Urban wildlife biologists will be stationed in major metropolitan areas to provide expert assistance that addresseshabitat fragmentation urban sprawl wildlife conflict land planning issues and…

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 2 awarded Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) a Formula Grant totaling $2,014,100 under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611), effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2027. Under this award, TPWD will station urban wildlife biologists in major metropolitan areas across Texas to provide expert technical assistance addressing critical natural resource management challenges including habitat fragmentation, urban sprawl, wildlife-human conflict, land planning integration, and ecological service degradation.

The stationed biologists will serve as community leaders and subject matter experts to prevent natural resource-related problems while facilitating proactive inclusion of natural resource solutions into long-term municipal and regional planning efforts. This initiative supports the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act's core mission of conserving and managing wild birds and mammals while promoting sustainable coexistence between wildlife and expanding urban populations. The award leverages TPWD's extensive capacity in executing federal wildlife conservation projects across Texas's diverse ecosystems and its track record of successful collaboration with academic institutions, conservation nonprofits, and local government entities.

Urban wildlife biologists will be stationed in major metropolitan areas to provide expert assistance that addresseshabitat fragmentation urban sprawl wildlife conflict land planning issues and degradation of ecological serviceswhile also addressing needs outlined in the sections above these wildlife biologists will serve as leaders within their communities to prevent natural resource related problems and help their communities proactively include natural resource solutions into long term planning efforts.