The Houston Toad: Bastrop County Is a Core Stronghold

The Houston toad has been on the federal endangered species list since 1970. Bastrop County is designated as critical habitat for the toad. It needs deep sandy soils and loblolly pine forest for shelter, food, and hibernation. It breeds in shallow, temporary ponds. Today it is found mainly in and around Bastrop County.

The federal Endangered Species Act applies to landowners here. Actions that harm, harass, or kill the toad — or damage its critical habitat — can bring federal penalties, even on private land. The 2011 wildfire hit the toad's habitat hard. Recovery work has included captive breeding and replanting Lost Pines habitat.

TPWD runs a voluntary Programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement. It lets private landowners improve toad habitat without taking on extra legal risk. More than a dozen landowners had enrolled more than 2,000 acres by recent reports. If you own forested sandy-soil land near Bastrop, check fws.gov and tpwd.texas.gov for the current safe harbor program status before you clear trees or convert land.