Welcome

Native lands is a term that encompasses rangelands and forestlands, both of which are uncultivated land types, supporting native plant communities. Native lands constitute more than 60% of the total land area of Texas. Of Texas' 171 million acres of land, 92 million acres are classified as rangeland and 12 million acres as forestland.

Native lands have traditionally been recognized as a source of food, fiber, timber and fuel. Today, those traditional benefits have expanded to include the preservation of native plant and animal biodiversity, maintenance of air quality, improved water quality and quantity, recreation, and recycling of essential nutrients.

Stewardship is essential to insure the long-term health and sustainability of Texas' native lands. These lands are threatened by urban sprawl, fragmentation, land type conversion and poor management. Unfortunately, many Texans have little knowledge or appreciation of native lands in the state. While there are many organization, both environmental or commodity based, and industry groups that share a vested interest in the proper use and management of Texas' native lands, their efforts are often solitary and lack coordination with other groups or organizations with similar interests.

The Texas Native Lands Alliance (TNLA) provides organizations with similar interests in the stewardship of native lands with a structure to leverage their strengths and unify their collective efforts, significantly improving everyone's ability to educate the citizens of this state about the value and proper use of Texas native lands.

The mission of the TNLA is to focus our collective efforts to more effectively promote awareness of the benefits that managed native lands provide to all Texans.