Chapters Collaboration at its Finest
TMN Coastal Prairie and TMN Gideon Lincecum Chapters answered the call together, rolling up sleeves alongside US Fish & Wildlife staff and other refuge volunteers. We disassembled and rebuilt a pen in a new location, then moved on to refurbish three other pens. Working together, we repaired torn netting, cinched paracord ceilings, patched every sneaky hole, yanked invasive plants, spiked perches to stop hawks, ran electric fencing, and beefed up predator-proof barriers across multiple movable acclimation pens.
The Project
These pens are the VIP soft-release suites: predator-safe, portable (to dodge disease buildup), and designed to let young birds spend around 2 weeks getting comfy with prairie sights, sounds, wind, and bugs before stepping into the wild. Solid maintenance equals higher survival odds for a bird that’s down to a whisper of its former millions-strong Gulf Coast chorus.
The project was very successful and exceeded all expectations, according to wildlife biologist Bianca Sicich (aka the “Pen Czar”). She set aside two weeks for the project, which she envisioned was deconstructing and rebuilding one pen, perhaps refurbishing an existing pen. The first two days had to be canceled due to freezing, wet weather. When temperatures rose to above freezing, the work started on the third day.
Crews braved frigid temperatures, pokey things, finger fatigue from zip ties, hours of ladder time, problem solving, and sometimes endless kneeling — always showing up for morning and afternoon shifts with relentless good humor and teamwork.
Teams worked so well together, the scope of the project was enlarged to include every pen on the refuge, in spite of losing two days from freezing weather! All pens looked sharp, final tweaks were mapped, and the refuge stands ready to welcome the next generation of Attwater’s prairie-chickens to their new home.
Come Visit the Refuge in Eagle Lake
Every bird counts; every protected acre matters. Want to help keep the comeback rolling?
Texas Master Naturalists welcome all helpers ages 18 and over; volunteer every Friday with us 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM. *
Or just visit! Entry is FREE Tuesdays through Saturdays 8:00 AM until 3:30 PM November through May; days changed to Thursdays through Saturdays with the same hours from June through October.
What can you do there? Hike the trails, cruise the auto tour, scan for 250+ bird species, explore wildflowers and big Texas skies. You might not spot an Attwater’s prairie-chicken booming on the lek, but you’ll carry home a bigger piece of what makes the prairie worth saving — and perhaps even the people who refuse to let it fade.
* Volunteer days may be subject to change due to inclement weather or refuge requirements. Many volunteers communicate regularly on Coastal Prairie Chapter’s Slack channel, #team-attwater.
Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge
(979) 205-5862
1206 APC NWR Road
Eagle Lake, TX 77434
Learn More!
- Monthly Chapter Program April 2 | “Living Dinosaurs on the Prairie: The Evolutionary Story of Birds and the Fight to Save the Attwater Prairie-Chicken” with Jaide Cooper
- Boomin’ and Bloomin’ Festival April 11 and 12 | Come enjoy the refuge and witness the lek of the Attwater’s prairie-chicken; bring the family! (event flyer below)
- Acclimation Pen Construction and Rehab Project | Blog by Texas Master Naturalist Gideon Lincecum Chapter
- Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge | USFWS refuge, home of the endangered Attwater prairie-chicken
Guest Author: Jean Stipelcovich
Jean is a collaborative soul who thrives in group settings, which led her to help create a dedicated volunteer team at the Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR (APCNWR). Her core passion lies in relationships, both human and interconnections in nature. She sees them above and below the soil as beautiful models of interdependence worth nurturing and protecting.