QUAIL INITIATIVE: It takes initiative to conserve a species 
and its habitat ... details ahead on Passport to Texas.
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PTT from TPWD and the Wildlife Restoration Program

Quail used to be abundant in east and southeast Texas 
until changes in land use occurred - such as replacing 
native grasses with improved grasses for livestock. 

It's not just the quail, but it's about twenty-five other species of 
grassland birds that are also declining, that rely on the same 
type of habitats that have been replaced by so-called 
improvements in these varieties of grasses or urban sprawl or 
fragmentation. :14

Robert Perez, state quail biologist, says Texas' quail 
population is not in crisis - yet.

A lot of our counterparts in the southeast have already seen 
losses of ninety plus percent of their wild quail and of their 
wild, open spaces. So, they're in crisis mode, while we've still 
got a chance to do something. We can still work with 
landowners and we can still make a plan. And the Texas 
Conservation Initiative is that plan. :18

The Texas Quail Conservation Initiative, is a proactive 
approach to protect and restore quail by improving its 
habitat. Disseminating information about the problem, 
and working with landowners to create quail cooperatives 
are two strategies of the plan. 

Another aspect of the plan is to get Texas Parks and Wildlife, 
Wildlife Management Areas doing management to ensure that 
these quail are available from now until forever. :10

The Wildlife Restoration Program supports our show, and 
provides funding for the Private Lands and Habitat 
Enhancement Program.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.