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land
texas' farms under threat
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Texas’ farms are under threat, with its best land succumbing to development.
The report found that Texas was the most threatened state in the nation due to the loss of agricultural land to poorly planned real estate development. Between 2001 and 2016, 1,373,000 acres of agricultural land were developed or compromised, 555,000 of which were “Nationally Significant,” or land best suited for growing food and crops. The hot spots for development are around Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Odessa and San Antonio. However, the threat is more than just urban sprawl. Texas’ agricultural land is disproportionately threatened by a new, more insidious kind of development discovered by AFT through this research, termed low-density residential, or LDR, land use. Roughly 50% of the land developed or compromised in Texas fell into this category. LDR is insidious because it is not always immediately visible to communities and policy makers and therefore has yet to provoke a policy response. In Texas, LDR is 30 times more likely to be converted to urban and highly developed land use than other agricultural land. |
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texas a&m natural resources institute publishes texas land trends
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From the Press Release:
“The report shows as Texas continues to grow in population and economy, the demand for rural land, especially in areas surrounding major urban centers and transportation corridors, will continue to increase and have long-term impacts on working lands.” “Open spaces in Texas also provide valuable ecosystem services that we rely on for everyday necessities, such as air and water quality, carbon sequestration and wildlife habitat,” he said. “Fragmentation and conversion of working lands disrupts the natural processes of healthy ecosystems, creates an increased financial burden to mitigate impacts and elevates pressures on remaining open spaces to provide these services for growing urban areas.” |
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| texas-land-trends_status-update-and-trends-of-tx-working-lands.pdf |
comal county subdivision development
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Comal County is growing at a rapid pace. These latest maps show the growth and the limited amount of open land to protect our aquifers. That's why it's so important that we protect what is still available. As people move in, our options get quite limited.
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honey creek ranch development meeting minutes
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The proposed Honey Creek Ranch Subdivision will be built at the upper portion of the Honey Creek watershed. Honey Creek runs through the 2,293.7 acre Honey Creek State Natural Area and into the Guadalupe River. Honey Creek normally gets it flow from the Honey Creek Cave and a few small springs. Honey Creek is truly one of the most pristine, clear and pure steams remaining in Texas. That is why it is preserved as the Honey Creek State Natural Area.
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| honey_creek_ranch_report_9-4-19.docx |
saving family lands:
challenges and opportunities for working land in texas
Texas is losing rural land at a faster rate than any other state. With over 1 million acres of working lands having been lost between 1997 and 2012, many landowners are seeking a means to protect their land from a similar fate. This presentation will begin with an overview of current land trends in Texas using data compiled by Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute’s Texas Land Trends Study, and will suggest the use of agricultural conservation easements for facilitating permanent protection of working lands and their associated legacies. Options associated with conservation easements and the processes involved with their development and implementation will be discussed in detail.
protected land of the edwards aquifer
protected land maps
- SIX-COUNTY PROTECTED LAND MAP
| 6_county_protected_land_updated_150.jpg |
- COMAL COUNTY PROTECTED LAND MAP
| comal_county_protected_lands__1_.pdf |
impacts of growth in comal county
| 2017_land_use_comal_county.pdf |
conservation easements
- LAND CONSERVATION MENU: MODEL PROJECTS, OPTIONS & OPPORTUNITIES
| themenu-final-4.2_digital_.pdf |
- WHAT IS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT?
| what_is_a_conservation_easement_–_texas_agricultural_land_trust.pdf |
- AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM (ACEP)
- PROS AND CONS OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
Texas-based attorney, Jim Bradbury, and West Virginia University Law Professor, Jesse Richardson, talk details, pros, and cons of conservation easements. Check it out if you are interested in learning more about CEs and how they work.
| james-bradbury-pllc-conservation-easements-in-texas.pdf |
FARMING ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS
Veterans can get farming assistance covering land, equipment, and training from USDA.
Learn more here.
Learn more here.
WORKSHOPS
CCCA AND HCA HOST "SAVING FAMILY LANDS" WORKSHOP IN COMAL COUNTY
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Spring Branch, Texas — Comal County Conservation Alliance (CCCA) and Hill Country Alliance co-hosted the workshop, "Saving Family Lands: Tools for Landowners in Comal County," on February 15, 2019 at the Anhalt Dance Hall in Spring Branch, Texas.
The one-day workshop, which highlighted financial and conservation tools available to rural landowners in fast-growing Hill Country counties, attracted ninety attendees. The workshop was designed to provide farmers, ranchers, and other landowners with effective tools and resources to help them address issues inherent in passing family land on to future generations.
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Read full article here.
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| Margaret Menicucci Braun & Gresham Attorneys at Law “Conservation Basics & Income and Estate Tax Benefits” |
| Chris Abernathy Texas Parks and Wildlife Department “Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program” |
| Shane Kiefer, CWB Plateau Land & Wildlife Management “Introduction to Wildlife Management Property Tax Valuation” |