Texas A&M Forest Service

Happy Ring Day, Ags! Texas A&M Forest Service has over 60 former students from Texas A&M University conserving and protecting the resources and lands of the Lone Star State in many capacities. Texas A&M Forest Service offers careers that can take you anywhere from a wildfire line defending lives and homes, to a forest protecting and conserving Texas natural resources, or creating GIS applications to enhance urban forestry solutions for Texans. Learn more about our career opportunities today: https://lnkd.in/gbimvkJ

March 2025 was a busy month with 544 wildfires burning 100,822 acres across the state. Texas A&M Forest Service responded to 204 wildfires for 77,418 acres. Throughout March, the Wildland Fire Preparedness Level remained at Level 3, but it was lowered to Level 2 on April 2, due to increased rainfall, reduced wildfire activity, and improved fuel/vegetation conditions.

110 years ago today, House Bill 9, “An Act to Promote Forest Interests in the State," established the Department of Forestry for the state and our story began. Though our name has changed a few times throughout the years, our mission remains—to conserve and protect the forests, wildlands, and everywhere in between in Texas.

Recently we gave away approximately 2,300 tree seedlings to Texas Panhandle residents in efforts to replant trees lost to wildfires. These native seedlings will replace lost tree canopy to provide valuable ecosystem benefits and create habitat for wildlife and cover for livestock. These giveaways were held in Canadian, Pampa, Fritch, and Borger. Later this month or early April, approximately 1,200 cottonwood seedlings will be available for residents. They are one of the most important trees within the Great Plains as they play a key role in the stabilization of streamsides. All of the seedlings given away were grown at the West Texas Nursery in Idalou and Forest Science Lab in College Station. These nurseries, operated by Texas A&M Forest Service, produce container and bareroot seedlings every year for sale and conservation and restoration efforts across the state. More about the nursery: https://lnkd.in/ggxWERz2

On March 5, 2025, Texas A&M Forest Service awarded 94 grants totaling $2.1 million at the second of three funding meetings of FY25 for the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program. Grants proposed at this meeting will assist VFDs across Texas in purchasing equipment such as dry hydrants, fire and rescue equipment, personal protective equipment and training aids. The Rural VFD Assistance Program, launched in 2001, provides grants to rural VFDs for firefighting vehicles, fire/rescue equipment, protective clothing, dry hydrants and firefighter training. Since its inception, the program has awarded more than $380 million to volunteer fire departments in Texas. Read more: https://ow.ly/MUWB50VgO5U

It's International Women’s Day. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), women represent 5% of all U.S. firefighters, 11% of volunteer fire service, and 12% of federal wildland firefighters. One way to help increase the number of women in the field is to build a support network for female fire practitioners and educate our youth on career opportunities – major goals of our Sisters in Fire event. This annual event hosts young women between the ages of 12 and 18 to learn about various topics and skills relating to the wildland firefighting profession. Read about our most recent Sisters in Fire event here: https://ow.ly/Wupc50Ve2ES

Texas A&M Forest Service recently investigated a timber theft complaint, resulting in the recovery of $50,240 to a group of Panola County landowners for unpaid timber sales. The landowners entered a timber sale agreement with a timber harvesting company and were paid $21,167 for their timber, which they felt was a significantly low price based on the terms in the harvesting contract compared to the volume of timber harvested and hauled from the tract. The landowners contacted the timber theft hotline, initiating an investigation by our investigators. To prevent timber theft, landowners should visit their property frequently, have someone they know and trust report any cutting on their land immediately, never sign a contact without checking several references of the buyer, insist on getting bids for the timber, mark all property lines, use trail/deer cameras on the property, and always hold their timber contractor to the agreed upon term. ☎️Timber theft hotline: 1-800-364-3470 👉Read more: https://ow.ly/1bXQ50VcJcO

This week is National Invasive Species Awareness Week, and we are highlighting a few species that pose major threats to ecosystems across the state. Invasive species have two main characteristics: they are non-native to an ecosystem and their introduction is likely to cause harm to the economy, environment or human health. Invasive species can cause detrimental impacts to Texas’ landscapes and ecosystems and can potentially wipe out entire native species because they lack natural competitors, predators, and diseases that normally regulate their populations in their natural environment. Texas A&M Forest Service works to mitigate the spread and impacts of invasive species through proactive forest health management strategies. The agency also partners with other research organizations to track the spread of invasive pests, diseases and tree species. Learn more: https://ow.ly/TSAl50V5pO7

On Thursday, Joel Hambright, Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Operations Chief, received the 2024 Texas A&M University Board of Regents Fellow Service Award. This is the highest honor annually presented by the Texas A&M University System to 12 extension, research and service members for their exemplary professional service to society that has created large and lasting benefits to Texas and beyond. Hambright began his career with the agency 31 years ago as a District Forester in Cleveland, and since then has served as a District Forester and Regional Forester. He now serves as a Regional Operations Chief, where he oversees the operations of agency programs within 13 Southeast Texas counties. One of Hambright’s most pivotal accomplishments at the agency is his role in the development of the Texas Forest Expo, a two-day, hands-on workshop for landowners and homeowners near Houston to manage their property and make sustainable development decisions. These efforts created a platform for forestry professionals, researchers and stakeholders to showcase innovative practices, elevating awareness of sustainable forestry statewide. Read more: https://ow.ly/xRsm50UVMjT

Yesterday, Travis Zamzow, Texas A&M Forest Service Chief Financial Officer and Associate Director, Finance, received the 2024 Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Fellow Service Award. This is the highest honor annually presented by the Texas A&M University System to 12 extension, research and service members for their exemplary professional service to society that has created large and lasting benefits to Texas and beyond. Zamzow began his career at Texas A&M Forest Service as a Senior Staff Accountant in 2003, and from 2004 to 2024 he served as the agency’s Budgets and Accounting Department Head. In 2024, Zamzow was named CFO and Associate Director, Finance. He has over 32 years of experience in accounting and finance and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Texas A&M University. He has led the preparation of the agency’s annual operating budgets and financial reports, improved the effectiveness of the department’s operations, and managed the processing of over $820 million in emergency response finances. Zamzow has also led the agency’s legislative appropriation requests process for 12 years. Read more: https://ow.ly/WuCk50UVM2W