Texas Parks and Wildlife

Landowners restore grasslands for wildlife in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas. Protected alligator snapping turtles are returned to their natural habitats, after the trafficked animals are saved from interstate poachers. Enjoy a meandering paddle down the Sabine Sandbar Paddling Trail in deep East Texas and find some peace and quiet.

Meet some of Houston's most dedicated bayou conservationists, striving to keep a city and its watery wilderness in better balance. A hiker and woodworker preserves his favorite park places as wooden map mementos. Relax to some sights and sounds from Goose Island State Park

Members of the Lone Star Dutch Oven Society whip up some tasty dishes at Cleburne State Park. By creating new wetlands and planting native grasses, Ronald Gard and his family have made Prairie Rose Ranch a haven for wildlife. A first-time hunter pursues quail around the state.

An orphaned black bear cub is released at Devils River State Natural Area. Landowners restore native prairies in Fayette County. Learn how playa lakes provide water and wildlife habitat to the Southern Plains.

The San Antonio Zoo raises Texas horned lizards in a bold effort to restore them to the landscape. The Cibolo Nature Center, once a neglected dump, is now a beautiful park preserving the Cibolo Creek watershed. Cooper Lake State Park in northeastern Texas offers shady campsites and cabins, a large lake, and plenty of fishing.

Meet a mountain-biking musician who has been taming trails in San Angelo for decades. Paul Melton's knowledge of quail habitats and his own land management practices have made him a leader in the quail conservation community. The beauty of a natural place draws some different crowds when arts are paired with parks.