For the first time in nearly two decades, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has acquired a new Wildlife Management Area in East Texas.
The newly designated Trinity River Wildlife Management Area spans approximately 6,900 acres in Anderson County and marks the latest addition to the Middle Trinity River Ecosystem Project. This network now includes more than 38,000 acres of protected land across five WMAs: Gus Engeling, Richland Creek, Big Lake Bottom, Keechi Creek and now Trinity River.
The acquisition also adds 11.3 miles of frontage along the Trinity River, giving TPWD over 25 miles of protected riverbank along a critical migratory bird corridor. The addition will allow the agency to manage more than 21,000 contiguous acres of bottomland habitat, helping mitigate flood impacts and restore native ecosystems.
“The establishment of the Trinity River WMA presents an opportunity for the conservation and management of an ecologically unique and important habitat,” said TPWD Executive Director David Yoskowitz. “Partnerships with organizations like the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Knobloch Family Foundation make historic land purchases like this possible.” Funding for the acquisition came from several sources. During the 88th Texas legislative session, lawmakers appropriated $10 million in Migratory Game Bird Stamp Funds to support new WMA acquisitions. A portion of that funding, along with a grant from the Knobloch Family Foundation to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, helped secure a federal grant through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Alan Cain, TPWD’s Wildlife Division director, credited the Legislature’s support with expanding public access to nature and conserving sensitive habitats. “The 88th Legislature’s appropriation of Migratory Game Bird Stamp Funds has allowed TPWD to conserve more lands and bring greater access to even more Texans,” Cain said.
The land was previously owned by the Gragg family, who worked with TPWD for more than a year to ensure it would be protected. Jackie Gragg, the late matriarch of the family, was inspired by the nearby Gus Engeling WMA and wanted to see her land conserved in a similar way.
Habitat restoration will be a major focus for the new WMA. Planned efforts include wetland creation, bottomland hardwood forest restoration and prairie rehabilitation on upland areas. These improvements will benefit a wide range of wildlife, from waterfowl and shorebirds to butterflies and neotropical songbirds.
Eventually, the area will offer public access for activities such as hunting, fishing, camping and birdwatching, once appropriate infrastructure and management plans are in place.
For more information about Wildlife Management Areas overseen by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, visit tpwd.texas.gov/ huntwild/hunt/wma.
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