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Conserving the natural resources of the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands
through research, education, and outreach.
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Trans-Pecos Grazing Lands Resources Offered to West Texas Landowners | |
Blue grama, a common native grass in the Trans-Pecos, is valuable for both wildlife and livestock. Photo credit: Eliana Dykehouse/BRI | |
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The Trans-Pecos region of Texas is an area of incredible biodiversity with more rare and endemic species of wildlife than anywhere else in the state. The Trans-Pecos is also home to much of the last remaining intact rangelands in Texas, and the region encompasses many large historic working ranches. These properties are vitally important as key grazing lands for producing food, and the land also provides wildlife habitat and ecosystem services that benefit us all.
Thanks to funding from a federal grant through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) is now offering additional resources for West Texas landowners.
“Thanks to this partnership and new grant funding, we’ve recently hired a new grazing specialist to assist landowners with grazing management plans and other resources,” said Billy Tarrant, who leads BRI’s Center for Land Stewardship and Stakeholder Engagement. “We’re pleased to bring Dr. Eduardo Gonzalez-Valenzuela on board. He has decades of experience in assisting landowners in achieving their land management goals.”
Along with providing technical assistance to landowners to help them meet their goals and objectives for their properties, Dr. Gonzalez will also serve as a visiting professor in the College of Agricultural, Natural, and Physical Sciences at Sul Ross State University.
“I’m looking forward to this next chapter of my career, working with young people who are interested in natural resources, and with landowners who care about the rangelands they steward,” said Dr. Gonzalez. “My experience has been that landowners want to do the right thing, and what they really need is more information to make their operations more sustainable. It is the grazing plants and the grazing programs that will make sure the land will remain productive for this generation and the next.”
More information about resources for West Texas landowners can be found at LAND STEWARDSHIP - BORDERLANDS RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
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Project Spotlight: Restoration in Areas Invaded by Lehmann’s Lovegrass | |
by Andres Solorio Pulido
The Chihuahuan Desert Region, which encompasses the Trans-Pecos, is one of North America’s largest and most biologically diverse ecoregions. The Trans-Pecos supports a host of native plants and wildlife, with 268 native grasses and 447 woody plant species. However, human activities such as livestock grazing, fire suppression, hunting, and environmental factors like drought, have significantly altered the vegetation and wildlife of the area. The introduction of non-native species such as buffelgrass and Lehmann’s lovegrass (the latter is pictured here) as a tool for erosion control and food production for the cattle industry has further transformed the region, often leading to the dominance of invasive species over native plants, which negatively impacts local wildlife. In particular, such changes in vegetation impact species like scaled quail in the Trans-Pecos, which relies on diverse native vegetation for cover, food, and nesting.
Invasive plant species have a high capacity to spread and create monocultures, outcompeting native species and reducing biodiversity. These species are often more resistant to drought, fire, and pests, making them highly adaptable to new environments. Non-native species such as Lehmann’s lovegrass have become widespread, covering millions of acres and disrupting native grassland ecosystems.
Our study investigated the best practices for controlling the spread of Lehmann’s lovegrass and for the restoration of native vegetation in the Trans-Pecos. Across 200 plots within the study area at Nine Point Mesa Ranch in Brewster County, Texas, we focused on the effects of different treatments, including soil disturbance and seeding with native grasses and forbs, and a combination of both.
Results indicate that biodiversity improves with seeding and combined seeding-soil disturbance treatments, but Lehmann’s lovegrass quickly recovers. Enhancing native plant abundance requires multiple treatments, and precipitation poses a significant challenge to seeding operations in the Trans-Pecos. Understanding invasive species and natural succession is crucial in addressing these issues and making informed decisions on the conservation of native plants and wildlife.
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Student Spotlight: Andres Solorio Pulido | |
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Andres Solorio Pulido has always loved the outdoors, and fondly recalls the days spent playing outside during his childhood on his family’s 50 acres in Tamaulipas, Mexico. His family worked the land for agriculture for many generations, but those operations ceased by the time Andres was born.
That did not stop him from developing a love for agriculture and land management. During high school, Andres and Carlos Gonzalez became friends. Alongside his father, Eduardo Gonzalez, Carlos introduced Andres to agriculture.
Andres’ love for agriculture and natural science grew and was encouraged by Eduardo’s mentoring, and he attended the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, earning a Bachelor’s in Forestry in 2007. In 2009, his first daughter was born, increasing his commitment to a conservation career path to support his family.
He gained experience working for the National Forest Commission in Mexico, and he also worked for Veolia Environment S.A. and CEMEX Mexico S.A. de C.V. Working for those two organizations allowed him to grow personally and professionally.
In 2015, his second daughter was born, and he now had even more motivation to build a successful career. Andres knew he wanted to pursue a master’s degree in the United States to fulfill his potential, and he began private lessons to learn English. After six years of tutoring, Andres felt confident enough to seek opportunities in the US.
At that point, Andres received a life-changing phone call from his friend Carlos E. Gonzalez, who was now a research scientist at the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. Gonzalez offered him a chance to work for BRI and pursue his Master’s degree.
Once his high school pal, Carlos Gonzalez is now Andres’ advisor, a relationship that Andres treasures.
In another twist of fate, Carlos’ dad, Eduardo Gonzalez, accepted a position with the Borderlands Research Institute last summer, reuniting the trio.
“That was a wonderful surprise for me,” Andres said, “When I started dreaming about what I wanted to do when I was a child they were there, and now I’m finishing my degree and they are here. They are like family to me, and I’m really happy to be here working together.”
READ MORE
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From Tamaulipas, Mexico, to Alpine, Texas: Andres Solorio Pulido (right) now studies natural resource management with longtime friends and mentors Carlos Gonzalez and Eduardo Gonzalez at Borderlands Research Institute.
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Sul Ross Students Awarded $130,000 in Scholarships | |
Front L-R: Hayley Shultz, Audrey Taulli, Eliana Dykehouse, Asia Cornelius, Emily Blumentritt, Jesse Ellgren. Back L-R: David Tønnessen, Andres Solorio Pulido, Andrew Dotray, Hailey Barton, Nicole Dickan, Ty Goodwin, Elle Sutherland, Gray Hancock, Eddie Santoya, Jon Lomas | |
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Sixteen students at Sul Ross State University have been selected to receive $130,000 in scholarships from nine different sources through the Borderlands Research Institute and Borderlands Research Foundation.
“As another semester gets rolling, our students are already hard at work with their classwork and their research projects, and this is welcome news for them,” said Dr. Louis A. Harveson, who is the Dan Allen Hughes, Jr., Endowed Director of BRI. “Many take out loans as they finish up their studies, and they are so appreciative of the support from the many fine organizations and donors who make these scholarships available. It is truly an investment in the future of conservation.”
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Borderlands Research Foundation Annual Report Available Online | |
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We’re pleased to share the recently published annual report from the Borderlands Research Foundation. The mission of the Borderlands Research Foundation is to support the Borderlands Research Institute by advancing our understanding, appreciation, and conservation of the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands through scientific investigations, student training, and sharing information with our stakeholders.
READ MORE about how the Borderlands Research Foundation supports our work.
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