The Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge grew by 520 acres this week with the addition of a coveted piece of Hill Country land known as Peaceful Springs.
The parcel, south of Liberty Hill about 45 miles northwest of downtown Austin, features rolling hills, steep limestone canyons, freshwater springs and an open oak savanna. It offers habitat for two endangered songbirds, the golden-cheeked warbler and the black-capped vireo, and lies above part of the Edwards Aquifer, which provides drinking water to residents of Austin and San Antonio.
The Trust for Public Land purchased the property for $3 million from David Castleberry, who operated it as a private nature preserve for more than 20 years, documenting wildlife and managing invasive species that lived there… Read more from MyStatesman.com