By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) finalized a plan to significantly expand the footprint of the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in the Panhandle, but the plan has drawn criticism from farmers and lawmakers.

In April, FWS released a final plan to conserve or restore up to 700,000 additional acres of wildlife habitat in the Southern High Plains of Texas and Eastern New Mexico as part of the refuge. That’s about 110 times the current size of 6,440 acres.

The plan authorizes FWS to purchase land or conservation easements from willing sellers within the project boundaries. Eminent domain and federal mandates will not be used to acquire land.

The initiative seeks to preserve playa wetlands, saline lakes and large patches of grasslands, along with supporting populations of sandhill cranes, pronghorn and lesser-prairie chickens.

The expansion is part of the Biden administration’s $1 billion “America the Beautiful” initiative, which aims to conserve and restore at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.

The original boundary set by the government limited the potential growth of the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. The U.S. Department of the Interior lifted the limitations, providing more flexibility for expansion.

“Some of my best friends are cotton farmers,” Jude Smith, manager of the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge and overseer of the expansion project, said. “We’re just looking to expand our conservation endeavors for wildlife and wetlands, but we’re not taking it by force.”

The plan is expected to take decades to reach its goal.

Landowners who choose to participate can retain ownership of their property even if they sell their development rights through a conservation easement.

“It’s just an option for landowners who have been asking for this for more than a decade,” Smith said. “They don’t have to sell, and we won’t take the land from them.”

Despite the voluntary nature of the plan, some stakeholders, including U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, believe the expansion will take cotton acres from farmers.

“I have shared my serious concerns with the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, am in close communication with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and will fight to defend West Texas against even a hint of federal overreach,” Arrington said.

Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) opposes federal acquisitions of private property and supports a position of no net loss to private lands.

“The federal government should not be competing with farmers and ranchers to acquire land,” said Jay Bragg, TFB associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities. “This competition artificially inflates land values, increasing costs or preventing farmers and ranchers from acquiring land. Government ownership also permanently removes land from the county tax rolls, forcing remaining landowners to foot the tax burden. This impacts local and regional economies.”

TFB encourages members to reach out to their congressional lawmakers to cut funding for land acquisition projects.

For those considering conservation easements, TFB recommends reading the fine print closely and consulting with an attorney, family and heirs.