New study on climate change impacts on plants could lead to better conservation strategies

July 28, 2021
Ryan Ament
Habitat Conservation Plans, Native Landscapes, News

The loss of plant species that are especially vulnerable to climate change might lead to bigger problems than previous studies have suggested, according to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. If confirmed, the findings can help inform conservation strategies and lead to more accurate predictions about what ecosystems will look like in the future. Read more from Marc Airhart with UT News here.

A Watershed Moment: Restoration of the Sessom Creek Watershed about to get underway

Everyone loves those home makeover shows where a visionary decorator and demolition-loving partner take a quaint old home and turn it into a Better Homes and Gardens cover story. Well, if there was such a show for watersheds, the Sessom Creek watershed in San Marcos would definitely be featured. The only downside to this story is that the “big reveal” won’t take place for about two years or more. “The complete overhaul, so to speak, of the Sessom Creek watershed…

Healthy Creeks Initiative Underway

July 20, 2021
HCAdmin
Land Conservation and Stewardship, Land Stewardship, Native Landscapes, News, Riparian Management, Water Planning, Water Resources

This month, contractors will begin the annual control efforts to manage Arundo along the Pedernales River and several tributary creeks. Arundo, also referred to as Giant Reed or Carrizo Cane, is a non-native, invasive plant that can take over creeks and rivers. Since 2016, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD), Hill Country Alliance (HCA), City of Fredericksburg, and other organizations have partnered with volunteering landowners through the Healthy Creeks Initiative to control Arundo and enhance the creek-side (or riparian)…

The Florida Wildlife Corridor is nearly 18 million acres of natural wonder. The state just took a significant step to keep it alive

July 8, 2021
Ryan Ament
Habitat Conservation Plans, Native Landscapes, News, Wildlife

Wedged between Florida's two coasts are some of the richest ecosystems in the US, teeming with native wildlife that prefers to be hidden from human view. The animals' natural lives for the most part remain a secret to Floridians. To catch glimpses of them in the wild, Carlton Ward Jr. sets a camera trap and bides his time. Read more from Scottie Andrew with CNN here.

Barton Creek Habitat Preserve conservation to continue ‘in perpetuity’ following Austin acquisition

June 10, 2021
HCAdmin
Conservation Easements, Habitat Conservation Plans, Land Conservation and Stewardship, Native Landscapes, News, Public Lands, Wildlife

A 10-0 vote by Austin City Council on June 3 ensured the permanent preservation nearly 4,100 acres of land home to one of the area's unique wildlife habitats and key sources of drinking water. Council via consent June 3 approved the purchase of a conservation easement on the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve, located near Hwy. 71 southeast of Bee Cave, from longtime owners and stewards The Nature Conservancy for up to $2.8 million. The Barton Creek preserve now represents one…

New Braunfels one step closer to hike-and-bike trail

June 10, 2021
HCAdmin
Community, Habitat Conservation Plans, Land Conservation and Stewardship, Land Stewardship, Native Landscapes, News, Planning and Development, Public Lands, Scenic Beauty

New Braunfels is one step closer to a new hike-and-bike trail. On May 20, the New Braunfels Economic Development Board approved a $375,000 deal with San Antonio-based engineering firm Bain Medina Bain to finalize design on a portion of the Dry Comal Creek Hike and Bike Trail. According to the Herald-Zeitung, the deal includes "civil, survey, environmental, wayfinding, materials testing and landscape architecture" for the new trail. Dry Comal Creek Hike and Bike Trail is part of the of the Dry…

Pretty and powerful: six wildflowers that benefit Texas ecosystems

June 10, 2021
HCAdmin
Land Conservation and Stewardship, Land Stewardship, Native Landscapes, News, Scenic Beauty, Wildlife

April showers bring May flowers, which may be the better part of spring for Texans-a charismatic display to distract us from the inevitable heat ahead. Alas, they are more than their displays: with over 2,500 species, native Texas wildflowers provide critical habitats for an array of pollinators, help protect the soil from erosion and create the best views for lone star road trips. Their beauty is showcased along winding highways, sprinkled through the piney woods, blanketed throughout the hill country…

San Pedro Ranch receives Texas Leopold Conservation Award

May 27, 2021
HCAdmin
Conservation Easements, Habitat Conservation Plans, Land Conservation and Stewardship, Land Stewardship, Native Landscapes, News

San Pedro Ranch, located near Carrizo Springs, will be awarded the state’s highest honor for private land conservation, and a $10,000 award, at the Lone Star Steward Virtual Awards Banquet on May 27. Anyone can join the livestreamed banquet and can find more information on how to tune in, along with information on other award winners, on the Lone Star Land Steward page of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) website. The ranch is owned by siblings Joseph Fitzsimons…

Expanding opportunities for natural resource conservation in Texas

Texas is home to a variety of unique, productive, and biologically thriving landscapes from the Piney Woods in the east to the arid mountain vistas in the west. Each year, these lands are the root of hundreds of thousands of jobs that help generate billions of dollars in revenue to the state economy. Our land resources also provide a wealth and variety of ecological services, including wildlife habitat, flood mitigation, carbon sequestration, and clean water. The same landscapes that so…

Hays County POSAC seeking new project submissions

The Hays County Parks and Open Space Advisory Commission (POSAC), which was created in 2020 and recently restarted, is seeking additional project submissions that would be funded by Proposition A, a Parks & Open Space Bond, approved by voters in the November General Election. Prior to the passing of the bond, POSAC members announced a call for projects which resulted in an initial set of 15 recommended projects to the Hays County Commissioners Court. “The role of POSAC was to establish…