SOURCE BOOK SPECIAL EDITION: MAPPING
CURATED BY THE TEXAS A&M NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE’S GEOSPATIAL ANALYSTS
WHERE CONSERVATION AND APPLIED RESEARCH MEET Each season, the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI) publishes a digital collection of recently published peerreviewed scientific publications, research reports, and sciencebased resources developed to support improvements in conservation, natural resource management, and private land stewardship. In this special edition, we highlight recent work by our Geospatial Analysis Team (GAT), which expresses relationships, trends and other data in visual representations useful in decision-making. Through interdisciplinary and applied research, education and policy, we are committed to solving natural resource issues and engaging land managers, citizens and policymakers throughout the process. Many of the maps in this Sourcebook are available on the NRI website.
nri.tamu.edu
ABOUT THE SPECIAL EDITION SOURCEBOOK 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS land trends 4
reference 30
Working land loss.......5
Ecoregions.......31
Renewable energy.......6
Groundwater.......32
Primary land use.......7
Surface water.......33
Market value.......8
Energy.......34
Population change.......9
Night lights.......35
Development.......10 Borderlands.......11
wildlife 36
Texas working lands.......12
Sprague’s pipit.......37
Private land stewardship.......13
Herps of Texas.......38 Ocelot.......40
historic 15
Wild turkey.......42
Historic cattle trails.......16
Key deer.......43
South Texas.......17
conservation valuations 44 fieldwork 18
Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program.......45
Texas A&M ENRTA.......19
Conserving Texas.......46
La Copita.......20
Ecosystem services.......48
Long Acres Ranch.......21
Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan.......49
military 22
map store 50
Camp Bullis.......23
publication citations 51
SERPPAS Good Map.......25 Texas Airspace Planning and Forecasting.......26 Texas Compatible Use Zones.......27 Fort Sill.......29
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LAND TRENDS Texas working lands are undergoing a fundamental change. Native landscapes are increasingly threatened by urbanization, rural development, and land fragmentation driven by rapid population growth. Over the last 20 years, we have created maps to help inform and visualize Land Trends data and emphasize these trends to landowners and decision-makers.
WORKING LAND LOSS
AVAILABLE IN THE MAP STORE
Texas working lands are under increasing land conversion pressure driven by unprecedented economic and population growth. Shifting economies and new industry opportunities, byproducts of the global pandemic, magnified the downward trajectory of working land loss in our state. The last 5 years have seen continued loss of
working lands and population increases, unlike any other period. In the last 25 years, Texas lost nearly 3.7M acres of designated working lands, converted to non-agricultural uses. Between 2017 and 2022, over 1.8M acres have been lost, signaling an accelerating rate of loss. 5
RENEWABLE ENERGY 2014
2024
WIND TURBINES (#)
SOLAR FARM (ACRES)
≤25
≤100
26-50
101-500
51-100
501-1,000
101-250
1,000-2,500
>250
>2,500
In 2023, renewable sources accounted for 30% of the state's total net electricity generation, with even more production anticipated from future developments. Recent trends show increases in wind (164%) and solar (1,040%) over the last decade. Many communities are developing plans to ensure appropriate steps are taken to minimize negative impacts and encourage responsible development.
Texas leads the nation in domestically produced energy and is the nation’s largest net energy supplier. While Texas produces more crude oil than any other state, it also leads the nation in wind energy production and is a top producer of solar energy. The energy sector provides jobs for Texans, income for landowners, and tax revenue for local and state governments.
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PRIMARY LAND USE Approximately 81% of the land in Texas is classified as working lands—farms, ranches, and forests. Grazing lands account for the majority of working lands (72%) in the state and have steadily declined since 1997. Trend data estimate that grazing lands lost approximately 6.7M acres from
1997 to 2022 to other land uses, whether agricultural or non-agricultural. Croplands experienced similar declines over the same period, with a loss of more than 4.1M acres to other land uses. This map reflects the relative density of primary land use by type and location in 2022.
1 DOT = 2,500 ACRES
CROPLAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
GRAZING LAND
TIMBER OTHER
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MARKET VALUE Rural land market values vary by location, land use, and property size, among other factors. From Texas Land Trends data, the statewide average appraised market value for Texas working lands was $3,021/acre in 2022. On average, this represents a 55% increase in land value since 2017 ($1,951/acre), and a 505% increase over the previous 25-year period ($499/acre in 1997).
