Habitat Management, Restoration & Research
Mission
The mission of the wildlife habitat management program at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute is to conduct research that will improve our ability to conserve and restore wildlife habitat to maintain biologically diverse wildlife populations.
Commitment
Habitat ecology and management are among the most critical areas of wildlife research. Loss of habitat is the most significant threat to wildlife conservation worldwide. One million acres of wildlife habitat are lost to urban sprawl in the United States every year. The Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute is committed to research that will 1) result in conservation and proper management of habitat for diverse wildlife populations; 2) enhance our knowledge of the effects of human use of the landscape for agriculture and other activities on wildlife habitat and result in the discovery of ways to minimize habitat degradation resulting from these activities; 3) enable us to better understand interactions between game and non-game wildlife species and their habitat, particularly mechanisms and processes that drive habitat selection; and 4) result in the discovery of better ways to improve wildlife habitat. South Texas provides an excellent laboratory for this research because it contains extensive tracts of contiguous habitat that support a greater variety of wildlife species than most areas of its size.
Featured News
At the end of 2020, CKWRI will have completed a four-year study on the use of prescribed fire and cattle grazing to manage the invasive tanglehead grass on a private ranch in South Texas. This research provides reliable information that may be applied by ranchers in the region. Follow link in bio to read full article in the most recent issues of Caesar Kleberg Tracks.
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Landowners and CKWRI scientists have been using research findings (see article below) to develop burning, spraying, and grazing regimes that reduce seed production and keep Tanglehead seeds buried by limiting soil disturbance. These practices show promise in reducing Tanglehead populations.
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CKWRI researcher, Dr. David Wester, was featured in a radio interview with The Texas Standard on his tanglehead research. To listen to the interview, go to http://www.texasstandard.org/stories/a-native-species-gets-pushy/.