TPWD updates commissioners on land-and-water plan, staffing, accessibility and Richland Creek wetland work

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Executive Director David J. Jaskowitz updated the Parks and Wildlife Commission on May 21 about implementation steps tied to the department’s land-and-water conservation work, staff development and recent habitat projects at Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area.

Jaskowitz told commissioners the department’s Office of Internal Affairs provided instruction to the 2025 State Park Police Officer Accelerated Academy covering complaint and investigative processes, Garrity warnings, use-of-force reporting and the differences between administrative and criminal investigations. He said IA staff met with law-enforcement, legal and human-resources leaders for a quarterly use-of-force review and that staff attended advanced internal-affairs training provided by the Public Safety Internal Affairs Institute.

The executive director announced a promotion in wildlife enforcement, identifying Lieutenant Miles Borsicki as the department’s new lieutenant for wildlife enforcement. Jaskowitz said Borsicki graduated from the 60th Texas Game Warden Academy and has served in multiple South Texas counties, is an instructor in firearms and tactical medical training, has been a drone-instructor since 2019 and will lead parts of the drone program.

Jaskowitz also described TPWD’s accessibility marketing initiative and the launch of a new TPWD accessibility website that will track access upgrades, provide a process for reasonable modification requests and offer an access-and-inclusion solutions program. He said the initiative included outreach to disability communities and received a marketing award from the Texas Recreation and Parks Society.

On habitat work, Jaskowitz reviewed two completed wetland enhancement projects on the Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area. Working with Ducks Unlimited and private funders through the Texas Water Action Collaborative, TPWD installed new water-control infrastructure that created a 111-acre Wildcat Marsh and expanded an adjacent North Unit by 238 wetland acres. Jaskowitz said the Wildcat Marsh will filter and hold roughly 54,000,000 gallons of water annually before it flows into the Trinity River; the North Unit expansion will provide roughly 232,000,000 gallons of volumetric water benefits annually while providing wetland wildlife habitat. He named corporate and foundation partners who supported the projects, including Ducks Unlimited, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Meta, Coca‑Cola Southwest Beverages and the Amon G. Carter Foundation.

Commissioners asked about the accessibility equipment pilot and were told TPWD continues to add mobility equipment across parks, including beaches and trail facilities, and that the department treats accessibility as a high priority. Vice Chairman Bell and other commissioners praised recent academy demonstrations and field visits to TPWD facilities and research sites.

No formal vote was required on the update. Jaskowitz concluded by offering to take questions from the commission.