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Public Lands

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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More Than Twice The Size Of Texas

More than twice the size of Texas

To slow extinctions and climate change, President-elect Joe Biden has embraced a plan to conserve 30 percent of U.S. land and 30 percent of its ocean waters by 2030. It is perhaps the most ambitious commitment to conservation by a U.S. president. How he proceeds will determine whether he unites or further divides Americans in a pivotal decade for the planet. The plan is known as “30 by 30.” Behind the catchy phrase is a simple, scientifically informed belief that…

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Nation’s Largest Land Bridge For People And Wildlife Opens In San Antonio

Nation’s largest land bridge for people and wildlife opens in San Antonio

A very special public (and animal!) works project is now open in the Alamo City. Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge, the United States' largest wildlife crossing, opened in Northwest San Antonio on December 11. At 1 pm on Friday, officials lifted construction barriers on the new land bridge, which connects two previously divided halves of the 330-acre Phil Hardberger Park. Read more from Katie Friel with Austin Culture Map here. 

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Kyle Council Hears Presentation On Downtown Park Impovement

Kyle Council hears presentation on downtown park impovement

The Kyle City Council received a presentation regarding improvements to Mary Kyle Hartson City Square Park during their regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 1. The landscape design was presented by Aan Coleman, founder of Coleman & Associates, and includes amenities such as improved ADA access, a 20-foot-wide paver promenade, expanded seating areas, picnic table areas, a low-profile kid corral and an educational raingarden. Read more from Anita Miller with Hays Free Press News-Dispatch here.

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The Year Barton Springs Was Almost Destroyed

The year Barton Springs was almost destroyed

It was the Indigenous tribes that first realized Barton Springs’ sacredness. The Great Spirit, they believed, cast a rainbow of prismatic light above the creek’s holy water. These days, the springs remain one of the city’s most cherished spots. And yet, it was nearly dashed away in 1990, when a land developer set out to build one of the most aggressive urban planning endeavors in Austin history. Read more from Rosie Ninesling with Austin Monthly here.

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Voters Approve Hays County Parks Bond

Voters approve Hays County Parks Bond

The polls are closed, and the preliminary results are in. The Hays County Parks Bond, Proposition A, was approved on Tuesday, Nov. 3, by 69.54% of voters. Over 71,000 people voted for the proposition, which aims to provide funding for the creation of new parks, the protection of open spaces, and the perseveration of natural areas within Hays County. Read more from San Marcos Corridor News here.

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2020 Election Recap: Florida County Overwhelmingly Supports Granting Legal Rights To Rivers

2020 Election recap: Florida county overwhelmingly supports granting legal rights to rivers

Residents of Orange County, Florida, voted overwhelmingly in favor of changing the county charter to give legal protection to rivers. The result was one of a handful across the country in which voters endorsed new protections for waterways or property taxes that will fund water projects. Voters in Utah and Wyoming also approved constitutional amendments that fix technical matters related to municipal water supply and water infrastructure spending. Read more from Brett Walton with Circle of Blue here.

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The Power Of The Outdoors: Embracing Cultura Y Familia With Latino Outdoors Leaders Josie Gutierrez And Bianca Guevara

The power of the outdoors: Embracing cultura y familia with Latino Outdoors leaders Josie Gutierrez and Bianca Guevara

A conversation with Josie Gutierrez and Bianca Guevara will make you believe anything is possible—especially when the following are in play: 1) a passion for the outdoors, 2) a love of community, and 3) the hard work of dedicated volunteers. Both Gutierrez and Guevara are leaders in Latino Outdoors (LO) Texas, an organization that inspires, connects, and engages Latino communities in the outdoors and envisions a world where all Latino communities enjoy nature as a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place.…

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As Concrete Sprawls, Fort Worth Plans To Spend Millions To Save Land From Development

As concrete sprawls, Fort Worth plans to spend millions to save land from development

The land development boom in North Texas has shown no signs of slowing down, even with the significant economic challenges posed by COVID-19. That’s why Fort Worth officials are moving forward with plans to identify and potentially acquire natural areas for preservation before developers buy up the land for housing and retail projects. “We want to really protect these key areas for our future generations, since once it’s gone, you can’t get it back,” said Jennifer Dyke, a city stormwater…

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Opinion: Vote For Hays Proposition A, Reap Benefits For Generations To Come

Opinion: Vote for Hays Proposition A, reap benefits for generations to come

Despite the intense attention races at the top of the ballot have received—and despite the massive voter turnout those races are driving—some of the most important decisions can be found at the bottom of the Hays County ballot. This year, Proposition A seeks to issue $75 million in bonds over the next 10 years to support local parks and green spaces. Proposition A can only benefit the people—and the plants and animals—that call Hays County home. Read more from Toni…

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