Toad in Trouble

When one considers an “endangered species,” what are they likely to picture in their head? A fluffy and fierce polar bear? A mysterious and exotic tiger? What about the Houston toad, a playful and unique-looking amphibian, who’s been endangered since 1970? Probably not the last. While many people assume that amphibians don’t provide any uses to humans directly, their impact and involvement in the flora and fauna kingdoms affect a broader community of dwellers living on Earth. While amphibians might not seem like our biggest priority right now, humans need to consider the long-term effects of living without the Houston toad.

 

Air is essential for life on Earth. Humans take clean air for granted because there is no cost to having access to it. Little do they know that little creatures such as the Houston toad make it so that there is air available for us. These toads help circulate elements and macronutrients through the soil, water, and atmosphere to benefit all forms of life (Conrad, 2009). When the soil is rich in nutrients, trees such as the live oak can grow stronger and bigger. Trees are necessary for putting out oxygen and taking in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They also provide habitats and wood for fuel and timber. Everybody, whether they believe in it or not, has heard of climate change and one factor in speeding up climate change is the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. If we want to continue living on a planet with trees that allow us to live, we need to realize that amphibians like the Houston toad ensure trees’ survival.

 

The Houston toad is very high maintenance because it requires specific nesting grounds and habitat, and seems to have trouble surviving without the physical labor of humans. At the same time, humans are the ones degrading the toad’s habitat. In order to save the Houston toad, we would need to stop converting their habitats to our own uses and, instead, work to restore the forests. If the forests are not managed, the trees can become too densely grown; flammable debris can accumulate; and cattle, pollutants, and vehicles can cause negative impacts to the habitats (TPWD, 2017). Depending on the practice, forest management can cost anywhere from prescribed burning at $35/acre to mulching at $500/acre in Texas. To plant loblolly pine seedlings, which the Houston toad depends on in their environment, it would cost $65 per 1000 (Texas A&M Forest Service, 2013). In the 124,000 acres of Lost Pines, a known habitat for the Houston toad, it would cost $4.3 million to completely burn off any accumulated dead brush and debris (known to start forest fires) and prevent any disastrous fires (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2016). While this may seem like a significant amount of money, consider the forest fire that occurred in Bastrop State Park and surrounding pine forests (including Lost Pines) in 2011. This 32,000-acre fire not only destroyed a large amount of Houston toad habitat but also burned down over 1,600 homes and took the lives of two people.

 

To this day, the park is still recovering, but by donating $1, the park will plant one tree (Texas Parks & Wildlife, 2011). Anyone is capable of helping the cause, and physical labor isn’t even required! For only one dollar, you can help bring back the Houston toad population and help upkeep their habitat. For only one dollar, you can make sure your grandchildren live on a planet that has breathable air and plenty of healthy, nutrient-loving trees.