For four decades, Texas rancher and physician Paul Burns worked to restore land that had been part of his family's history since the 19th century. What began as a severely degraded ranch in Brown County, Texas, gradually recovered through brush removal, native-grass reseeding, protection of springs and changes in grazing practices. In 2023, 2,178 acres of the historic Colonel Burns Ranch were acquired by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and became the Paul and Toni Fox Burns Wildlife Management Area. The property had been appraised at close to $10 million, and Burns agreed to a bargain sale while donating 25% of the appraised value to help provide the required conservation funding match.
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