2022
Changes in land market value are closely tied to distance from major metropolitan growth areas, with price per acre generally increasing with proximity to major cities. $ PER ACRE ≤ $1,000 $1,001 - $2,000
MAJOR HIGHWAY MAJOR CITY
2017
$2,001 - $3,000 $3,001 - $4,000 > $4,000
1997
The Land Steward Podcast Episode 9: 25 years of Texas Land Trends 8
POPULATION CHANGE
1997-2022
POPULATION CHANGE (%) Decrease 1% - 10% 11% - 25% 26% - 50% > 50%
Texas leads the nation in population growth, with 8 of the 15 fastest-growing cities in the U.S. From 1997 to 2022, Texas grew from 19M to over 30M residents, an increase of 55% over the last 25-year period. In the last five years alone, Texas gained over 1.7M residents or approximately 1,000 people per day.
The growing population in Texas is driving increased demand for rural land, especially in and around urban centers. Texas Land Trends data show that 88% of the population increase (9M new residents) occurred within the state’s 25 counties with the highest population growth.
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DEVELOPMENT
Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and DFW make up what is known as the "Texas triangle"—an area seeing some of the fastest population growth and development in the country. Our Texas Land Trends program has spent the last 25 years tracking this changing landscape to better understand the
drivers of change and support the future conservation of working lands. This map shows development before (gray) and after (red) 1995, along with protected and public lands (green), highlighting the explosion of growth in this region and the importance of working lands conservation efforts. 10
BORDERLANDS The Rio Grande serves as an international boundary and has long supplied water for agriculture, helping shape early settlement along its banks. As some riverside communities grew into densely populated urban centers, larger properties were divided into smaller parcels, increasing both land fragmentation and the number of individual ownerships. Although private ownership predominates throughout the region, public lands are also present, particularly in the northwestern portion. Land ownership
patterns vary considerably across the Borderlands. Rural Terrell County is characterized by large, irregularly shaped parcels, while urban Hidalgo County contains smaller, more uniform properties. In Hidalgo County, historic Spanish porciones remain visible on the landscape. These long, narrow land grants provided access to the river for farming. Further west, where conditions are more arid, larger parcels supported ranching operations that required more land.
Urban
(pop. 787)
(pop. 860,288)
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Rural
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TEXAS WORKING LANDS AVAILABLE IN THE MAP STORE
Texas working lands, our state’s privately owned farms, ranches, and forests, support agricultural and natural systems that produce our crops and livestock and provide timber and wildlife management. Texas A&M AgriLife centers statewide help meet the state’s agricultural and natural needs by interacting with Texans at the
local and regional levels. The Texas A&M AgriLife support network provides a tour of the state's agricultural areas, covering each region’s primary agricultural production strategy based on its unique landscapes and the corresponding Texas A&M AgriLife center.
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PRIVATE LAND STEWARDSHIP Public Land vs. Private Working Land Percent of Total Area
Privately owned working lands provide substantial economic, ecological, and recreational resources across the United States. Nearly ¾ of the United States is privately owned. For these reasons, sustaining the value and public benefits derived from private lands requires engaging land stewards and understanding the land's makeup and characteristics. The United States has over 941 million
acres of diverse rural landscapes, and land cover and land use vary greatly by region, as do both public and private working lands. By disseminating private working land data as a proportion of the whole and separately by region, we can identify important areas vital for conservation and illustrate the threats they face from loss and conversion.
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PRIVATE LAND STEWARDSHIP The Census of Agriculture’s ownership dataset reports various metrics of private working lands, including the number of farms and acres of farms by size class for each census year. Together, these values tell a story of private working lands in the United States. Regionally, total acres and total number
of farms varies greatly. In general, the Northern and Southern Plains and the Midwest contain the largest total acres of working lands, while the Southern Plains, Midwest, and Southeast contain the largest number of total farms. When combined, these two metrics also shed light on historical and ecological trends across the United States.
TOTAL ACRES
TOTAL FARMS
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HISTORIC Texas has a storied past from its time of independence to the inception of its statehood; cattle trails, ranches, missions, and vaqueros (i.e. cowboys) all make up the core history that many folks recall about Texas. These historic maps illustrate locations from the past and how where we were intersects with where we are now.
