Trey Barron began his career with TPWD in 2011 as a wildlife biologist in the Texas Panhandle. In May of 2014, he moved to the coast to serve as wildlife biologist for Victoria, Refugio, and Calhoun Counties. Trey is now the Wildlife Diversity (non-game) Biologist for Region 4 and is focused on species of greatest conservation need. He received his Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology and Master of Science in Biology from West Texas A&M University. He enjoys helping landowners manage habitat for a variety of species, but is especially interested in birds and herps.

Contact Information
Trey.Barron@tpwd.texas.gov

Kai Buckert is a 6th generation Texas rancher. Established in 1836, the longevity of Wexford Ranches continues due to continued commitment of our conservation goals. After an absence of 30 years, continued focus on the Wexford Duke Prairie has brought forth the movement of released Attwater Prairie Chickens to the ranch. Forum visitors will be welcomed to see the largest contiguous prairie in the Coastal Bend. Wexford Ranches was one of the recipients of the 2012 Lone Star Land Steward Awards. (The photo shows Kai while herding cattle near Bundick Lake on the Wexford Duke Ranch.)

Tony Falk came to Texas 2008 in pursuit of a master’s degree at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute in Kingsville. After completing his degree he began a full time position with the South Texas Natives program as the Evaluation and Collections Coordinator. Over the last 13 years he has held several positions with the program and helped the program grow into the Texas Native Seeds Program that covers the entire state. Along the way he went back to school to complete at Doctoral degree also at the Caesar Kleberg Institute. During his tenure he has helped release over 15 native seed varieties, and assisted with the restoration of 10s of thousands of acres

Contact Information
anthony.falk@tamuk.edu

Steven Goertz works for The Nature Conservancy covering management and operations of Mad Island Marsh Preserve and serving as the Prescribed Fire Coordinator throughout Texas. He primarily works within the coastal prairie and marsh ecotype using prescribed fire, treating invasive species, and facilitating the wild harvest of native prairie species produced from these practices. Steven also facilitates prescribed fire work throughout the state by maintaining personnel records, assisting with burn plans, and serving as a prescribed burn boss for fire operations throughout Texas.

Contact Information
sgoertz@tnc.org

Grahmann Family Ranches is a small cattle/wildlife operation that raises commercial and registered Brangus cattle across 4 properties; 2 are in the Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes Ecoregion (Victoria and Goliad Counties). The goal of the Grahmann family is to be the best stewards possible of the land, wildlife, and livestock on their relatively small pieces of Texas. The properties are owned by Johnny and Susan Grahmann and co-managed with their children and grandchildren.

The 80 ac Victoria County property was purchased by the Grahmann family in 2009 as an abused piece of land. The land was overgrazed by at least 20 longhorns and dominated by croton, goldentop euthamia, deeprooted sedge, Chinese tallow, yaupon, and Macartney rose. The only grass species discernable was bermudagrass, bahiagrass, Paraguayan windmillgrass, and some brownseed paspalum.

After purchase, the property was rested from grazing for 1 year (2009). During this span, great recovery occurred as many of the historical grassland plant species began to show through their protected shelters under low-growing Macartney rose plants. Active grassland restoration began in 2010 by spot-treating Macartney rose (Grazon P+D) and huisache, Chinese tallow, and yaupon (cut stump applications of diesel and Remedy). Grazing occurred/occurs as warranted, based on forage production (continuous, rotational, or deferment). Non-native Old-World Bluestems and deep-rooted sedge have been spot-treated with Roundup in select areas to diversify and enhance forb production for wildlife. Along with continued spot-treatment of brush and non-native plants, additional acreage was restored to grassland by dozing and then spraying dense yaupon, Chinese tallow, and rose, then prepped and planted with a diverse native seed mix. The Grahmanns continue to be committed to the long-term restoration of Coastal Prairie on the property.

Contact Information
eric.grahmann83@gmail.com

Meagan Lesak is the TPWD Wildlife Biologist for Goliad & Refugio counties. She received her Bachelor of Science in Range & Wildlife Management and Master of Science in Animal Science from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She has been with the Department since January of 2019 and her main role is to provide technical guidance to landowners interested in wildlife and habitat management.

