By Freda Ross
As Texans make plans to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary, conservationists hope they will visit one of the many national wildlife refuges across the state.
The refuges protect wetlands, prairies, forests, deserts and marine areas, with a focus on endangered species.
Sharon Wilcox, senior Texas representative for Defenders of Wildlife, said many refuges in Texas are former military training sites and most people can get to one in about an hour.
“In the mid-20th century, they were converted over to recreational space and conservation space for wildlife,” Wilcox explained. “In Texas, we have three in deep South Texas, a number along the coast, and in Central Texas, North Texas and in the Panhandle.”
Wilcox pointed out growth and development across Texas make protecting public lands and the animals living there more important.
Some endangered species can be seen at Texas refuges, including the golden-winged warbler at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Alamo, whooping cranes at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge near Corpus Christi and the alligator snapping turtle at Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge in Liberty.
Wilcox added the refuges are ideal places for hiking, bird watching and photography.
“These are spaces where we can celebrate the wildlife that we share our landscapes with, the rich diversity of landscapes that are available to us in our states, and we can also celebrate the heritage of the people who came before us on these lands,” Wilcox emphasized.
Texas also has 50 wildlife management areas operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The areas span from the Panhandle to the Lower Rio Grande Valley and represent different habitats and wildlife populations in each ecological region of the state.
