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Preserving the future
Texas
Austin city officials are taking a proactive approach to preserving natural resources. The assurance that 755 acres of historic ranch land in Hays County will stay forever undeveloped because of combined federal, city, and private funds has become a reality thanks to two conservation easements.
The city's purchase of the easements was celebrated at an event held on May 6, at the City of Austin's Rutherford Ranch in Hays County.
The City of Austin, through a partnership, has purchased development rights to the property, which will be added to the city's Water Quality Protection Lands program that acquires conservation easements and tracts of lands to protect water and other natural resources. The conservation easement is a result of a unique agreement among the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the City of Austin and Hays County landowners Anne Schweppe Ashmun and Scott and Gini Nester.
The 755 acres, comprised of two conservation easements, adjoin an existing conservation easement of more than 862 acres acquired in November 2003 through a partnership among NRCS, the City of Austin, and Ashmun.
The NRCS Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) matches funds to help purchase development rights to preserve productive farm and ranch land. The NRCS provides up to 50 percent of the fair market value to purchase a permanent conservation easement, partnering with state, tribal, or local government or non-government organizations to acquire the easements.
The ranch is part of the historic Kuykendall 101 Ranch, which dates back to 1890.
"I feel it is important to conserve this part of Texas history," stated Scott Nester, rancher and NRCS FRPP participant. "My family came to this area in the 1840s and I grew up on a ranch. I have seen the movement from an agrarian to an urban society just in my lifetime. I want to keep ranching, but economically, it is hard to keep a ranch going. Through this partnership, we have been able to sell off the development rights and still get to keep the ranch.
"That means my girls can still grow up on a ranch," he added. "And that's very important to me."
When an owner sells a conservation easement to the city through the FRPP program, the land remains in private ownership and continues to be an open space used for farm or ranch land. Ashmun and the Nesters plan to continue ranching on the scenic property, located in the recharge zone of the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer.
This is Ashmun's second FRPP conservation easement. She was Texas' first participant in 2003.
"My heart has always been in ranching and conservation," said Ashmun, who grew up on ranches in south and central Texas. "Through this partnership between the city and NRCS, now I can personally make a difference."
"I would like to add that the NRCS staff has been unbelievably supportive," Ashmun stated. "Not just in the property acquisition, but in technical assistance I need for day-to-day ranch management things like plant identification and pasture management."
Austin City Manager Toby Futrell was on hand to address the crowd gathered at the event.
"This transaction helps preserve Hill Country heritage and legendary Texas ranch land," Futrell said. "This partnership keeps the ranching and natural resource heritage of Texas alive for future generations to enjoy."
Dr. Larry D. Butler, USDA-NRCS State Conservationist, Temple, said, "We are very pleased that Texas is participating in this program. Implementation of the program provides landowners with an option to keep their land in its historic condition rather than yield to the pressure to sell it for development. The program also serves to protect fragile or environmentally sensitive areas which impact water quality or other resources."
Members of the Texas Congressional delegation, members of the Travis and Hays County delegation, state agriculture leaders, NRCS leaders and City officials attended the May 6 event hosted by the City of Austin.
American farming and ranching have made tremendous progress in developing innovative practices that address environmental challenges. Farmers and ranchers maintain a strong commitment to environmental protection. NRCS program information and environmentally conscious practices can be found on the Texas NRCS website at www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov.
Date: 5/26/05
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