Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas. Its mission is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Texas

Official Texas Game Warden Badge
Flag of the State of Texas
Agency overview
Formed	1963; 62 years ago (1963)
Preceding agencies	The State Parks Board The Game and Fish Commission
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Texas, U.S.

Map of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's jurisdiction
Size	268,820 square miles (696,240 km²)
Population	27,469,114 (2015 est.)
General nature	Civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Austin, Texas, United States
Game Wardens	493
Park Police Officers	170
Agency executive	Dr. David Yoskowitz, Executive Director
Website
tpwd.texas.gov

The agency maintains its headquarters at 4200 Smith School Road in Austin, Texas.

History

In 1895, the Texas Legislature created the Fish and Oyster Commission to regulate fishing. The legislature added the Game Department to the commission in 1907. The Legislature created the State Parks Board as a separate entity in 1923. In 1963, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was formed through merger of the State Parks Board and the Game and Fish Commission.

In 1983, the Texas legislature passed the Wildlife Conservation Act, giving the department the authority for managing fish and wildlife resources in all Texas counties. The department operates 95 state parks and historic sites, 51 wildlife management areas, eight fish hatcheries, and numerous field offices statewide. On January 1, 2008, and September 1, 2019, TPWD transferred management of several historic sites to the Texas Historical Commission.

Budget and staff

The agency employs more than 3,500 permanent employees, and 300 interns every summer, from every field of study. Intern programs vary but are typically 12 weeks long and go from May until August.

Game wardens and park police officers undergo a 30-week course at TPWD's Texas Game Warden Training Center in rural Hamilton County.

Organization

The department is made up of 12 divisions:

Coastal Fisheries
Communications
Financial Resources
Human Resources
Information Technology
Infrastructure
Inland Fisheries
Law Enforcement - Game wardens primarily enforce the provisions of the TPW Code but are fully empowered peace officers with statewide jurisdiction and may make arrests for any offense.
Legal
State Parks - includes Park Police Officers
Support Resources
Wildlife

Outreach

Magazine

TPWD publishes Texas Parks and Wildlife, a monthly magazine available both in print and online editions. The magazine features articles and full-color photos on topics such as birding, boating, camping, fishing, hunting, state parks, travel, wildlife, and environmental issues. Texas Parks and Wildlife has been in publication since 1942.

Television programs

Texas Parks & Wildlife is a weekly, half-hour television series aired on Texas PBS stations, as well as on a number of other PBS stations around the country. Viewers can stream episodes on the PBS website and on the TPWD YouTube channel. Originally titled Made in Texas, the series began production in 1985 as a magazine style show, with three or four different segments each week. For several years, the show focused on one topic each week, documentary style. In 1991, the name of the series changed to Texas Parks & Wildlife and reverted to its original magazine format.

Beginning in June 2016, TPWD Game Wardens were featured in a new reality television series on Animal Planet titled Lone Star Law.

Radio program and podcast

Passport to Texas is a daily series broadcast on radio stations throughout Texas. The series includes 90 second radio spots on topics, including wildlife, state parks, and outdoor activities.

Under the Texas Sky features outdoor experiences of both everyday people and experts from inside and outside TPWD.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation

Founded in 1991, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation is the nonprofit funding partner of TPWD. Overseen by a board of trustees and administered by full- and part-time staff members, the foundation has raised over $205 million since its inception to ensure all Texans can enjoy, explore, and be inspired by the wild things and wild places in Texas.