HISTORIC CATTLE TRAILS
AVAILABLE IN THE MAP STORE
Texas has greatly evolved since officially joining the US over 150 years ago, yet remnants of what defined our state in centuries past can still be found. Numerous cattle trails scattered the state during the 18th and 19th centuries, as cattlemen drove their herds to profitable markets in northeastern states. These drives became a cornerstone in creating the golden age of the cowboy. Ultimately, cattle trailing died 16
out by 1900 due to the invention and widespread use of barbed-wire fencing, along with the spread of cattle tick disease. Even so, Texas’ inherent identity and heritage built on this unique economy and way of life can be found along every familiar road you may take. These cattle trails were drawn as a culmination of trails depicted on several historical maps and documents.
SOUTH TEXAS
This map was created to help tell the East Foundation story, and preserve the important history of the East family’s impact on South Texas.
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Capturing a historical snapshot of the region, this map showcases the ranchlands and native rangelands owned and managed by the East Foundation. Over 100 years ago the East family acquired the ranches throughout South Texas, spanning parts of Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Starr, and Willacy counties, in what was once known as the Wild Horse Desert. Today, the East Foundation continues the East family legacy of managing the native rangeland as working cattle ranches, with the added purpose of research and education on working lands stewardship and ranch management.
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FIELDWORK Fieldwork is one of the most crucial parts of scientific research, and at some point, the collected data make their way back to the lab or office. Creating maps that illustrate researchers’ data allows them to better understand the ecology of the study area, the biology of their focal species, or both.
TEXAS A&M ENRTA Texas A&M University’s Ecology and Natural Resource Teaching Area (ENRTA) is a 945-acre biological field station managed by the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management (RWFM). It is located at the southern extent of the Post Oak Savanna Ecoregion with a scattered mix of oak savannas, dense oak woodlands and riparian areas along multiple creeks and wetlands.
These maps were created as part of a coordinated effort to revamp the teaching area to better meet the Department's teaching and collaboration goals. Visualizing features of the landscape, such as topography, existing land use, roads, infrastructure, and water, enabled planners and researchers to make informed decisions about the future of ENRTA.
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Texas A&M Ecology and Natural Resources Teaching Area Facilities
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LA COPITA
Located 40 miles west of Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University’s 2,700-acre La Copita Demonstration Ranch and Research Area is a transition zone between the northeastern portion of the central Rio Grande Plain and the Gulf Prairie and Marshes. The property is ideal for studying the multifaceted challenges of grazing land and natural resource management in South Texas. In 2023, RWFM researchers began conducting biannual helicopter
surveys for wildlife on La Copita, focusing on javelina and other species of interest (e.g., white-tailed deer, wild pigs, nilgai, quail, etc.). Our team created a data-sampling framework to streamline recording the locations and counts of animals observed along planned flight transects using ArcGIS Field Maps and mobile devices. Researchers use these data to better understand wildlife populations on La Copita. 20
LONG ACRES RANCH Historically managed as a working cattle ranch since the mid-1800s, privately-owned Long Acres Ranch is now a 768-acre facility that includes three miles of frontage on the Brazos River. It is owned by the HendersonWessendorff Foundation, which has partnered with NRI to provide an opportunity for youth and adults to experience the benefits of nature through outdoor education and recreation. Today, NRI staff work on the ranch and collaborate to build and optimize access for active outdoor learning.
Mapping property infrastructure enables staff to accurately orient themselves on the property and also efficiently communicate management or infrastructure needs. With 2.5 miles of undeveloped land along the Brazos River, Long Acres Ranch sustained extensive flooding from Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Aerial imagery allows managers to visualize landscape changes incurred from extreme weather events over time. A grid system was overlaid on current imagery to establish a standard for identifying locations and navigating accurately. The map grid also allows users to measure distances and plot routes.
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MILITARY Along with applied research, restoration planning, and collaborative partnerships, geospatial analysis is one of the core ways that we are able to support and strengthen the long-term resilience and mission readiness of military installations. Our mapping capabilities provide important information that allows the military to make data-driven decisions that sustain military operations while enhancing the natural systems critical to their success.
