The Trans-Pecos region of Texas, renowned for its incredible biodiversity and critical natural systems, is now receiving additional support for sustainable land management. Thanks to funding from a federal grant through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) is offering more resources to landowners in West Texas.
The Chihuahuan Desert grasslands, a key habitat for species ranging from pronghorn to various grassland birds, are among the most critical natural systems in the Trans-Pecos. Additionally, the region is home to some of the last remaining intact rangelands in Texas, including large, historic working ranches. These rangelands are not only vital for grazing and food production but also provide essential wildlife habitats and ecosystem services.
In a recent development, BRI has welcomed Dr. Eduardo Gonzalez-Valenzuela as a new grazing specialist to assist landowners in the region. “Thanks to this partnership and new grant funding, we’ve recently hired a new grazing specialist to assist landowners with grazing management plans and other resources,” said Billy Tarrant, who leads BRI’s Center for Land Stewardship and Stakeholder Engagement. “We’re pleased to bring Dr. Eduardo Gonzalez-Valenzuela on board. He has decades of experience in assisting landowners in achieving their land management goals.”
Dr. Gonzalez-Valenzuela brings a wealth of experience to his new role. From 2019 to earlier this year, he served as an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, teaching courses on Grazing Management, Rangeland Improvements, Range and Wildlife Principles, and Rangeland Plants. His extensive career also includes 30 years as a researcher with the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agricolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), where he was Chair of the Aldama Experimental Station and National Leader of Forages and Rangelands. Additionally, he taught at the Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas and holds a PhD from Texas A&M University.
In his new role, Dr. Gonzalez-Valenzuela will provide technical assistance to landowners, helping them meet their goals and objectives for their properties. He will also serve as a visiting professor in the College of Agricultural, Natural, and Physical Sciences at Sul Ross State University.
“I’m looking forward to this next chapter of my career, working with young people who are interested in natural resources, and with landowners who care about the rangelands they steward,” said Dr. Gonzalez. “My experience has been that landowners want to do the right thing, and what they really need is more information to make their operations more sustainable. It is the grazing plants and the grazing programs that will make sure the land will remain productive for this generation and the next.”
