Parks And Wildlife Foundation Of Texas Inc

TO SUPPORT TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT (TPWD) TO ENSURE THAT ALL TEXANS, TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE, CAN ENJOY THE WILD THINGS AND WILD PLACES OF TEXAS.

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION'S (TPWF) "STEWARD" PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON PRIORITY LAND CONSERVATION ACQUISITIONS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1991, TPWF HAS CONSERVED OVER 170,000 ACRES OF LAND ACROSS TEXAS, INCLUDING THE PURCHASE OF THE 17,351-ACRE POWDERHORN RANCH ON MATAGORDA BAY. THE POWDERHORN RANCH ACQUISITION WAS ONE OF THE FIRST RECIPIENTS OF MITIGATION FUNDING FROM THE 2010 DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL. BEGINNING IN 2014, TPWF AND PARTNERS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ACQUIRE AND STEWARD POWDERHORN RANCH, WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF DONATING THE PROPERTY TO TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS. THIS GOAL WAS REALIZED IN 2021 WHEN TPWF DONATED THE FINAL 1,360 ACRES OF POWDERHORN RANCH TO TPWD FOR A FUTURE STATE PARK. THE MAJORITY OF POWDERHORN RANCH, OVER 15,000 ACRES, HAD ALREADY BEEN DONATED TO TPWD AND IS NOW A WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA. THROUGH THIS ACQUISITION AND DONATION, POWDERHORN RANCH CONSERVES VALUABLE HABITAT AND WILL OFFER ACCESS TO UNDEVELOPED, RESTORED COASTAL PRAIRIE, FULFILLING THE PROMISE MADE TO THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS WHEN THE PROCESS BEGAN IN 2014.

TPWF'S "ENGAGE" PROGRAM STRIVES TO OFFER ALL TEXANS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE WILD THINGS AND WILD PLACES OF OUR STATE. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, TPWF SUPPORTS TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS AT TEXAS STATE PARKS. LAUNCHED IN 2019 AND CONTINUED THROUGH 2021, TPWF IS RAISING FUNDS THROUGH A LANDMARK PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO OPEN PALO PINTO MOUNTAINS STATE PARK, LOCATED 75 MILES WEST OF THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH AREA. SITTING ON ALMOST 5,000 ACRES OF RAMBLING HILLS AND STUNNING VISTAS, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST NEW STATE PARK IN NORTH TEXAS IN 25 YEARS. TPWD ESTIMATES THE PARK WILL ATTRACT 75,000 VISITORS ANNUALLY. PALO PINTO MOUNTAINS STATE PARK WILL PROVIDE A WONDERFUL SETTING FOR HIKING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, CAMPING, HORSEBACK RIDING, FISHING, AND STARGAZING. IN ADDITION, TPWF'S YOUNG PROFESSIONALS' PROGRAM, STEWARDS OF THE WILD, ENGAGES HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS ACROSS TEXAS IN CARING FOR OUR WILD THINGS AND WILD PLACES AND IS NOW THE LARGEST PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN THE STATE. STEWARDS OF THE WILD CONTINUED ITS MENTORED HUNTING INITIATIVE IN 2021 TO CONNECT NOVICE AND LAPSED ADULT HUNTERS WITH EXPERIENCED HUNTERS WHO CAN TEACH THEM THE PRACTICAL, ETHICAL, AND CONSERVATION ELEMENTS OF HUNTING IN TEXAS.

TPWF'S "CONSERVE" PROGRAM WORKS TO ENSURE THE FUTURE OF TEXAS' INCREDIBLE FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES AND THE HABITATS THEY RELY ON. FROM RESTORING A SEA OF GRASSLANDS ACROSS WEST TEXAS TO FORTIFYING AMERICA'S SEA, THE GULF OF MEXICO, TPWF IS CONSERVING THE WILD THINGS AND WILD PLACES OF TEXAS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OAKS AND PRAIRIES JOINT VENTURE, TPWD, AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, TPWF IS WORKING TO RESTORE AND ENHANCE GRASSLAND HABITAT IN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA THROUGH THE GRASSLAND RESTORATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM BY IMPLEMENTING ON-THE-GROUND HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS THAT DIRECTLY COMBAT THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE DECLINE OF GRASSLAND SPECIES, RESTORING OVER 4,000 ACRES IN 2021. A SIMILAR PROJECT IN THE PECOS RIVER WATERSHED RESTORED OVER 7,800 ACRES OF GRASSLAND HABITAT IN 2021. ADDITIONALLY, TPWF CONTINUED ITS CAMPAIGN TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EDWIN L. COX, JR., TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHERIES CENTER (TFFC) IN ATHENS, TEXAS. OPENED IN 1996, TFFC IS A 106-ACRE EDUCATIONAL FACILITY AND FRESHWATER FISH HATCHERY, INCLUDING A LABORATORY, OVER 300,000 GALLONS OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AQUARIUMS, AND 45 PONDS COVERING 37 ACRES. TFFC SERVES MORE THAN 35,000 VISITORS EACH YEAR, MANY OF WHOM VISIT WITH SCHOOL AND YOUTH GROUP FIELD TRIPS. PREPARING FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS, TFFC HAS DEVELOPED A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO REFURBISH THE POPULAR DIVE THEATER AND ITS DIVE TANK, RENOVATE FOUR LARGE OUTDOOR AQUARIA EXHIBITS, INSTALL FOUR NEW OUTDOOR FISHERIES TANKS, AND ENHANCE THE INDOOR EXHIBITS.

LEAD PROGRAM (SEE SCHEDULE O)