CAMP BULLIS
Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis is one of the nation’s newest Sentinel Landscapes—areas where conservation, working lands, and national defense interests converge. The area encompasses ranch lands, spring-fed rivers, and the Edwards Aquifer Recharge and Contributing Zones, all within one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. Local partners worked to establish the Sentinel Landscape to address challenges
like the rapid loss of agricultural lands, increasing night-sky pollution, loss of spring flow, and aquifer drawdowns. This map was created to showcase Texas’ first Sentinel Landscape and highlight the threats of encroachment and opportunities for conservation. With over 1 million acres of landscape, the Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape and its partners stand to have a lasting impact in an area of rapid change.
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CAMP BULLIS
The Land Steward Podcast Episode 8: Camp Bullis Regional Conservation Partnership Program
The Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape (CBSL) is one of 20 Sentinel Landscapes in the U.S. and the first in Texas. Made up of over 50 partner organizations, including local, state and federal agencies and private groups, the CBSL is in place to protect the needs of Camp Bullis military missions, to sustain rural ranching and farming economies and to protect critical natural resources in the Camp Bullis area —spanning over 949K acres across Kendall, Comal, Medina and Bexar Counties in Texas. The CBSL Partnership is committed to identifying strategic
opportunities to enhance access to nature while also supporting co-benefits identified by the CBSL Committees. The Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape Conservation Tool was created to inform decision-making for conservation funding and on-the-ground efforts within the CBSL by systematically and objectively identifying areas that provide the highest conservation benefit and align with CBSL priorities, thereby concentrating partner efforts for maximum return on investment, both financially and ecologically. 24
SERPPAS GOOD MAP
ACCESS THE GOOD MAP
communicate their priorities and identify opportunities for collective action. The newly developed SERPPAS Good Map pulls together existing military, environmental, land-use, resilience, and other data most relevant to the SERPPAS goals and objectives in the SERPPAS Strategic Plan.
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It has long been recognized within the Southeastern Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) that partners who work effectively together around shared priorities and a “good map” will achieve multiple and mutual benefits for all. SERPPAS defines a “good map” as the use of best available/consistent data to depict priorities of a diverse group of partners on a map that can be used to identify overlapping interests and areas where collaboration for mutual benefits can be achieved. The purpose of such a map is to help the SERPPAS partners better
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TEXAS AIRSPACE PLANNING AND FORECASTING TOOL
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ACCESS TAPTF
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The Texas Airspace Planning and Forecasting Tool (TAPFT; tapft.nri.tamu.edu) is a publicly available web tool that allows users to explore projected development across Texas in conjunction with military assets. The tool considers current and future developments in areas including wind turbines, tall structures, commercial and residential land use, the electric grid, and planned transmission infrastructure projects.
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TEXAS COMPATIBLE USE ZONES VIEWER
ACCESS TCUZ
The Texas Compatible Use Zones Viewer (TCUZ) is the first centralized web tool to display military compatible use zones for active-duty installations across the state, helping anyone considering development near a military installation in Texas identify whether a location of interest may conflict with military operations. The viewer includes Accident Potential Zones (APZs), which are designated around military airfields to identify areas with a higher potential for aircraft accidents and guide compatible land use planning. These include the Clear Zone (CZ), located closest to the runway and generally kept free of development; APZ I, which extends beyond the Clear Zone and allows limited development while restricting certain higher-risk uses; and APZ II, which extends beyond APZ I and has a comparatively lower potential for accidents. The viewer also displays Noise Zones around military airfields and training areas, where noise levels from aircraft and field operations are measured and mapped to identify areas that may be affected by elevated noise. 27
FORT SILL Military lands, such as the U.S. Army’s Fort Sill, face unique challenges, balancing operational needs with land management goals in landscapes with complex disturbance regimes. Despite extensive research on remote sensing for invasive grasses, few workflows have been tailored specifically to these environments. This project was designed to address this gap by
developing and testing a replicable workflow for detecting Johnsongrass using aerial and satellite imagery. Leveraging high-resolution aerial imagery, Sentinel-2 satellite data, and supervised image classification methods, we generated spatial datasets to guide invasive species management and inform long-term monitoring strategies.
Johnsongrass
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REFERENCE Reference maps are used to illustrate the names, boundaries, and any important natural or manmade features of certain geographic areas. Our Texas reference maps highlight the state’s natural ecosystems and water resources and describe how humans have shaped the landscape by building major metropolitan areas and seeking out rich energy sources to power Texans' lives.
