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Conservation Easements

An Audacious And Timely Conservation Challenge

An audacious and timely conservation challenge

We should all applaud President Biden's executive order calling for conservation of 30% of the U.S. land base by 2030. This bold "30x30" vision is firmly rooted in science, given that protected land is key to a healthy and secure future for all Americans. It provides pure drinking water, healthy food, clean air, habitat for wildlife, and places for people to reflect, recreate, hunt and fish. Conserved land also provides protection from natural disasters, such as floods and droughts, and…

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Biden Should Use Private Partnerships To Save US Lands

Biden should use private partnerships to save US lands

Conserving land is an essential element of any effort to battle climate change, a fact highlighted by the 30x30 plan supported by President Biden. Fulfilling a campaign pledge, one of Biden’s first actions as president was to sign an executive order that established the goal of conserving a third of America’s land and ocean waters by 2030. Meeting that goal will not be easy, but it can be achieved if we harness both private and government resources and ensure more Americans can participate…

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Hays Trinity Groundwater – Water-Wise Speaker Series

Hays Trinity Groundwater – Water-Wise Speaker Series

The Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District has announced its 2021 Water-Wise Speaker Series. Subject matter experts will discuss a variety of water topics important to Hays County residents.  Hays County is listed by the US Census Bureau as the second fastest growing county in the United States. Great schools, good housing, proximity to growing business opportunities, and a beautiful landscape are all drivers for our growth.  Its most precious resource is water. The Trinity Aquifer deep below has a limited…

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2020 Successes In The Hill Country

2020 successes in the Hill Country

There is nothing more exciting than wrapping up a great conservation project, and Texas Land Conservancy finalized three of them in the Hill Country during 2020. Silencio, Danner, and Baradhi ranches make up 1,743 acres of beautiful and diverse habitats. Each one plays an important role in protecting water quality and quantity, plants and animals who call it home, and scenic open space for the benefit of all Texans.   I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. Donating a conservation easement is one of the greatest contributions to land preservation that…

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Financial, Ecological Benefits Of Conservation Easements On Working Lands

Financial, ecological benefits of conservation easements on working lands

A recent report by the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Texas Water Resources Institute and Texas Land Trust Council shows state-funded conservation easements in Texas provide numerous financial and ecological benefits. The purpose of the 2020 Evaluation Report was to examine the benefits of conservation easements established on privately-owned lands under the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program, TFRLCP, a state-funded program that purchases development rights from willing and interested landowners. Read more from Texas Water Resources Institute here.

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Great Springs Project Proposes A Network Of Trails From Austin To San Antonio

Great Springs Project proposes a network of trails from Austin to San Antonio

Can one of the fastest-developing regions in the country prioritize conservation? That's the hope of the ambitious Great Springs Project, which has inched a little closer to realizing its goal of a national parklike trail connecting two of Texas' most populous cities. On Dec. 8, the National Park Service selected the Great Springs Project to receive backing in the form of "community planning and technical assistance" for their endeavor to build a network of multiuse trails from Austin to San…

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Opinion: Charity, Not Profiteering

Opinion: Charity, Not Profiteering

The Texas landscape is changing, and not always for the better. Increasing population and expanding development are destroying native habitat, reducing access to clean and plentiful water, and threatening agricultural production. Between 1997 and 2017, over 2.2 million acres of Texas natural land were lost. In light of this trend, many landowners across Texas recognize the importance of protecting the lands under their care. They are reaching out to land trusts such as Texas Land Conservancy and using conservation easements…

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Laurels Ranch

Laurels Ranch

David K. Langford loves the Texas Hill Country land that his family has cherished for five generations. His passion for the land has informed his career as a professional photographer, and he has been a tireless advocate for working lands conservation and private property rights his entire adult life. He was among a small group of private landowners who got their heads together in the 1980s to form the Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) to raise the profile of private land…

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Hill Country Conservancy Is Now Accepting Pre-applications For Financing Of Stewardship Projects Through The Hill Country Headwaters Conservation Initiative

Hill Country Conservancy is now accepting pre-applications for financing of stewardship projects through the Hill Country Headwaters Conservation Initiative

The Hill Country Headwaters Conservation Initiative (HCHCI), a program of Hill Country Conservancy, the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network and 18 partner organizations, is now accepting pre-applications from landowners located within specified critical river basins, for stewardship projects aimed at enhancing soil cover, water quality, and native biodiversity. The Hill Country Headwaters Conservation Initiative is accepting pre-applications now through October 30, 2020. To be considered for financial assistance, landowners must take this first step in the application process by the…

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Manager Of The SA River Authority To Step Down, Lead The Nature Conservancy In Texas

Manager of the SA River Authority to step down, lead The Nature Conservancy in Texas

Suzanne Scott, the longtime general manager of the San Antonio River Authority, is planning to step down at the end of October to take over as the The Nature Conservancy’s state director in Texas, according to news releases. Scott worked for the river authority for more than two decades, of which 13 years she spent running the agency as general manager, according to a news release from the agency. Read more from Marina Starleaf Riker with San Antonio Express-News here.

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