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Conserving the natural resources of the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands
through research, education, and outreach.
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Water in the Desert Conference in West Texas Brings Together Experts from Across the State | |
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Texas Senator Charles Perry and Texas Senator César Blanco discussed Texas water policy at the Water in the Desert conference at Sul Ross State University this January.
Photo credit: Scott Del Vecchio
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After a successful Water in the Desert conference in January, Sul Ross State University officials are working to enhance the university’s influence regarding water issues in West Texas. The conference, which was the first of its kind in the region, brought together over 260 attendees, including members of the Texas House and Senate, local groundwater conservation district leaders, scientists and Texas landowners.
“Our university, in the Chihuahuan Desert, in the Big Bend, is perhaps the most appropriate location for teachers and researchers, legislators and landowners, conservationists and innovators, to meet and share information and ideas,” said Sul Ross State University President Carlos Hernandez. “We were pleased to see the immense interest in this important topic, and we hope this will be the first of many years of partnership with the Water in the Desert conference.”
The conference was funded by organizations from across the state, including the Dixon Water Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Horizon Foundation, King Land & Water, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Shield Ranch, Still Water Foundation, and Texas Wellspring Fund. Several organizing partners also played a role in the conference, including Borderlands Research Institute, Rio Grande Research Center, Rio Grande Joint Venture, and Texas Parks and Wildlife.
The gathering featured panels on groundwater management, public and private land stewardship and water policy at the Texas Legislature. In that session, Sen. Charles Perry, chair of the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Rep. Tracy King, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee; and Sen. César Blanco took a deep dive into the intricacies of state water policy.
University officials hope to build on the interest generated by the conference going forward.
“Sul Ross State University is uniquely positioned to become a research hub and an area-wide water resource for the greater Big Bend region,” said Dr. Louis Harveson, who is founder and director of the Borderlands Research Institute and Associate Provost of Research and Development at Sul Ross State University. “The Water in the Desert conference has injected new energy and interest in enhancing university resources devoted to this critical issue. As drought deepens, cities spread, and pumping increases, the pressure on this most precious desert resource will only grow.”
More information about the conference, including video segments from the panel discussions, can be found at WATER IN THE DESERT 2024 - BORDERLANDS RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
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Project Spotlight: Using Trincheras to Enhance Scaled Quail Habitat | |
Undergrad students from Sul Ross State University are helping BRI research assistants construct trincheras at a private property in Brewster County. With their help, nearly 150 of these structures were set and ready to be assessed during 2022 and 2023. | |
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Scaled quail is an iconic game bird in the Chihuahuan Desert, particularly in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. It serves as a vital wildlife species, indicating healthy rangelands. Despite this, scaled quail populations have experienced a decline across their Texas range, raising concerns about the well-being of the rangelands they inhabit. Primary hypotheses for this decline point to habitat loss due to overgrazing and mismanagement, leading to soil erosion and hindered plant growth.
Efforts to revive scaled quail populations have centered on providing food through feeders and artificial water sources, addressing only a fraction of the species requirements. However, the focus has shifted toward recognizing that a high-quality habitat can offer sufficient quality food and essential cover from weather elements and predators.
To enhance habitat quality, restoration practices in the Trans-Pecos region aim to mitigate soil erosion through water runoff management and increase ground moisture to foster plant growth. Among these practices are check dams, known as "trincheras" in Spanish. While trincheras have been utilized in the western United States and Northern Mexico, further research is necessary to quantify their benefits.
In response to these questions, the Borderlands Research Institute is conducting extensive research on a private ranch in Brewster County, Texas, where nearly 150 trincheras have been strategically implemented. This study assesses soil accumulation at trinchera sites over two years during the monsoon season (August to September, from 2022 to 2023).
Analysis of the collected data reveals significant sediment accumulation, extending up to six feet upstream from the trincheras. However, acknowledging the arid nature of rangelands characterized by scarce annual precipitation, the study recognizes that two years may not suffice to observe tangible changes in plant cover. Nevertheless, this research serves as a guiding light, informing the placement and expectations of ecohydrology improvements, ultimately contributing to a more effective restoration of scaled quail habitat.
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Student Spotlight: Aaron Ortega-Gonzalez | |
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Aaron Ortega-Gonzalez is fortunate to have mentors in his life. As a child, Aaron was inspired by his uncle, who managed the family’s small ranch, which was located in the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico.
