Start Small, Protect Big: 6 Easy Conservation Steps for Texas Landowners

Key takeaways: 

• Conservation in Texas means protecting land, resources, wildlife, and watersheds. 
• Getting started with land conservation tactics doesn’t have to be complicated and can include easy steps like changing your mowing schedule, paying attention to wildlife in the area, and encouraging your family and friends to adopt best practices. 
• Many resources exist to help Texas landowners become better stewards of the land, including in-person workshops, potential grant funding, and online educational resources.

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Land ownership may be the dream for many Texans. But after the deed is signed, protecting that land becomes the priority. 

Why is land conservation so vital in Texas? 

Land is a finite resource, and no one is creating more of it any time soon. So what we have now is all we have. According to the Texas Agriculture and Land Trust, the Lone Star State is losing open lands at a rate of 42.6 acres per hour. Meanwhile, a whopping 95% of all land in the state is privately owned — which means the responsibility of land conservation falls mostly on private owners rather than government entities. 

“Conservation” is not just a buzzword, and it’s also not just a list of duties to add to your stress. Protecting Texas land means protecting the habitat where Texas wildlife lives, along with critical watersheds that provide drinking water for our communities. 

Land conservation can also help protect your own profitability as a landowner. Whether you grow cotton or raise cattle on your acres, deterioration of the land is a direct hit to your bottom line.

So what do you do? How do you integrate conservation practices, without breaking the bank or adding hours of extra labor onto your schedule? 

Here are a few steps to take:

1. Start somewhere 

Even when landowners understand the importance of land conservation, it’s easy to get overwhelmed at how much information is out there about what to actually do. Do you change farming practices? Invest in different equipment? Reduce your irrigation? Design new grazing patterns for your cattle? 

It’s enough to make your head spin. 

The first step is just to begin from wherever you are now. Start small and simple. This might look like buying a couple wooden duck boxes, for example. These can provide shelter for nesting birds, which is a boost to the larger ecosystem. Or if it’s bird migration season, turn off non-essential lights overnight. Sometimes helping the larger environment doesn’t have to be complicated: getting started could be as easy as flipping a switch.

2. Create a plan and vision

Start to gather ideas for conservation practices that might work for your acres. A good way to do this is by attending landowner workshops in your area. These workshops teach more about habitat and wildlife management, land stewardship, water conservation, and more.

You can check with Texas Parks & Wildlife to see when the next nearby workshop (or field day) is. The Texas Wildlife Association, Texan by Nature, and your local extension office or nature center can all be great sources of information or live events.

3. Tap into Texas landowner resources 

Some NGOs or other organizations may also provide grant funding for landowners interested in conservation practices. For example, the Pastures for Upland Birds Program (through TPWD) gives cost-share incentives and technical guidance to landowners to help restore native grasses. The Texas A&M Forest Service also provides financial support to landowners for land management practices. 

Once you have a full view of the opportunities available, you can build out your own unique plan, customized to your acres and region.

4. Challenge your common practices 

Your ranch is not exactly a baseball diamond — so it’s okay to step away from the super strict mowing schedule you’re accustomed to. 

In fact, “No Mow May” (or even a longer “Low Mow Spring”) is an annual campaign encouraging landowners to … well, it’s in the name. By skipping or reducing mowing duties for a while in the spring, you allow flowering plants to grow. These plants provide vital food for pollinators, which keep the entire ecosystem flowing. 

A reduction in mowing can also help out nesting birds or other wildlife in the area. The increase of native plants is also an increase in cozy spots for grassland birds to settle in the spring.  

Beyond the wildlife benefits, a looser mowing schedule can also help improve water retention in the soil, which can make for healthier crops down the road. 

5. Spend time with kids outdoors 

Conservation practices today will only make a lasting difference if the next generation continues that work. So get outside with your kids and teach them about the native grasses, local birds, or the importance of pollinators to the whole ecosystem. 

Help educate and encourage the younger people in your life to appreciate the beauty of Texas land — and understand their role in protecting it.

6. Share your story

Similarly, encourage the adults in your life to join the conservation bandwagon. Whether it’s your family members, neighbors, or even just people you’re chatting with in town, a simple conversation can often by the spark that inspires someone else. 

For example, a quick conversation about why you don’t mow your grass in May could lead to someone learning why that’s helpful to the environment — then starting to do it on their own land.

You can also post on social media about the conservation practices that have been easy to implement or have worked well on your acres. Your neighbors might not regularly check out the TPWD website, but they do follow you on Facebook.

Texas Farm Credit: Here for all your rural land needs

Whether you’re thinking about adding some new equipment, making management changes to your operation, or expanding your tract to include more land, Texas Farm Credit has the financial resources to support you. Contact our team, or apply today.