REGIONAL PRIORITIES FOR CONSERVATION OF RARE SPECIES IN TEXAS

The Trans-Pecos region of western Texas and the Edwards Plateau of cen tral Texas contain the highest density of rare plants and animals in t he state. The Desert Scrub sub-region of the Trans-Pecos is most impor tant for rare plants, whereas the Edwards Plateau has the highest dens ity of rare animals. Other regions with a high density of rare species include the Blackland Prairie of east central Texas, the southeastern Gulf Coastal Prairies and Woods, and the South Texas Brush Country. T he High Plains of northern Texas and sub-regions within and adjacent t o the Grand Prairie of north central Texas (the Grand Prairie, the Eas tern and Western Cross Timbers, and the Lampasas Cut Plain) have low d ensities of rare plants and animals. The eastern and southern portion of the Edwards Plateau is known as the Texas Hill Country, and this ar ea appears most deserving of conservation attention from a regional pe rspective, since it contains few public lands and is important for bot h plants and animals, Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) dominated forest and woodland cover types of the Hill Country region have more rare pla nt and animal occurrence records than associated grasslands or more op en woodlands. The importance of this evergreen and mixed evergreen/dec iduous habitat type to the conservation of rare species is especially significant considering that much of the published scientific literatu re on J. ashei has been focused on its removal as an undesirable woody plant.