Written By
For 20 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) Program and the Wildlife Habitat Federation (WHF) have worked hand-in-hand to restore and enhance vital wildlife habitats along the Texas Coast. Rooted in the conservation philosophy of Aldo Leopold and his “Five Tools” approach—axe, cow, plow, fire, and gun—WHF’s land stewardship model aligns seamlessly with the Service’s mission to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
This long-standing partnership has empowered private landowners to implement conservation practices that benefit both wildlife and working lands. Through a combination of mechanical and chemical control of invasive brush species, prescribed burning, and sustainable grazing, PFW Program and WHF staff have helped restore native coastal prairie and marsh habitats—ecosystems critical to a wide range of species.
One standout example of this collaboration is the Yetihorn Project, located along the Texas Coast. This project focused on controlling invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species and managing running live oak—an undesirable native species. These practices along with a sustainable livestock grazing plan have improved rangeland conditions, providing higher quality habitat for many coastal grassland and marsh dependent species, including bobwhite quail and the federally endangered whooping crane.
The whooping crane, which overwinters along the Texas Coast, has seen an increase in their range expansion in recent years—an indicator that habitat restoration efforts are making a difference. The Yetihorn Project, along with complementary work on the adjacent Powderhorn Wildlife Management Area (managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department), has enhanced habitat connectivity across the landscape, further supporting the recovery of this iconic species.
By restoring native habitats while maintaining the productivity of working lands, the partnership between the PFW Program and WHF demonstrates how conservation and working lands can thrive together and continue to inspire and deliver results—one acre, one landowner, and one species at a time.
