Texas

Forest Action Plan

Tackling the challenges facing the forests of Texas

The size and diversity of Texas brings numerous challenges in managing the forest resources of the state. The rapidly increasing population is placing an unprecedented demand on Texas forests. Significant threats to forests—such as insects and disease, catastrophic fire, devastating weather events, and loss of critical forested landscapes to development, coupled with the increasingly global nature of the forest products industry, point to the need for more progressive strategies for conserving forests resources. The Texas Forest Action Plan is a comprehensive analysis and strategic framework for addressing these issues and challenges.

Conserving working forests and their contribution to the Texas economy

Texas forests provide timber, wildlife habitat, clean water, and recreational opportunities for millions of Texans. Collectively, the forest sector contributes over $36 billion to the Texas economy, providing 168,000 jobs. New opportunities for this resource are developing rapidly due to advanced wood processing technologies, changing landowner demographics, emerging ecosystem service markets, and urban sprawl. The greater demands on the forest resources of Texas warrant wise management to ensure sustainability.

Protecting forests and other wildlands from wildfire

Wildfire and public safety are growing issues for Texas. Three factors are combining to create intense fire seasons—population growth, changing land use, and increasing drought frequency. Texas A&M Forest Service developed the Texas Wildfire Protection Plan, a proven interagency emergency response model emphasizing ongoing analysis and aggressive response based on identified risk factors, to combat these concerns.

Enhancing Forest resources in Texas communities

Texas is experiencing “high-velocity” change through population growth and urbanization in its communities. The challenge faced by leaders of these communities is to devise reasonable, affordable, and effective ways to grow, develop, and protect their communities, while integrating the critically important economic, environmental, health, and social contributions made by community forest ecosystems and natural areas.

Best Management Practices

Texas’ best management practices (BMPs) program is non-regulatory. The agencies responsible for BMPs policy development are the Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas Soil and Water Conservation Board.

Click here to view the most recent BMPs recommendations on the state forestry agency website.

Click the following links to view available BMP monitoring data and implementation rates from NASF’s 2015 BMP survey and NASF’s 2019 BMP survey.

Forest Action Plan

Tackling the challenges facing the forests of Texas

Conserving working forests and their contribution to the Texas economy

Protecting forests and other wildlands from wildfire

Enhancing Forest resources in Texas communities

Best Management Practices

Texas Forestry Publications

State Management Plans

Texas Contact Information