Ricky Linex retired in 2021 as a wildlife biologist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service and works as a range and wildlife consultant. With NRCS, Linex worked 51 counties in north central Texas covering the Rolling Plains, Cross Timbers, Blackland Prairie, and Post Oak Savannah vegetational regions. He worked 38.5 years with NRCS in Goldthwaite, Snyder, Abilene and Weatherford. He is the author of the Texas plant identification book, Range Plants of North Central Texas, A Land Users Guide to Their Identification, Value and Management. Range Plants was recognized in 2015 as an outstanding publication by the Texas Chapter-The Wildlife Society, the Native Plant Society of Texas, and the Texas Section-Society for Range Management.