The Houston Toad: Bastrop County Is a Core Stronghold

The Houston toad has been federally listed as endangered since 1970. Parts of Bastrop and Burleson counties, not all of Bastrop County, have designated critical habitat. The toad uses sandy, wooded uplands and shallow breeding ponds.

The law protects the toad itself. Its critical-habitat map has a different role. Critical-habitat designation chiefly affects federal actions and projects with federal permits or funding. It is not a blanket ban on private development. Protections against harming the toad can still apply on private land.

Could the toad live on your land? Before clearing it, ask TPWD or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about your plans. TPWD's voluntary Safe Harbor program offers defined assurances to enrolled owners who meet their agreement. It is not automatic legal protection for any work. Bastrop County also has the Lost Pines Habitat Conservation Plan.