Fourteen years of partner groups and the public working together has paid off – the Flower Garden Banks Marine Sanctuary off the Texas/Louisiana coast has been expanded from 3 coral reefs to 17. Watch the video, Celebrating the Expansion, for more details.
The expansion recognizes existing oil and gas platforms and works around them, leaving room for them to be removed or turned into artificial reefs when they're decommissioned. Our Artificial Reef Program was created to give marine life shelter and people a place to fish and scuba dive. We create artificial reefs using oil rigs and ships past their prime, and by recycling materials. Watch the video, Artificial Reefs, the Kraken, for an exciting look at how we turned a ship into a reef.
Supporting RAWA Supports Wildlife
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) is now in Congress. If passed, this bipartisan legislation will dedicate $1.3 billion annually to state and tribal wildlife action plans to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered, without increasing taxes.
RAWA will allow for more action that suppports at-risk species, giving them a better chance of recovery before they become endangered like the ocelot. RAWA could have a huge, positive impact on all Texas wildlife.
Add your voice – contact your representative in Congress and tell them you expect their support of RAWA. For more information, see our press release, Bipartisan Bill to Help Declining Wildlife Introduced on Earth Day in Congress.
Celebrating Caretakers of Texas Land
Without healthy habitat, wildlife will not survive, and that's a loss for us all. It takes effort by landowners to maintain that habitat, so the Lone Star Land Steward Awards were created 25 years ago to recognize landowners that restore and maintain wildlife habitat on their land.
Chosen from each of the ecoregions of Texas, this year's winners are: Brushy Creek Co-op, Moore Ranch, Chimney Creek Ranch, Shady W Ranch, 7 Oaks Ranch and Dunn O’Connor River Ranch. San Pedro Ranch took the prestigious Leopold Conservation Award. Take a look at the videos that explore each winner's journey.
A big "thank you" to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation for supporting the Lone Star Land Steward Awards, and also to the 2021 underwriters: Toyota, Shield Ranch, Winkler Ranch, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Trinity River Authority, Jimmie Ruth & Dick Evans, and Morgan O'Connor.
If you know of any landowners that should be considered for a Lone Star Land Steward Award, please nominate them.
Thanks to these Lone Star Land Steward underwriters and partners:
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