Compact with Texans

Overview

A Customer Compact is an agreement made with the customers of an institution to provide services that follow a predetermined set of guiding principles. Simply stated, it defines the standards that customers should expect. The following compact is provided to the many diverse customers of Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Mission

To manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Philosophy

We seek to balance outdoor recreation with conservation as we achieve greater self-sufficiency. On one hand, we must manage and protect our natural and cultural resources. At the same time, we must generate increased revenue by adding value through more and better public services. We affirm that a culturally diverse well-trained staff will best achieve this balance. And we must never forget, not in the haste of business, nor in the pride of science, that the outdoors should above all be a source of joy! Providing outdoor experiences, whereby young minds form values, will be our greatest contribution to the future.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department provides outdoor recreational opportunities by managing and protecting fish and wildlife and their habitat and by acquiring and managing parks, historic sites, wildlife areas, and fish hatcheries. Over the years it has inherited the functions of many state entities created to protect Texas' natural and cultural resources. More information about the history of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department can be found on our About TPWD pages.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has 11 internal divisions: Wildlife, Coastal Fisheries, Inland Fisheries, Law Enforcement, State Parks, Infrastructure, Communications, Legal, Administrative Resources, Human Resources, and Information Technology. Intergovernmental Affairs and Internal Audit and Investigations are administered through the Executive Office. Texas Parks and Wildlife headquarters is located at 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. State parks, wildlife management areas, fish hatcheries, and field offices are located across the state.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is largely user-funded. As a result, the Department works diligently to listen to our customers and adjust our programs and services to meet their needs.

Our Customer Service Philosophy is: 

We affirm that excellent customer service is essential to our mission of managing and conserving natural and cultural resources for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Our goal is to provide highly responsive service to our customers. We will achieve exemplary customer service through:

  • Listening to our internal and external customers, to better understand them and providing opportunities for our customers to submit comments,
  • Courtesy,
  • Personal responsibility,
  • Professionalism,
  • Problem solving,
  • Respect, and
  • Being open, friendly, flexible and caring,
  • Being responsive, and
  • Working to resolve conflicts with different user groups.

Service Standards

In serving you, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department employees will strive to do the following:

  1. Answer your correspondence (including faxes and e-mails) quickly and clearly.
  2. See people as promptly as possible in all our offices.
  3. Provide current information about services on the Internet and at field offices across the state. TPWD's home page is www.tpwd.texas.gov. Frequently asked questions are also available.
  4. Answer telephone calls quickly and helpfully. Our toll free number is 1-800-792-1112. More information on specific TPWD telephone numbers can be found on our About TPWD pages.
  5. Respond to your inquiries typically within 10 working days of receipt.
  6. Do everything reasonably possible to make services available to everyone, including those with disabilities.
  7. Provide information about TPWD sites and programs to Texans statewide.

If you would like to recognize exceptional customer service or have a customer service complaint, please send your written correspondence to:

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Communications Division
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, Texas 78744
Or contact us online.

Please include specific information, including the location, date, time and name of TPWD employee(s) if applicable.

The agency's customer service representative is the Director of Communications 512-389-4994.