West Texas Rangelands
West Texas RangelandsWe hope to provide a variety of science-based rangeland information and current research on prescribed fire, wildfires, brush management, and grazing management!

Prescribed Fire – An Ecological Necessity Ensuring Habitat & Ecosystem Integrity

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We’re excited to feature a guest blog this week, written by Samuel Campassi! Samuel brings a unique perspective and valuable insight to this topic—be sure to check out his full bio below.

 Howdy! My name is Samuel Campassi. I am a senior Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management (RWFM) major at Texas A&M University. As a generational hunter and outdoorsman, I am deeply passionate about all things conservation and priming the next generation of land stewards. This summer, I have the great honor of working under renowned range specialist and prescribe fire expert, Dr. Morgan Treadwell. I am so excited to be able to learn from Dr. Treadwell, and gain valuable range management skills that will benefit my career as a dedicated conservationist. 

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Getting to the Root of It: Understanding Grassland Decline in a Drying World

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getting to the root of it infographicOur grasslands are incredible ecosystems, vital for everything from supporting wildlife to producing our food. But what happens when snaps of extreme climate occur and prolonged drought becomes the new norm? A fascinating new study, dives deep into the unseen world beneath our feet to show us the progression of grassland decline under increasing aridity and desertification. 

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Understanding Nitrate Leaching: The Hidden Threat After Extreme Weather Shifts

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Texas summers all too often bring rapid and/or prolonged drought conditions, whereas our Texas winters can deliver heavy rains with extended saturated conditions. While rangeland managers welcome any rains, this combination and rapid shifts of extreme weather events from dry to wet or vice versa can lead to a hidden problem: nitrate-contaminated groundwater.

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Texas Landowners Successfully Implement Prescribed Fire on 25,000-acres!!

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The Prescribed Burn Alliance of Texas (PBAT) (https://www.pbatexas.org/) announced the results of the 2024–2025 dormant season for prescribed fire. During this period, 18 Texas-based Prescribed Burn Associations (PBAs), covering 175 counties, assisted private landowners in conducting 73 prescribed burns, safely treating approximately 25,000 acres across the state.

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Escaped Prescribed Fire Patterns

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Prescribed fires are a necessary process for rangeland management, helping to reduce fuel loads, restore ecosystems, and mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfires. More importantly, the estimated escape rate across the U.S. is quite low, at 0.16% (2022). A recent study by Li et al. (2025) sheds light on the spatial and temporal patterns of escape prescribed fires, offering crucial insights for rangeland managers and fire professionals.

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The Best Time To Plan For Drought Is When We Are Not In One! Second Best Time Is Now!

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drought pictureWe’re thrilled to welcome our guest blogger, Mr. Mike Mecke, to the West Texas Rangelands blog! Mr. Mecke brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for land stewardship, drawing from his unique background as a San Antonio native who as of 2008 retired into the Texas Hill Country outside of Kerrville. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University with Biology and Agriculture degrees. He later earned a Masters of Science in Rangeland Ecology & Watershed Management at the University of Wyoming. Helping people by improving agricultural management, land stewardship, water resources conservation and water resources planning has been the primary aspects of his career. We’re excited for him to share his insights and practical expertise with our West Texas rangeland community. Take it away sir! 

That is a really great headline written by Ms. Emily Seldomridge, writing for Texas Water Solutions a few years ago and it is fantastic advice for ranchers, farmers, agencies or water utilities. Caught my attention right away, which a title should do. You can’t beat developing a good conservation plan and then applying it. The blog article contains some very good conservation proposals as well. This is a rewrite of my Ranch & Rural Living magazine article some years ago. 

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Texas Land Trends: A Shifting Landscape

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A fascinating new report from the amazing team at Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute sheds light on the changing landscape of Texas. Their sixth edition of a five-year study dives deep into population growth, land values, ownership patterns, and how land use is changing across Texas. The takeaways, reveal some significant trends that paint a picture of a state undergoing considerable transformation.

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The New Wildfire Season

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Wildfires have become a significant concern in the United States, causing substantial economic, environmental, and agricultural losses. The financial burden, regional impact, and seasonal length of wildfires have increased in recent decades, raising national and global concerns. In fact, since 2015, three of the five largest wildfire years for acreage burned in the United States have occurred.  [Read more…] about The New Wildfire Season