West Texas Rangelands

10/09/2026

🔥 Wildfire mitigation doesn't have to mean sacrificing forage. In many cases, it can mean creating more of it.

The Fire & Grazing Alliance is bringing its Grazing Down the Risk: Fuel to Forage program to Wichita County, highlighting how prescribed grazing and prescribed fire can work together to reduce hazardous fuels, improve vegetation management, and build more resilient rangelands. Based on the program agenda, attendees will hear from grazing and prescribed fire specialists, explore how these tools fit into a broader management strategy, and learn how communities are using grazing in parks and public spaces as an effective vegetation management tool.

One of the highlights of the program is a guided field tour, providing a real-world look at how strategic grazing can help address vegetation management challenges while supporting healthy, productive landscapes.

📅 November 5, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 Wichita County
💲FREE to Attend
🍽 Lunch Provided

✅ Register today and save your seat! Click the link in the comments below!

📬 For more educational programs, research updates, and practical resources on prescribed fire, grazing management, and resilient working lands, subscribe to West Texas Rangelands.

10/08/2026

In July, the USDA released its annual Land Values Summary for 2026, providing a snapshot of how agricultural real estate values have changed across the country over the past year. View Texas Agriculture Law blog on the 2026 report at: https://agrilife.org/texasaglaw/2026/08/31/usda-land-values-2026-summary-published/

10/08/2026

Have you heard?!!

Continuing Fire Training was recently updated to provide 6 Continuing Fire Training credits!

For more info, please visit:

AgriLife Extension has launched an updated version of the agency’s self-guided, online continuing prescribed fire training course.

10/08/2026

The Texas Section Society for Range Management Annual Meeting (Texas Section SRM) is more than a conference. It's where landowners, ranchers, researchers, students, and natural resource professionals come together to discuss the future of Texas rangelands.

This year's theme, "Home on the Range," brings together conversations on some of the biggest issues facing working lands today, including energy development, landowner rights, wildfire recovery, regenerative grazing, brush management, livestock production, and the future of ranching in Texas. Attendees will have opportunities to learn from leading ranchers, connect with industry professionals, explore the trade show, and participate in technical sessions focused on real-world management challenges.

A few highlights include:

🔥 A special session examining lessons learned from the Smokehouse Creek Wildfire, including vegetation change, wildfire impacts, and new approaches to assessing rangeland burn severity.

🐄 A ranch tour to the G-Ranch near Buffalo Gap, offering an opportunity to see management practices firsthand.

🎓 CEU opportunities covering brush management, grazing, livestock production, succession planning, and laws and regulations affecting Texas agriculture.

📅 October 20-22, 2026
📍 Abilene Convention Center | Abilene, Texas

✅ Learn more and register, click the link in the comments below.
Texas Section Society for Range Management Annual Meeting

📬 While you're planning your trip, don't forget to subscribe to West Texas Rangelands for the latest updates on prescribed fire, grazing management, brush control, drought resilience, wildlife management, and stewardship of Texas working lands.

10/08/2026

🔥 Keeping skills sharp is one of the best investments a prescribed fire practitioner can make.

As prescribed fire continues to expand across Texas, staying current on regulations, smoke management, equipment, contingency planning, and fire behavior is critical for safe and effective implementation. That's why Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has updated its online Continuing Prescribed Fire Training course to provide practical, science-based information that practitioners can apply directly on the ground.

This self-paced course is designed for prescribed fire practitioners, natural resource professionals, and others interested in advancing their knowledge of prescribed burning. Participants who complete the course earn six continuing fire training hours through the Texas Department of Agriculture.

📖 Read the full article and learn more about the course! Click the link in the comments below.

📬 While you're there, subscribe to West Texas Rangelands for the latest updates on prescribed fire, grazing management, brush management, wildfire mitigation, and stewardship of Texas working lands.

10/07/2026

We love it when amazing folks are recognized for their stewardship efforts!! Well done John and Amanda! In Upton County, in an area known for oil and gas production, landowners John and Amanda Evridge aren't just growing crops and raising cattle, they are building a thriving business while caring for their family, the land, and their community.

In the wide-open spaces of West Texas, Evridge Farms is a place where hard work, dreams, and family values come together. Over the past 30 years, they have worked with NRCS to improve their operation.

10/07/2026

New Publication Alert!!

🦌 Good wildlife stewardship starts with understanding both the land and the people who manage it.

As Texas working lands continue to change, so do landowner goals, management priorities, and perceptions of success. A new publication from Texas A&M's Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management explores the relationship between wildlife stewardship decisions and ecological conditions on private lands, highlighting important opportunities to better align management objectives with on-the-ground outcomes.

For landowners, ranchers, conservation practitioners, and natural resource professionals, this research offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with managing wildlife habitat on today's working lands.

📖 Read the publication:
Social-Ecological Misalignment in Private-Land Wildlife Stewardship

📬 While you're there, subscribe to West Texas Rangelands for the latest research, educational resources, and management insights on wildlife, prescribed fire, grazing management, drought resilience, and land stewardship.

10/05/2026

Texas Agriculture Law is hanging out at Bennett talking estate planning!! Bennett Trust

10/03/2026

Have you RSVPed to join the EPPBA Annual Meeting?

The upcoming annual meeting of the Edwards Plateau Prescribed Burn Association offers an opportunity to connect with fellow landowners, learn about current issues impacting prescribed fire in Texas, and prepare for the upcoming burn season.

📅 October 8, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 Gene & Nance Whitehead Memorial Youth Complex, Menard, TX
📍225 US 190, Menard, Texas 76859

To RSVP click the link below! 👇

Whether you're a longtime member or interested in learning more about prescribed fire, this is a great opportunity to connect with others committed to putting good fire back on the land.

10/02/2026

Recovery is more than rebuilding. It's an opportunity to restore and strengthen the land for the future.

Wildfires can leave lasting impacts on rangelands, trees, infrastructure, and livestock operations. Access to trusted information and recovery resources can help landowners make informed decisions in the weeks, months, and years after a fire.

This upcoming workshop will connect landowners with experts who can provide guidance on rangeland restoration, post-fire vegetation management, and available financial assistance programs.

📅 October 7, 2026
⏰ 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM
📍 Graford Community Center
📌 204 N Main St., Graford, TX

A special thank you to the Palo Pinto Soil & Water Conservation District and partners for bringing these resources directly to the community.