Land management plans often include brush control to conserve water and provide forage for wildlife and livestock. In the mid-1990s ranchers in central Texas hit a snag when they planned to remove overgrown Ashe juniper, a brush species that provides habitat for the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo, two birds listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Area ranchers were prevented from clearing Ashe juniper due to the ESA. However, they wanted to actively manage the resources on their lands and initiated the formation of a diverse core group to seek a solution to ESA-imposed restrictions. The group supported a common goal—restoring habitat for the warbler and vireo—but opinions varied greatly in how that could be accomplished.

Central Texas Cattlemen’s Association, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Environmental Defense, Texas A&M University, U.S. Army (Fort Hood, Texas), Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Wildlife Association, USDI Fish and Wildlife
Service, The Nature Conservancy, Leon River Restoration Project (LRRP), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

During roundtable discussions, group members gained a better understanding of the project’s many aspects. As they let down their guard, the growing trust and understanding brought great accomplishments. Their efforts led to the Leon River Restoration Project. By treating re-growth Ashe juniper rather than removing it entirely, and supplementing the treatment by re-seeding native grasses where needed, they improved habitats and increased the number of Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked Warbler. Oldgrowth Ashe Juniper was left to provide nesting sites for the birds. In addition to improving wildlife habitat, ranchers discovered that water quality and quantity improved as well.