Texas Projects

Texas Landowner Toolkit

Find Help with Conservation
Resource
Herds for Birds
Our interactive tool to learn what conservation assistance programs are available in your area.

For more assistance navigating conservation programs within the state, or for more information on the Audubon Conservation Ranching program, contact us at audubontexas@audubon.org for a consultation. 

State Programs 

  • Texas A&M Forest Service 

  • Provides technical support and cost-share for forestry and habitat projects, including: 

  • Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Cost-Share 

  • Forest Legacy (easement purchases) 

  • Forest Stewardship (10-year management plans) 

  • Longleaf Pine Conservation Assistance 

  • Oak Wilt Suppression (up to 40% cost assistance) 

  • Joint Chief’s Landscape Restoration Partnership (wildfire risk & habitat) 

  • Neches River & Cypress Basin Watershed Restoration (prescribed fire & invasive control) 

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) 

  • Offers technical and financial help for private landowners through programs such as: 

  • Wildlife Tax Valuation (1-D-1) 

  • Pastures for Upland Birds (native prairie restoration) 

  • Landowner Incentive Program (habitat improvement) 

  • Texas Prairie Wetlands Project (wetlands & plantings) 

  • Technical Guidance Program (work directly with a wildlife biologist) 

  • Playa Conservation Initiative (per-acre payments for playa restoration) 

Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) 

  • Administers cost-share and technical assistance including: 

  • Water Quality Management Plans 

  • Feral Swine Control Pilot Program (loaned “smart traps”) 

Federal Programs 

  • Farm Service Agency (FSA) 

  • Supports farmers and ranchers via programs such as: 

  • Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 

  • Continuous CRP (buffers, filter strips, field borders) 

  • Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 

  • Offers financial & technical help for: 

  • Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) 

  • Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) 

  • Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) 

  • Conservation Technical Assistance 

  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 

  • Provides landowner-friendly support including: 

  • Coastal Program (coastal land/ easements) 

  • Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program (free planning & cost-share) 

  • Safe Harbor Agreements (flexible species-habitat compliance) 

Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) 

  • Audubon Texas – Workshops, technical guidance, and ranching support through the Audubon Conservation Ranching program. 

  • Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV) – Provides planning tools, science, and funding support for playa wetland and grassland conservation in the High Plains 

  • Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture (OPJV) – Focused on restoring native grasslands and savannas for declining bird species across Central Texas and Oklahoma. 

  • Rio Grande Joint Venture (RGJV) – Works to conserve grassland, desert, and riparian habitats in South and West Texas through partnerships and technical expertise. 

  • Ducks Unlimited – Wetland restoration and cost-share programs focused on waterfowl habitat and water quality. 

  • Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT) – Accredited land trust helping landowners establish voluntary conservation easements. 

  • Wildlife Habitat Federation (WHF) – Offers native grass and pollinator restoration assistance on working lands. 

Unprecedented Conservation Efforts Keep Greater Sage-Grouse Off Endangered Species List
September 22, 2015 — After more than a decade of work, the collaborative approach to protecting the bird pays off.
Birds in the News
The Greater Sage-Grouse Will Avoid 'Endangered' Status Due to Herculean Land Conservation Effort
September 22, 2015 — Following Unprecedented Collaboration, Sagebrush Ecosystem Begins Path to Recovery
Working Lands
As Sage-Grouse Decision Looms, West Holds Its Breath
September 03, 2015 — U.S. Fish and Wildlife will decide whether to list the bird by the end of September.
Conservation
Tick Tock Goes the Sage-Grouse Conservation Clock
August 31, 2015 — Here's the breakdown of how much time has been spent keeping the Greater Sage-Grouse off the Endangered Species List.
Data
A Steppe Up for the Greater Sage-Grouse
May 21, 2015 — A new PBS documentary explores the habitat that is vital for the survival of an iconic western bird.
Culture
This Week in Ornithology: Domed Nests, Flaky Prairie-Chickens, and More
May 14, 2015 — Science shorts based on recently published research.
Working Lands
A Bad Deal in the Tongass
April 27, 2015 — Logging old-growth trees in our biggest national forest will hurt wildlife—and Americans’ wallets.
Conservation
An Offset Program for Sage Grouse
April 10, 2015 — Buy a credit, save a sage-grouse. But some remain skeptical about the emerging market.
Conservation
The Endangered Species List Gains the Gunnison Sage-Grouse
November 12, 2014 — The Federal Fish and Wildlife Service listed the bird as a threatened species.
Conservation
Rethinking the Endangered Species List
November 12, 2014 — Some threatened species may never earn "endangered" status. Here's why that may be a good thing.
Working Lands