Texas Parks and Wildlife sets four goals in new management plan
Texas Parks and Wildlife’s update to its Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan focuses the department’s work on four new goals, representing four key concepts: conservation, recreation, education and business. • 1. “Practice, encourage and enable science-based stewardship of natural and cultural resources.”
• 2. “Increase access to and participation in the outdoors.”
• 3. “Educate, inform and engage Texas citizens in support of conservation and recreation.”
• 4. “Employ efficient, sustainable and sound business practices.”
The plan complements TPW’s legislatively directed strategic plan called the Natural Agenda, which ties department activities and budgeting to legislative oversight and appropriations.
It also meshes with other TPW plans such as the Texas Wildlife Action Plan. Created in 2005, this plan was required for Texas to continue receiving millions of dollars in federal funding. The Wildlife Action Plan provides a proactive blueprint to “keep common species common” and avoid additional endangered species, focusing conservation actions on priority species and ecological regions. The wildlife action plan will be updated in 2010.
This spring, TPW’s 12 Conservation and Recreation Forums across the state will meet again to discuss how to implement the Land and Water Plan in their watersheds and consider any changing conditions or developing issues.
“We wanted a plan that all our employees and many supporters could easily understand and embrace to make it real and useful for on-the-ground conservation and recreation, and we got it,” said Scott Boruff, TPWD deputy executive director for operations, who led the team planning effort. “Hundreds of employees and stakeholder groups worked long hours to make the 2010 Land and Water Plan a true living document that will guide our operational activities and tie to our budget. The creation of regional forums will make sure we regularly check in with our far-flung field employees and local stakeholders to stay nimble and on track.”