ECOREGIONS
Texas' size and geographic location lend themselves to many unique ecological features. This map shows the major ecoregions of Texas—defined areas that are generally similar in ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Gould’s ecoregions include the Blackland Prairie, Cross Timbers, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Prairies, High Plains, Piney Woods, Post Oak Savannah, Rolling Plains, South Texas Plains, and Trans-Pecos. 30
AVAILABLE IN THE MAP STORE
GROUNDWATER
This map shows the general groundwater resources in Texas, including 9 major aquifers and 22 minor aquifers. The major aquifers in Texas are Pecos Valley, Seymour, Gulf Coast, CarrizoWilcox, Hueco-Mesilla Bolsons, Ogallala, Edwards-Trinity Plateau, Edwards Balcones Fault Zone, and Trinity. Groundwater flows from major and minor aquifers to surface water, sustaining and supporting both the ecology and the economy of Texas. 31
AVAILABLE IN THE MAP STORE
SURFACE WATER
This map shows general surface water resources in Texas, including major rivers, existing reservoirs, and the 23 major USGS river basins. Surface water in Texas is not only critical to our state’s drinking water supply and agricultural economy, but also sustains fish and wildlife habitat, provides outdoor recreation, and generates hydroelectric power. Understanding our state’s interconnected water resources helps build resilient management strategies for this vital resource. 32
AVAILABLE IN THE MAP STORE
ENERGY
Texas is both the largest energy producer and consumer in the United States, and as such, the energy industry is a vital contributor to our state’s economy. This map shows general energy resources in Texas, including oil and gas basins and shale plays, operable electric generating plants by energy source (wind, coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, solar), electric transmission lines, oil and gas pipelines, and oil and gas platforms. 33
AVAILABLE IN THE MAP STORE
NIGHT LIGHTS
Over the last 25 years, Texas has grown from 19M to over 30M residents and is expected to surpass 40M by 2050. High-population-growth areas are expanding the urbanrural interface, impacting the state’s rural working lands, as seen in night-time illumination from human development before and after 1992.
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AVAILABLE IN THE MAP STORE
WILDLIFE Wildlife conservation, research, and education are key pillars of NRI's work. Using valuable, speciesspecific data to create a map can help researchers better visualize their work and serve as an educational resource for citizen scientists, stewards and students to learn about the biology of wildlife species and the conservation efforts underway.
SPRAGUE’S PIPIT In response to a USFWS consideration for scheduling the Sprague’s pipit, we presented an SSA case study to demonstrate how citizen science and remotely sensed data could be integrated to help inform timesensitive policy decisions for species of conservation concern. We developed three independent estimates of potential pipit habitat using (1) an image classification of habitat based on known winter sighting locations of pipits, (2) an image classification
based on known sightings of co-occurring avian species with similar autecological characteristics, and (3) an identification of homogenous grassland, grass savannah, and rangeland cover types using spatial analysis of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) classifications. This analysis illustrated an alternative strategy for obtaining baseline information for SSAs and other policy decisions when data and time are limited.
Potential Sprague’s pipit winter habitat in Texas delineated using eBird pipit detections and Landsat 8 imagery.
Final composite of Sprague’s pipit potential wintering habitat in Texas. Low, medium, and high categories represent the degree of overlap among three independent estimates. 36
HERPS OF TEXAS
This map shows how citizen science observations from iNaturalist.org were used to find roads that may pose a threat to reptiles and amphibians—also known as “herps”—throughout the state of Texas. We used iNaturalist records along with roadway data provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to identify roads with sightings of herps that are listed on the Texas Parks and Wildlife “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” (SGCN) list. This information can be used to guide mitigation efforts to reduce human impacts on the “Herps of Texas”.
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HERPS OF TEXAS
Road data was separated by “control section,” which are unique TxDOTmanaged road segments. Herp records on or near each section were tabulated to create a map of SGCN observations by road section across the state. The inset map shows the statewide results, and the larger map shows some of the iNaturalist observations from the Austin area.
