Headshot portrait of Billy Tarrant standing outdoors.

Billy Tarrant

Interim Director
Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water

Associate Director of Stewardship Services
Borderlands Research Institute

Billy Tarrant serves as Interim Director of the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water, bringing decades of experience in conservation leadership, land stewardship, and collaborative problem-solving across West Texas and beyond. He also serves as Associate Director of Stewardship Services at the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross State University, where he manages the Center for Land Stewardship and Stakeholder Engagement.

At BRI, Tarrant works directly with landowners, energy developers, community members, and conservation partners to provide technical resources and support informed decision-making across working landscapes. His approach emphasizes transparency, trust-building, and collaboration—principles that now guide the development of the Meadows Research Institute.

Tarrant earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Wildlife Science from New Mexico State University. Early in his career, he worked with the Arizona Game and Fish Department before joining the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in 1996. Over more than two decades with TPWD, he served in a variety of leadership roles, including District Wildlife Biologist and, later, Regional Director overseeing wildlife operations across the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions.

Throughout his career, Tarrant has played key roles in advancing large-scale, collaborative conservation efforts. These include his leadership with the Trans-Pecos Pronghorn Working Group, his involvement in the formation of the Texas Playa Conservation Initiative, and his management of local outreach and coordination for the Respect Big Bend Initiative. In each case, his work focused on aligning diverse interests around shared conservation goals.

As Interim Director of the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water, Tarrant is guiding the Institute’s early growth with a focus on regional relevance, applied science, and strong partnerships—ensuring the Institute remains rooted in the needs of the people and landscapes it serves.