A Texas physician spent 40 years restoring family land; $10M property is now a 2,178-acre wildlife area filled with deer, wild turkeys and black-capped vireos | World News

Image credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife

For four decades, Texas rancher and physician Paul Burns worked to restore land that had been part of his family’s history since the 19th century. What began as a severely degraded ranch in Brown County, Texas, gradually recovered through brush removal, native-grass reseeding, protection of springs and changes in grazing practices. In 2023, 2,178 acres of the historic Colonel Burns Ranch were acquired by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and became the Paul and Toni Fox Burns Wildlife Management Area. The property had been appraised at close to $10 million, and Burns agreed to a bargain sale while donating 25% of the appraised value to help provide the required conservation funding match.

A Texas family ranch dating back to 1873

The story of the property began with Burns’ great-grandfather, Simon Pierce Burns, who purchased the original tract in 1873. The family eventually built a large cattle operation, but the Great Depression forced them to lose much of their ranch holdings. In the mid-1970s, Paul Burns and his siblings began buying pieces of the former family property as parcels came back onto the market. Over time, they assembled about 6,000 acres, which became known as the Colonel Burns Ranch. Burns, born in Brownwood in 1938, had meanwhile pursued a medical career, studying at the University of Texas and Baylor College of Medicine before serving in the US Army during the Vietnam War and establishing an ear, nose and throat practice in Austin.

Decades of work to bring back native habitat

When Burns and his family reacquired the land, it was in poor ecological condition after decades of intensive use. TPWD says the property had been overgrazed, native tall prairie had largely disappeared, severe soil erosion had occurred and historic wildlife populations had been heavily depleted. Only one of the property’s many historic springs was still flowing. Burns initially thought restoring the ranch would be straightforward, but after about a decade he decided he needed to understand the landscape before trying to change it. He attended more than 100 conferences and seminars, took courses at Texas A&M, visited successfully managed ranches and consulted TPWD, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Texas AgriLife. He also studied historical records to understand the landscape before settlement.The restoration eventually involved removing hundreds of acres of brush, particularly invasive or excessive mesquite and cedar, while bringing back native prairie grasses. Burns personally followed bulldozers as they cleared selected areas and hand-seeded native grasses behind them. Sensitive springs were fenced to keep cattle away, while the family continued managing the property to prevent brush from returning. A major change came after a 1995 Texas law allowed wildlife management to qualify for agricultural tax valuation. The family subsequently removed cattle and focused on restoring the broader ecosystem. Burns retired from his medical practice in 1996 and devoted himself full-time to the ranch.

Deer, turkeys and black-capped vireos returned

The restoration gradually produced a landscape very different from the one Burns had inherited. TPWD now describes the Burns WMA as 2,178 acres of rolling grassland and limestone uplift dominated by mixed oak communities, with diverse ecological sites supporting a wide range of woody and herbaceous vegetation. The agency says the property supports abundant white-tailed deer, Rio Grande wild turkeys and black-capped vireos, along with a diversity of pollinators and many other species. Its springs also contribute to the ecological diversity of the property.The conservation work had been recognised before the land entered state ownership. In 2012, Paul and Toni Burns received TPWD’s Lone Star Land Steward Award for their efforts. Burns also developed a close relationship with TPWD wildlife biologist Devin Erxleben, whom he met in 2009. The two shared an interest in habitat management, and Burns attended landowner workshops organised by Erxleben while opening his ranch for field days where other landowners could learn about restoration techniques. The Burns family also financially supported habitat work, research and outreach at the nearby Muse Wildlife Management Area.

A nearly $10M property moved into public conservation

By 2022, the Burns family was considering what would happen to the ranch in the future and how its restoration could continue after they were no longer able to manage it themselves. TPWD was simultaneously looking for land that could become a wildlife management area in the region. The two interests eventually came together. The ranch was appraised at close to $10 million, and Burns agreed to sell the 2,178-acre tract to TPWD at a bargain price. Under the federal Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, wildlife habitat acquisitions can receive federal funding when a 25% match is provided. Burns donated 25% of the property’s appraised value to provide that match. The transaction closed in late 2023, exactly 150 years after the family’s original acquisition of the ranch.The transaction did not mean the entire historic ranch disappeared from family hands. The Burns family retained approximately 100 acres, including their family home and an original 1898 homestead that Burns restored. The 2,178 acres transferred to TPWD became the Paul and Toni Fox Burns Wildlife Management Area, joining the nearby McGillivray and Leona McKie Muse WMA as part of the agency’s Cross Timbers and Prairies Ecosystem Management Project.

A wildlife area built to outlast its original owners

The new WMA is intended not only to preserve habitat but also to demonstrate conservation techniques, support wildlife research and provide compatible public uses. TPWD says the property is used to demonstrate habitat development and wildlife-management practices, develop new management techniques through research and provide public hunting and other appropriate opportunities. Drawn hunts are offered for white-tailed deer, with additional opportunities for feral pigs and coyotes during designated deer hunts.The Burns family’s commitment continued after the land transfer. About a year after the dTeal closed, Paul and Toni Burns established a $1 million endowment fund through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation to support ongoing stewardship of the new wildlife management area. The fund provides a long-term source of support for maintaining the land they spent decades restoring. The result is a conservation legacy that began with a family trying to recover its historic ranch, evolved into a 40-year effort to repair damaged habitat, and ultimately placed thousands of acres under public wildlife management.