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OCELOT We designed an assessment to identify potential sites for reintroduction of the federally endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis pardalis) in Texas, a state where over 97% of the land is privately owned. We evaluated potential reintroduction sites based on site size, the ecological and life-history requirements of ocelots, potential natural and anthropogenic threats, and the socio-political context of each site. We identified the five highest-ranking sites that had species-specific
suitable landscape structure of woody cover, fine-scale vegetative cover, minimal natural and anthropogenic threats, and present land ownership patterns that are logistically feasible for conservation planners to navigate. Our assessment provided information for ocelot conservation planning and established a framework for incorporating private land data into large-scale assessments of wildlife reintroduction sites on private lands.
Native Texas Ocelot, Fin & Fur Films Progression of the methodology used to assess potential reintroduction sites, showing (A) landscapes with suitable woody cover, (B) continuous patches of cover, (C) highest ranking patches, and (D) the location of each patch within Texas ecoregions.
RECOVER TEXAS OCELOTS
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OCELOT
Within the five highest-ranking potential reintroduction patches, suitable fine-scale vegetative cover was identified using LiDAR, then overlaid on suitable landscape structure of woody cover.
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WILD TURKEY The Rio Grande wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) population declined in the Rolling Plains of Texas following the 2010 drought, raising concerns about habitat suitability in this region for this species, as its distribution is strongly dependent on the availability of roosting habitat. To better understand how roost site availability may affect wild turkey populations, we assessed changes in land use and cover to identify habitat characteristics that drive wild turkey roost site selection in the Rolling Plains.
Maps depict increases, reductions, and no change in available roosting habitat from 2016 to 2021 based on binned annual prediction maps.
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WILD TURKEY NRI conducted a study focused on male Rio Grande wild turkey movements and habitat use during the breeding season to determine the best protocol for evaluating turkey movements across the landscape and their responses to hunter movements. Using GPS technology, we tracked the turkey's daily movements over a 65-day study period. GPS data collected allowed us to clearly identify the habitat utilized by the male turkeys and gave key insights into their daily movement patterns and behaviors. Rio Grande turkey, Abigail Holmes
Daily movements of a single adult male Rio Grande wild turkey on the Temple Ranch relative to his nightly roost location.
Map depicting the frequency of locations showing where the adult male Rio Grande wild turkey was throughout the day over the 65-day study period. Areas where the gobbler spent the most time are colored red, then yellow, then green as the time spent in those areas declined.
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KEY DEER
Male and female telemetry locations (1998-2001) and screwworm mortalities, October 2016.
deer movements and screwworm hotspots overlapped, these maps helped managers identify areas for targeted monitoring and preventative strategies. The work demonstrates how long-term wildlife movement data can be applied during an emerging disease event to support immediate management decisions and long-term species recovery.
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During the 2016–17 New World screwworm outbreak in the Lower Florida Keys, NRI worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other partners to assess impacts on the endangered Florida Key deer population and inform recovery strategies. Researchers combined long-term Key deer telemetry data with locations of screwwormrelated mortalities to develop monthly maps comparing male and female core-use areas with areas of concentrated mortality. The analysis showed a relationship between male distribution and screwworm mortality, particularly on Big Pine Key, where most mortalities occurred. By visualizing where
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CONSERVATION VALUATIONS Our research-based conservation valuations translate complex natural resource data into clear economic insights that support conservation decision-making. Through visual analyses, we help policymakers, land trusts, agencies, and private landowners understand the return on investment of conservation, prioritize high-value landscapes, and make informed decisions that sustain Texas’ natural and economic prosperity.
TEXAS FARM AND RANCH LANDS CONSERVATION PROGRAM To help safeguard the public befits derived from our state’s working lands, the Texas legislature created the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program for the purpose of providing funding to acquire voluntary conservation easements on working lands in partnership with qualified nonprofits and governmental agencies. We evaluated economic, agricultural, and ecological benefits secured through the protection of these properties as well as the financial efficiency of state funds to protect working lands from fragmentation and development.
In areas with dense impervious surface, conserved open-space like the Dreamcatcher Ranch (outlined in maroon), play an important role in the quantity of water recharged into the Edwards Aquifer.
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Counties with protected properties under the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program.
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CONSERVING TEXAS Priority conservation areas for wildlife habitat.
Priority conservation areas for water resource conservation and enhancement.
Areas or high agricultural significance.
Priority conservation areas for public access and recreation.
