The Challenge of Reservoir Fish Habitat Improvement in Texas: It's Going to Take a Village

Texas has over 1100 public reservoirs and degraded fish habitats are beginning to take their toll on recreational fishing opportunity and water quality.  The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), like many other state fisheries agencies, does not have the financial or manpower resources to solve these problems by themselves.  In Texas, local community and political support are required to solve these problems and initiating habitat projects supported by grass roots partners, at a local level, is a good way to build this support.  To accomplish this, the TPWD has chosen to engage the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership in the recruitment of local Friends of Reservoir (FOR) Chapters and Affiliate Organizations to support local fish habitat improvement projects across the state.  These public FOR groups have provided volunteer labor, generated funding, created political support, and raised public awareness of the need for such projects within their communities.  Productive relationships established on fish habitat improvement projects have also led to productive relationships in other areas of fisheries-related work.  This presentation will explore how to get FOR groups established in your state and show the benefits that could result from having them as partners in your fish habitat improvement work.