Thursday, December 24, 2015

Texas Parks and Wildlife - Wildlife Management Coordinator


http://comptroller.texas.gov/taxinfo/proptax/pdf/96-354.pdf

While looking a property the day after Thanksgiving, I noticed this sign on a piece of property.  From what I can tell, this is a program offered by Texas Parks and Wildlife in which you work with TPWD to create a plan to make your property more habitable for wildlife and in turn pay lower property taxes. 

There are two requirements to be part of the program:
  1. Your land must be qualified for agricultural appraisal under Tax Code Chapter 23, Subchapter D the year prior to changing to the wildlife management program.
  2. The land must be used to generate a sustaining breeding, migrating, or wintering population of indigenous wildlife.

The landowner must perform at least three of the following seven activities:
  1. Habitat Control - create or promote a habitat beneficial to wildlife.
  2. Erosion Control - keep soil from eroding for the benefit of wildlife.
  3. Predator Control - Manage predators to the benefit of the target wildlife.  Normally not needed.
  4. Providing Supplemental Water
  5. Providing Supplemental Food
  6. Providing Shelter
  7. Make Census Counts

The program involves making a plan which often consists of each of the seven activities.  The plan must be made in accordance with TPWD regional guidelines which provide generally expected activities for the various regions in Texas.  You can find your region using the following website:
http://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/land/habitats/post_oak/regulatory/

When I purchase land, I expect it to be in the Post Oak Wildlife District.  Unfortunately, I don't see what is generically prescribed for each region online to determine how extensive the work would be.

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