The Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Council recently approved $1.4 million dollars in conservation easements to help bring more than 14,300 acres of high value farm and ranch land under long term production.

To receive funding, the land had to include: “threat of development or other conversion of productive working lands, value (cost effectiveness), watershed value, fish and wildlife value, contribution to a conservation landscape and terms of the conservation easement,” according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife (TWPD) news release.

Funding has been approved to the following projects, according to TPWD:

  • West Bay Corridor (Hitchcock Prairie)—3,100 acres in Galveston County near the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge and other conservation properties. This habitat consists of coastal tallgrass prairie, wet prairie, pothole wetlands and tidal wetlands. $500,000. Submitted by Scenic Galveston Inc.
  • Puryear Ranch—425 acres in Travis County along Rocky Creek, a major tributary of Barton Creek and adjacent to the Shield Ranch where 6,700 acres are already protected by conservation easement. This habitat consists of oak-Juniper woodlands and savannahs. $131,850. Project submitted by Hill Country Conservancy.
  • Albritton Ranch—650 acres in Bandera County near Lost Maples State Park and Love Creek Preserve in the Bandera Canyonlands with oak-juniper forest, bigtooth maple stands and numerous springs. The local habitats support golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo. $325,000. Project submitted by The Nature Conservancy.
  • Pietila Ranch—9,992 acres in Culberson County sharing six miles of common boundary with Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The habitat at this ranch consists of high desert grasslands, springs and headwaters for McKittrick Creek. $375,000. Project submitted by The Nature Conservancy.
  • Lazy Bend Ranch—144 acres in Hays County near the 3,950-acre Storm Ranch conservation easement and subject to intense development pressure. This habitat consists of Edwards Plateau savannah and oak-Juniper woodlands, including occupied golden-cheeked warbler habitat. $75,925. Project submitted by Hill Country Conservancy.

There is still $470,000 in funding left for the year, and the deadline to apply in the second round is April 25.

For more information, click here or contact TPWD by email at TexasFarmandRanch@tpwd.texas.gov.