Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
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The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas. Its mission is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was formed in 1963, when the State Parks Board and the Game and Fish Commission were officially merged.
In 1983, the Texas legislature passed the Wildlife Conservation Act, giving the department the authority for managing fish and wildlife resources in all Texas counties. The department operates 114 state parks/historical sites, 51 wildlife management areas, eight fish hatcheries, and numerous field offices state wide. On January 1, 2008, several historic sites formerly maintained by TPWD were transferred to the Texas Historical Commission.
The agency employs more than 3,500 permanent employees, and 300 interns every summer, from every field of study. Intern programs vary but are typically 12 weeks long and go from May until August.
Game Warden Ranks
The department is made up of eleven divisions:
- Coastal Fisheries
- Inland Fisheries
- Law Enforcement - Game wardens and deputy game wardens primarily enforce the provisions of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code but are fully empowered peace officers with state-wide jurisdiction and may make arrests for any offense.
- State Parks
- Administrative Resources
- Human Resources
- Information Technology
TPWD publishes a monthly magazine available both in print and online, known as TPW Magazine. The magazine features articles about State Parks, fishing, hunting, and outdoor activities.
Since the establishment of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Division, 18 officers have died in the line of duty. Included in the follow list are officers from the Texas Game and Fish Commission and the Texas Game, Fish, and Oyster Commission, which merged into the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
|Officer||Date of death||Details|
|Game Warden Harry Raymond||
|Captain Joe Williams||
|Game Warden Dawson R. Murchison||
|Game Warden Richard Moore Wynne||
|Game Warden Gus A. Engeling||
|Game Warden Claude Keller||
|Game Warden John David Murphree||
|Game Warden Joe Marshall Evans||
|Game Warden Lloyd Dean Gustin||
|Game Warden Ronnie L. Germany||
|Game Warden James Eugene Daughtrey||
|Game Warden Franklin Bruce Hill||
|Game Warden William Barry Decker||
|Game Warden Michael Charles Pauling||
|Game Warden Wesley Warren Wagstaff||
|Game Warden Justin Hurst||
|Game Warden Teyran (Ty) Patterson||
|Game Warden George Harold Whatley Jr.||
- "Directions to TPWD Headquarters." Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Accessed August 28, 2008.
- "Directions to TPWD Headquarters." Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Retrieved on July 6, 2010.
- "City of Austin Development Map Viewer." City of Austin. Accessed August 28, 2008.
- "TPWD Activities and History". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 2006-04-26. Retrieved 2006-09-11.