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State Profile

The Lone Star State is a vast, beautiful land of enormous contrasts: rugged mountains, stark deserts, the endless horizons of the Great Plains, thick pine forests, the sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast, and the historic rivers that tell the story of Texas' colorful history—the Sabine, the Trinity, the Red, the Colorado, the Nueces, the Brazos, the Rio Grande, and the Pecos.

Residents and visitors can enjoy many of our state's natural treasures. Two national parks, Guadalupe and Big Bend, showcase the unmatched sights and solitude of west Texas’ wide-open spaces. In east Texas, slow-moving creeks and longleaf pine woods grace the Angelina, Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, and Sabine national forests. The Caddo-LBJ National Grassland is home to diverse wildlife, including deer, bobcats, waterfowl, and numerous songbird species. At Padre Island National Seashore, five of the world’s seven species of nesting sea turtles are found.

Texas, unfortunately, has environmental problems that match its size. Air quality in the major cities is frequently unhealthy. Many of our rivers and coastal waters have been degraded by pollution. Growth is putting pressure on water resources such as the famed Edwards Aquifer.

Working together, we can conserve Texas' diverse natural heritage for the pleasure and benefit of future generations.

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