Contact Information
Meagan.lesak@tpwd.texas.gov

Matt Machacek is a Rangeland Management Specialist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service and serves as a liaison to the Coastal Prairie Grazing Land Coalition. Matt grew up in Shiner, TX and in 2006, he graduated with a degree in Rangeland Ecology and Management from Texas A&M.

In 2006 he started full-time with the NRCS in Victoria, Texas. In 2019, he transitioned back to Victoria assisting the Coastal Prairie Coalition serving 26 counties in South Central Texas. Over the years Matt has assisted with many demonstration projects, rancher field days, and several regional conferences designed to transfer technology on grazing land matters to Texas landowners.

Contact Information
matthew.machacek@tx.usda.gov

Dr. Ortega is a professor at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. His research experience is on grazing management and cattle wildlife interactions. He is coauthor of the books White-tailed Deer Habitat: Ecology and Management on Rangelands; Wildlife Ecology and Management in Mexico, both published also in Spanish. In addition to his academic activities Dr. Ortega is also a cattle rancher in South Texas and Northern Mexico as well as a cattle/wildlife operations consultant.

Contact Information
Alfonso.Ortega@tamuk.edu

Daniel Walker earned his BS and MS in wildlife biology from West Texas A&M University. After college he started his career with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He was the former wildlife biologist at the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area in south Texas. Currently he is the Project Leader of the Coastal Bend Wetlands Ecosystem Project and Area Manager of Powderhorn Wildlife Management Area. His project properties include Guadalupe Delta, Matagorda Island, Redhead Pond, and Powderhorn Wildlife Management Areas.

Contact Information
daniel.walker@tpwd.texas.gov

11:00 AM (START)
Site Visit to Grahmann Ranch, Host: Eric Grahmann (Brush Management, Grazing, and Re-seeding Project)

12:30 PM
Leave Grahmann Ranch for Goliad

1:00–1:30 PM
Registration and Light Lunch at Goliad Julie Wimberly Memorial Homemaking Bldg.

First Session: Strategies for Non-Native Brush and Trees
1:30–2:15 PM
Huisache Management (Trey Barron, TPWD) - 10–15 minutes for discussion

2:15–3:00 PM
Running Live Oak Management (Dan Walker, TPWD) - 10–15 minutes for discussion

3:00–3:15 PM
Break

3:15–4:00 PM
Chinese Tallow and McCartney Rose Management on the Texas Mid-Coast (Speaker TBD) - 10–15 minutes for discussion

Second Session: Prescribed Grazing as a Management Tool
4:00–5:00 PM
Prescribed Grazing (Matt Machacek, NRCS and Grazing Lands Coalition) - 15–20 minutes for discussion

Dinner and Tour of The Duke Ranch
5:00–5:45 PM
BBQ Dinner at Goliad

5:45 PM
Depart for The Duke Ranch, Host: Kai Buckert

6:15–8:30 PM
The Duke Ranch Tour, covering Historic and Current Perspectives of Prairie Management, until Sunset on the Prairie (8 PM)

8:30 PM
Leave The Duke Ranch for Lodging

First Session: Strategies for Old World Bluestem (OWB) Control, Structure Manipulation, and Roadside Spraying of Invasives

8:00–8:20 AM
Registration with Coffee, Juice, and Pastries

8:20–8:50 AM
OWB Current Research and Agri-Life Publications (Meagan Lesak, TPWD) - 10 minutes for discussion

8:50–9:50 AM
Managing OWBs for Structure with Patch Burn Grazing (Dr. Poncho Ortega, Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute) - 10–20 minutes for discussion

9:50–10:05 AM
Break

10:05–10:40 AM
Managing OWB at Mad Island (Stephen Goertz, TNC) - 10–15 minutes for discussion

Second Session: Seeding Your Coastal Prairie: Seed Collecting, Pure Live Seed Calculation and Seed Drill Calibration and Native Prairie Grass Seed for the Mass Market

10:40–10:55 AM
Pure Live Seed, Seed Tags, No-till Seed Drills, Commercial Seed Sourcing, Species Accession, and Seed Collecting (Texas Native Seeds Doug Jobes and Dr. Tony Falk, CKWRI)

11:55 AM–NOON
Closing Remarks and Adjournment

NOON
Sandwich Lunch and Departure to Powderhorn Ranch WMA for Optional Field Visit

1:15 PM
Optional Powderhorn Ranch WMA Visit, covering Applied Brush Management and Prescribed Fire