TWRA Tells House Committee It Manages 1.6 Million Acres, Seeks Funding Solutions
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Summary
Jason Maxon, executive director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, presented to the House Agriculture Committee on WMA management, habitat practices and funding strains, noting TWRA manages roughly 1.6 million acres (about 550,000 state-owned) and that license revenues have stagnated, prompting the agency to pursue dedicated funding bills.
Jason Maxon, executive director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee that TWRA manages roughly 1,600,000 acres of public land, of which about 550,000 acres are state-owned, and operates nearly 130 wildlife management areas and partner properties across Tennessee.
"Our mission is to conserve, manage, and protect fish and wildlife in their habitats for the benefit of Tennesseeans and its visitors," Maxon said, opening the agency's presentation. He described a habitat-based strategic plan, tools such as prescribed fire, disking and timber thinning, and how managers use rotational schedules to treat tens of thousands of acres each year.
Maxon described funding pressures. He said the Wildlife and Forestry Division has an annual operating budget of about $36,000,000 and that revenue from timber sales can reach roughly $1,000,000 in a strong year. He explained the agency leverages federal Pittman-Robertson excise-tax dollars and partner contributions — citing a $45,500 contribution from the National Wild Turkey Federation to a North Cumberland early-successional habitat project — to multiply the agency's footprint.
Committee members asked about several operational matters: quota hunts and overcrowding on WMAs, timber management and stump retention, soil and water sampling tied to herbicide use, and whether TWRA has been involved in immigration enforcement. Maxon said TWRA has no current role in immigration enforcement, described earlier limited assistance in Memphis at a U.S. Marshals request, and emphasized that the agency "doesn't intend to sell any state lands under its jurisdiction." He also told lawmakers that two bills seeking dedicated funding for TWRA are pending and asked for legislative support.
Maxon closed by inviting members to Sportsman's Day on the Hill on March 11 and said the agency would distribute a longer documentary and additional materials to staff. Lawmakers thanked TWRA for the presentation and raised follow-up questions about long-term funding and public safety on waterways.
The committee had time for questions and then returned to regular business and adjourned later that day.
