| (a) A wildlife management plan shall be completed on the form prescribed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for each tract of land for which qualification for agricultural appraisal is sought based on wildlife management use. A copy of this wildlife management plan form may be obtained by contacting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744-3291 or online through www.tpwd.state.tx.us. A chief appraiser may accept, but may not require, a wildlife management plan that is not on the form prescribed by TPWD if the wildlife management plan contains all of the information required by this section. (b) The wildlife management plan shall be provided to the appraisal district in which the tract of land is located. (c) The wildlife management plan must include: (1) ownership information, property description and current use; (2) the landowner's goals and objectives for the tract of land; (3) the specific indigenous wildlife species targeted for management; and (4) the specific management practices and activities to be implemented in support of the specific indigenous wildlife species targeted for management. (d) The specific management practices and activities in the wildlife management plan shall be intended to benefit the specific indigenous wildlife species targeted for management, and shall be consistent with the practices and activities recommended in Guidelines for Qualification of Agricultural Land in Wildlife Management Use and the Comprehensive Wildlife Management Planning Guidelines for the ecoregion in which the tract of land is located, and the landowner's goals and objectives. (e) If the tract of land provides habitat for species federally listed as endangered, threatened, or a candidate for listing as endangered or threatened, the wildlife management plan shall ensure that the specific management practices and activities do not harm the listed endangered, threatened, or candidate for listing as endangered or threatened species. (f) A wildlife property association may prepare a single wildlife management plan, provided all required information is included for each tract of land in the wildlife management property association and the plan is signed by each landowner or an agent of the landowner designated in the manner required by Tax Code, §1.111 and §9.3044 of this title (relating to Appointment of Agents for Property Tax). (g) An appraisal district may require, for each tract of land qualified for agricultural appraisal based on wildlife management use, that an annual report be filed showing how the wildlife management plan was implemented in any given year. A wildlife management property association may file a single annual report, if the report shows how the wildlife management plan was implemented on each tract of land in the wildlife management property association. If the report is required, it shall be completed on the form prescribed by TPWD and shall be signed by the landowner or an agent of the landowner designated in the manner required by Tax Code, §1.111 and §9.3044 of this title. If a single report is filed by a wildlife management property association, the report shall be signed by each landowner or an agent for each landowner designated in the manner required by Tax Code, §1.111 and §9.3044 of this title. A copy of the annual report form may be obtained by contacting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744-3291 or online through www.tpwd.state.tx.us. |
