2023 Private Lands Conservation Champion

Gary Costlow

Mr. Gary Costlow is the latest in well-deserving LMVJV Private Landowner Conservation Champions. With ownership and/or management on 2,265 acres in northern Anderson County, TX, he fully embodies the title of Conservation Champion, with a never-ending passion and love of the land, and making his land and efforts a prototype for wildlife habitat management and ecological function.

Mr. Costlow was instrumental in forming the Brushy Creek Wildlife Management Coop consisting of over 10,000 contiguous acres of potential habitat. The group shares likeminded habitat management goals specifically in restoring the Eastern Turkey to its historic range in East Texas. He spearheaded the group and helps coordinate trainings, group events, and assists them on their properties with prescribed burning. In 2017, through Costlow’s leadership, the Co-op was able to work with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to get several wild-caught Eastern Turkey’s released onto the Co-op’s property. This population of turkey has maintained and resulted in documented recruitment. He continuous to manage his property and assists the group in continuing their habitat management efforts. He annually conducts prescribed burns in small blocks to promote habitat diversity and successional stage management, conducts timber thinning, patch gap openings, and promotes native and annual food sources for wildlife.

In 2019, Mr. Costlow worked with TPWD’s PUB program to convert a Bermuda grass pasture to a mixed native grass and forb stand to benefit not only the turkeys, but grassland birds, and other wildlife species. In 2021, he worked with Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to build a cross fence to facilitate a rotational grazing strategy for his managed cattle operation, allowing him to provide an adaptive grazing management strategy that enhances and creates wildlife habitat. Through his successful management he has increased plant diversity and structure in his grazing lands.

His other management efforts included the construction of a small wetland adjacent to Brushy Creek to enhance habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds in the area. Most recently he has begun working with NRCS by adopting heavy timber thinning practices with planned increased burn return intervals to replicate historical climax plant communities as per the open pine model. The timber thinning will bring a much more diverse understory for all wildlife species and enhance the effects of Gary’s continued prescribed burning efforts.

Mr. Gary Costlow will be a lifelong steward and advocate for sound conservation and ecological health. He is an early adopter, and his sphere of influence extends to the community and beyond. He hosts field days for other producers, silviculture professionals, and government agencies to teach what he has learned and to stir up new ideas. His efforts were recognized as his leadership and coop were selected in 2021 with the Lonestar Land Stewardship award. Mr. Costlow is a true Conservation Champion!