Land conservation supports numerous economic benefits for Texas while protecting wildlife habitat, enhancing water resources, preserving working agricultural and forest lands, and providing public access to outdoor recreational areas. Through geospatial analysis and cartography, we provided an approximate statewide ecological return on investment (eROI),
assuming a significant investment in land conservation, described the demand for land conservation and increased public access, and illustrated areas of high conservation priority for each focal area of concern. The results of this assessment were used to secure the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund in 2023. 46
CONSERVING TEXAS
Current protected lands and projected development (2070). Of the protected lands in Texas, only a small portion are conserved in perpetuity via conservation easements or similar mechanisms.
Land ownership fragmentation risk by Texas county indicating projected demand for rural land.
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ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
The diverse landscapes in Texas comprise many ecosystems that provide vital goods, services, and public benefits. Although an important component of natural landscapes, ecosystem services typically lack formal market structures, and their associated benefits are difficult to quantify or appropriately value. We identified 11 ecosystem services and used market-based and willingness-to-pay estimates to quantify ecosystem services by county in Texas. 48
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Total annual ecosystem service value ($/acre/year) by Texas county.
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TEXAS OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN The Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan provides a comprehensive statewide roadmap for the allocation of resources for the provision of outdoor recreation opportunities and conservation of the state’s natural amenities in alignment with the TPWD Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan.
Recreation and conservation lands by ecoregion.
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Distribution of parkland per capita.
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MAP STORE Explore Texas through data-rich, professionally designed maps created by the NRI geospatial analysis team. This collection highlights the landscapes, resources, infrastructure and history that shape the Lone Star State, from ecoregions and surface water to energy development, historic cattle trails and changes in working land. Designed for educators, researchers, conservation professionals, landowners, planners and anyone with an interest in Texas, these maps offer a meaningful way to visualize the connections between land, people and natural resources.
nri.tamu.edu/store
VISIT THE MAP STORE
PUBLICATION CITATIONS Land Trends—5-10 Smith, L.A., R.R. Lopez, A.A.Lund, and R.E. Anderson. 2025. Status Update and Trends of Texas Working Lands. Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, College Station, Texas, USA. Borderlands—11 Lopez, A., A.A. Lund, M.A. Crawford, L.A. Smith, K.L. Skow, J.G. Cross, L.A. Harveson, and R.R. Lopez. 2019. Trends in Land Ownership Along Texas Borderlands. Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute. College Station, Texas, USA. Sprague’s Pipit—37 Long, A.M, B.L. Pierce, A.D. Anderson, K.L. Skow, L.A. Smith, R.R. Lopez. 2019. Integrating citizen science and remotely sensed data to help inform time-sensitive policy decisions for species of conservation concern. Biological Conservation 237: 463-469. Herps of Texas—38 Walkup, D.K., K.L. Skow, T.J. Hibbitts, W.A. Ryberg, and R.R. Lopez. 2022. Assessing Traffic Threats for Amphibian and Reptile Species of Greatest Conservation Need on Texas Roadways. Final Research Report submitted to Texas Department of Transportation. 620 pp. Ocelot—40 Martinez, L. A., J. V. Lombardi, G. Powers, A. D. Anderson, T. Campbell, & R. R. Lopez. 2024. Assessing ecological and socio-political factors in site selection for ocelot reintroduction in Texas. Conservation Science and Practice, e13113.
Key deer—43 Lopez, R. R., I. D. Parker, N. J. Silvy, B. L. Pierce, J. T. Beaver, and A. A. Lund. 2016. Florida Key Deer Screwworm Final Report (Phase I). Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, College Station, Texas. 52 pp. Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program—45 Lund, A.A., L.A. Smith, R.R. Lopez. 2024. Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program: 2024 evaluation report. Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Research Report Number 2024-1. College Station, Texas, USA. Conserving Texas—46 Smith, L.A., A.A. Lund, R.R. Lopez. 2023. Conserving Texas: Quantifying Ecological Return on Investment. Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Research Report Number 2023-1. College Station, Texas, USA. Ecosystem Services—48 Putman, A., R. Lopez, L. Smith, J. Uzquiano, A. Lund, D. Anderson, J. Gan, C. Ellis, J. Roberts, C. Kneuper, L. Ziehr and C. Ross. 2022. Texas ecosystem services: A statewide assessment. Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Research Report Number 2022-1. College Station, Texas, USA. Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan—49 Sansom, L., Kyle, G., Spears, E. (2025). 2025-2030 Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
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