ABOUT TOWMA

As the name implies, TOWMA is an organization that brings together wildlife management associations throughout Texas to achieve common goals and objectives.  We exist for several reasons, including:

• There is strength in numbers.  While individual wildlife associations may consist of hundreds of landowners, TOWMA, by bringing them all together, represents thousands.  Consequently, TOWMA is more likely to be listened to when addressing issues at the state and national level that affect land owners, land owner’s rights, and wildlife in Texas.
• 
  TOWMA has representation on important committees that provide guidance to legislators who pass laws affecting wildlife and land use practices.  TOWA also monitors legislation and other state wide issues affecting landowners and communicates that information to its membership.  We do not lobby, but instead act as an informational resource and the voice of our member landowners.
• 
  Facilitating the formation on new wildlife management associations.  TOWMA provides the guidance, information and resources needed when landowners start a new management association.
• 
  Sharing “Best Practices” information among TOWMA members related to running a wildlife management association.  Dozens of challenges face the officers and boards of wildlife associations as they manage and grow their organizations. Recognizing that older TOWMA members have already found answers to most issues, TOWMA provides a vehicle for sharing information and re-usable templates to help organizations avoid “re-inventing the wheel” time after time.
• 
  TOWMA provides educational opportunities to its members and the public.  Every other year a two day Symposium is held that brings together some of the best wildlife professionals in the United States.  Additional learning resources are contained in our member newsletters and this website.  TOWMA also provides, in a password protected area of this web site, educational resources to management association officers and directors that they can use in local association newsletters, meetings and field days.  TOWMA maintains a speaker roster for associations seeking expert speakers on a variety of subjects.

The TOWMA organizational structure includes one voting representative from every member association.  This assures TOWMA hears from and considers the positions of all its membership in forming policy.

In addition to three officers, President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer, TOWMA utilizes an Advisory Committee normally consisting of approximately ten members. These committee members represent a variety of backgrounds and as volunteers they perform a variety of tasks for TOWMA. Every president of a TOWMA member organization, or their designated alternate, is a TOWMA voting board member and is encouraged to attend all TOWMA board meetings and vote on issues before the board.

Not all TOWMA members have to be wildlife associations.  Organizations whose functions complement TOWMA are considered for membership.  One example is the Coastal Bend Prescribed Burn Association, which provides fire training and promotes prescribed fire in 12 counties of South Texas.  Memberships of this type are beneficial to both organizations since they expand membership, share resources and act as partners in enhancing habitat and wildlife in Texas.