Region IV
Goliad County, TX
TEXAS FARM HONORED FOR OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Raised in Corpus Christi, David Crow started his career with his family’s trucking and concrete business, but his passion for the cattle industry drove him to pursue ranching. The first-generation cattle producer bought his first cattle in 1978 and purchased the 4,200-acre Parks Ranch in 2000. David and his son, Matt, have a strong history of managing coastal prairie consistently implementing conservation management techniques including winter and summer prescribed burns, brush management, and rotational grazing plans. These techniques have resulted in a greater density and diversity of native grasses and forbs, which in turn support a greater diversity of native wildlife, including white-tailed deer and bobwhite quail. The Crows continue to conduct quail and deer surveys as a tool to measure the success of their efforts, maintain healthy populations, inform their habitat management practices, and achieve their goals of maintaining a healthy coastal prairie that supports a diverse array of species.
“We’re not just about the cattle,” said David Crow of Parks Ranch. “It’s about the biodiversity of the land, and we’re mindful of it.”