“Since childhood, I have developed a passion for outdoor activities. I spent many weekends and holidays working with cattle or having fun riding horses and observing wildlife in the beautiful landscape,” said Aaron. “From a very early age, I knew I wanted a career where I would be able to work with wildlife.”
With the support of his family, Aaron earned an ecology degree at the Autonomous University of Chihuahua. After that, he had the opportunity to get involved in projects related to wildlife habitat conservation with several conservation organizations in Mexico, where he worked with Mexican landowners on various projects to improve wildlife habitat. During that time, he attended a conference where he heard about the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross State University for the first time.
“Some of the presenters at the conference were from BRI, and I became curious about it. I met Dr. Carlos Gonzalez through other contacts and began an email correspondence with him.”
He continued communicating with Dr. Gonzalez at BRI, who encouraged him to apply for a graduate position.
“In 2020, Dr. Gonzalez helped me get things moving so I could come to Alpine as a graduate student. He helped me with the visa and all the required paperwork so I could come to school here.”
Though he understands English, Aaron was not a fluent English speaker when he first came to Alpine, so that was another hurdle he had to overcome. With Dr. Gonzalez's support and encouragement, Aaron applied and was accepted at Sul Ross.
“Dr. Gonzalez has been so supportive, and I consider him to be a mentor and a friend. He has helped me so much academically and has also helped me become a more proficient English speaker. I know I would not have succeeded without the support of Dr. Gonzalez and everyone at BRI.”
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Former Sul Ross Student Takes Wildlife Management Insight Home to Japan | |
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International student Masahiro (Masa) Ohnishi had no idea how attending the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, would affect the trajectory of his career. In the small, West Texas town he was introduced to the hunting culture of Texas, where sport and wildlife management intermingle. This eye-opening experience led to post-graduate work at BRI and in South Texas, then a return to Japan with new insight for a lead conservation policy role.
In Japan, it is difficult to obtain hunting and firearms licenses, so until Masa came to Texas, he had never fired a gun or considered hunting. Hunting was once an integral component of his country’s history, but interest has faded in modern Japan. While a love of nature is fundamental to their culture, modern agriculture has shielded the growing urban population from a lifestyle connected to hunting.
While pursuing classes at Sul Ross State University, Masa was captivated by his friends’ relationships with the outdoors. They invited him hunting; he took conservation and hunting education classes. All this deepened his appreciation for the way the disciplines of hunting and conservation could support each other. Masa took notes, then dove in deeper.
“I learned that the best scientific method may not always be the most effective tool in this field, Masa says. “Managing land often involves effective communication with people who are deeply influenced by cultural backgrounds and decision-making based on family traditions across generations.”
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Hunter’s Horn Article Features BRI Bear Researcher
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Hunter’s Horn, the official publication of Houston Safari Club Foundation, takes readers along for a hike with a Borderlands Research Institute black bear researcher in this recently published article.
The Houston Safari Club Foundation is a proud supporter of BRI’s bear research project, along with Coypu Foundation, Dallas Safari Club Foundation, H-E-B, The Horizon Foundation, James A. "Buddy" Davidson Charitable Foundation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF), TPWF’s Stewards of the Wild Austin Chapter, Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation, and West Texas Chapter of Safari Club International.
We hope you will enjoy reading it as much as we did!
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Hunting Matters with Dr. Amanda Veals Dutt
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Houston Safari Club Foundation also produces an award-winning podcast called Hunting Matters. A recent episode featured a conversation with Dr. Amanda Veals Dutt, who is a carnivore specialist and post-doctoral research scientist at the Borderlands Research Institute.
LISTEN
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West Texas Conservationists Featured on TPWD PBS Series | |
Roxie Hayne (pictured at left) will be featured on PBS this month, and Ruthie Russell (right) was featured last month. | |
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The celebration of BRI’s two 2023 West Texas Conservationists of the Year continues this month as Texas Parks and Wildlife's PBS show features both Roxie Hayne and Ruthie Russell. Check here for the program schedule.
Watch the video featuring Roxie Hayne (pictured top left).
Watch the video featuring Ruthie Russell (pictured top right).
The Borderlands Research Foundation is gearing up to honor the 2024 West Texas Conservationist of the Year in April. Read more about our 2024 honoree, Cibolo Creek Ranch and John B. Poindexter.
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