Historically, the Trans-Pecos region of Texas consisted of large expanses of desert grasslands interspersed with succulents and shrubs. These unique and vibrant rangelands supported a wide variety of wildlife, and provided important grazing land for livestock operations. However, in recent history, drought, climate change, overgrazing by livestock, and suppression of grassland fires have changed these historic ecosystems. In many places, grasslands have been overtaken by shrub species, which results in decreased forage availability for both livestock and wildlife, and increased soil erosion. Additionally, commercial interests and development have impacted native plant species.

The good news is that West Texas landowners are concerned about restoring and protecting the native rangelands of this area, and we at Borderlands Research Institute are committed to helping landowners achieve this by providing research-based solutions. Our rangeland restoration research is varied, but focuses on providing specific information that will allow landowners to make informed management decisions.

The practice of natural resource management has been conducted in some form or another for hundreds of years. In contemporary societies, management efforts have focused on returning a disturbed ecosystem to some perceived historical condition defined by the stakeholders. Rangeland Restoration is interdisciplinary and must consider ecological, practical, and scientific issues to be successful. Restoration integrates principles from ecology used to repair ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. Modern management of ecosystems attempts to recover the composition, structure, and function of these complex systems.

Additionally, the widespread and costly effects of the 2011-2012 fires sparked the need to properly investigate and manage land in the Trans-Pecos. It is widely accepted that grassland ecosystems such as those of the Chihuahuan Desert have evolved with fire and generally benefit from the application of controlled burns. Research on controlled burns and wildlife advances our understanding of rangeland restoration and grassland ecosystems.

Livestock-Habitat interactions allow for a better understanding of the physiological processes, morphological development, nutritional qualities, and palatability of range plants as a basis for grazing management strategies for domestic and wild animals. Our research allows us to understand the impacts of the grazing strategies on vegetation, livestock, wildlife, and watershed. This habitat management focus allows students to learn about selecting and developing grazing strategies and factors affecting nutrients supplied by range forage. We aim to acquire knowledge and skills to understand the physiological and morphological basis of range plants’ response to defoliation by grazing animals and its nutritional characteristics on animal performance. Our research ambitions are to relate theoretical concepts and relate those to practical situations in life.

Rangelands are a dynamic landscape composed of many resources, which produce numerous ecosystem services. Rangeland Ecology is a field of study devoted to understanding and managing these crucial ecosystems. The rangeland landscape are continually modified by a suite of non-human forces, including grazing, fire, and climate. Humans also modify rangelands directly through development (e.g., energy, mining, transportation, and communications infrastructure) and recreation. People also affect the other forces of change by introducing invasive species, controlling or igniting fires, and managing grazing. Understanding range ecology allows to better project how management practices or natural disturbance will impact the vegetation communities in rangelands.

To better understand native plants in West Texas, we partnered with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M Kingsville to form the West Texas Native Seeds program. This program helps develop and promote native plants for the restoration and reclamation of habitats on private and public lands across West Texas.