of
fragmentation (Berger et al. 2004).
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| WMAs allow for recreational activities such as fee-based hunting. |
Not all cooperatives are WMAs, however. The Wildlife Habitat Federation (WHF), founded in 2004 by Jim Willis and Robert Moore, coordinates a group of landowners in Austin and Colorado counties who are concerned about the status of Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). They wished to establish a sustainable population by creating connectivity among properties, and they accomplished this goal by forming a 7 mile long and 1 mile wide corridor that connects to the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge. Without any purposeful reintroduction, the corridor now has 31 species of upland birds. The WHF is dedicated to the preservation and re-establishment of crucial upland game habitat and, in cooperation with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the National Conservation Resources Service, provides workshops, presentations, site visits, equipment, and physical assistance to landowners interested in restoring their ranches to native habitat.
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| Securing habitat for wildlife such as these Northern bobwhite is one reason for the formation of cooperatives. |
Other non-WMA associations also exist that do not focus
exclusively on increasing native wildlife. In fact, some landowners form
cooperatives to decrease the abundance of destructive
exotic species such as feral hogs. Landowners may find creating such associations
to manage feral
hogs beneficial. Cooperatives can
also focus on aspects of habitat management. Under the Prescribed Burn Alliance of Texas,
associations have been formed to assist landowners with prescribed
burning.
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| Prescribed burn associations offer landowners a network of resources and assistance for conducting burns. |
Landowners
interested in forming cooperatives should first talk with their neighbors about
forming such an association. For those interested in forming WMAs, TPWD
Wildlife Biologists through the Private Lands and Habitat
Program can provide assistance. Landowners can work with County Extension Agents for assistance
in land management.
Literature Cited
Berger, M. et al. 2004. A guide for wildlife management
associations and co-ops. Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Limesand, C. M. 2006. Landowners’ perceptions on coordinated
wildlife and groundwater management in the Edwards Plateau. Thesis, Texas A&M
University, College Station, USA.
Lopez, R. et al. 2014. Texas land trends. Texas A&M
Institute of Renewable Natural Resources.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). 2015. Wildlife
management associations of Texas. <https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/land/associations/county_list/>.
Accessed 10 February 2015.
Wildlife Habitat Federation [Internet]. [Updated 2014
September 10; cited 2015 January 29]. Available from: www.whf-texas.org.
Wilkins, N. et al. 2003. Texas rural lands. Texas
Cooperative Extension, B-6134.