Welcome to the Texas Parks & Wildlife
Resource Information System (RIS)

To achieve this mission, TPWD collects data on the terrestrial and aquatic resources of the state through the efforts of field staff in the Wildlife, Coastal Fisheries and Inland Fisheries divisions. In part, implementation of the TPWD mission is provided using a suite of geospatial applications which serves base map, terrestrial and aquatic resource data to our internal and external customers. These geospatial applications comprise the Resource Information System (RIS).

The RIS is funded through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) State Wildlife Grants (SWG) Program. To comply with the goals of these funds, TPWD developed the Texas Wildlife Action Plan, listing one of the major goals as “developing an integrated GIS database of fish, wildlife and water data to ensure decisions are based on sound science and the best available data.” To meet this goal, the GIS Lab's RIS team performs following tasks:

• Creation of web and desktop based applications to facilitate resource management efforts throughout the agency;
• Creation of a platform allowing uniform methods of querying and displaying data in GIS-based applications;
• Providing access to statewide base datasets through the use of geospatial technologies throughout the agency;
• Ensuring high quality spatial data is available with optimal connectivity and appropriate security;
• Enabling standardization in the display of spatial information;
• Ensuring all database layers include metadata compliant with Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and Texas Geographic Information Council (TGIC) standards.