Blake Murden serves as senior advisor for the Shield Land Stewardship Group, where he provides strategic guidance and counsel on the administration and conservation management of the Shield–Ayres legacy ranches, encompassing more than 37,000 acres across Central and West Texas. In this role, he also manages special projects and supports the Shield Ranch Foundation’s mission and initiatives.
Blake brings more than 35 years of experience in the management, research, and monitoring of land, water, and wildlife resources on private lands in Texas, Washington, Oregon, and New Zealand. Prior to his current role, he served nearly a decade as CEO of Shield Land Stewardship Group. Before joining the organization in 2016, Blake was director of Wildlife and Fisheries for Port Blakely, where he led natural resource management efforts across forestlands in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
Blake serves as board president of the Texas Land Conservancy and sits on the board of the Texas Wildlife Association and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Conservation Advisory Committee. He has been an active member of The Wildlife Society for more than 35 years, holding numerous volunteer and leadership roles at both the state and national levels.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from Tarleton State University and his master’s degree and doctorate in wildlife and fisheries sciences from Texas A&M University. Blake and his wife, April, live in Dripping Springs, Texas, and have two grown children, McKenzi and Marshall. In his free time, he enjoys being outdoors, hunting, fishing, and spending time with family and friends.
