Texas Darcy Kiefel
Spring 2008 Volume 8 No 1 Texas State Office 816 Congress Avenue, Suite 1550 Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 478-4644 Houston-Galveston Office 1113 Vine Street, Suite 115 Houston, Texas 77002 (713) 226-7200 North Texas Office P.O. Box 223928 Dallas, Texas 75222 (214) 741-3600 San Antonio Office 922 Isom Road, Suite 100 San Antonio, Texas 78216 (210) 340-4715 Nan McRaven: Texas State Director Julie Brown: Development Director Niels Brown: Project Manager, North Texas Christianne Cecil: Administrative Assistant Meg Naumann: Associate Regional Development Director, Texas Gail O’Connor: Project Manager, Central Texas James Sharp: Public Affairs and Programs Manager Linda Shead: Program Director, Houston/Galveston Dianne Stroman: Project Manager, North Texas Holli Swick: Program Associate, Houston/Galveston Laura Sykes: Project Manager, Houston/Galveston
The Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come.
Saving special places for Texans is George Bristol’s business. George worked closely with The Trust for Public Land in the effort to raise nearly $10 million to conserve 400 acres of natural land at Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth in 2007. These nature-loving explorers, pictured above, are some of the first to experience the future public park’s quiet, flowing meadow.
Saving Our Parks How George Bristol Became a Conservation Hero for Texas
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Around a campfire and among fellow explorers, Cornelius Hedges conceived a new idea: conserving land for people. Rather than capitalize on the plentiful resources they discovered at Yellowstone, these men favored setting aside in perpetuity the magnificent Yellowstone lands for all to enjoy. On that night in 1870, the national parks movement began to take root, and in 1872 Yellowstone became America’s first national park. Our national park system today is comprised of 391 special places that inspired generations of pioneers and define our heritage—treasures admired and emulated the world over. Indeed, the concept of publicly owned, publicly accessible lands is one of America’s
best ideas. To George Bristol, the idea is truly America’s most original. Like our national parks and natural areas, our state and local parks systems provide invaluable resources. Parks reflect our community—who we are, where we came from, what we aspire to be. As more Texans move to urban places, new parks and public natural areas must balance urban development. But the land conservation movement does not stop at new parks. Thanks largely to George’s efforts, today there is more focus in Texas on the benefits of parks and the need to fund them on a sustainable basis to keep them attractive and attracting. For the last three legislative sessions, George Bristol and supporting (continued on page 9)
message from the director T
he land conservation movement has found Texas. Yes, I know we’ve been in Texas for more than 25 years, along with over 40 local and national land trust organizations, and have accomplished a great many things. The Trust for Public Land has conserved well over 31,000 acres of land from bottomland forest in Dallas to inner-city parkland in Houston. What’s different? Our President Will Rogers and our national programs team are working with major foundations, corporations, and donors on big signature projects, a statewide greenprinting analysis, and increased state and federal funding for land conservation. During his recent visit to Houston, best-selling author, advocate, and friend of TPL Richard Louv recognized the great potential for Texans to secure a rich culture of conservation for future generations! We have done a great deal for Texas communities, but in many respects, we’re just warming up. I believe today that we think of Texas in two ways: one is mythical and iconic, infinite land and wide-open spaces for all; the other, a state where more than 80 percent of us live in a city. Texas is a great place to do business and our economy is thriving. Texas urban areas are among the fastest growing in the country and development is out-pacing efforts to conserve open lands for public use. As our state continues to grow, we must protect and preserve our natural infrastructure for all to use. Communities are responding to the growing demands for open space. We continue to successfully pass local bond issues to meet the needs of these growing urban areas. More than ever, Texans are voting to support parks and land conservation. The results of the last November election were impressive. In Texas, local spending measures for parks and conservation succeeded in Harris County, Cedar Park, Collin County, and Seabrook. These results will generate more than $68 million in land conservation funding and continues Texas’ nearly unblemished record of approving conservation ballot measures. At the state level, the Texas Coalition for Conservation’s George Bristol led the effort to pass Proposition 4, which passed by 57.84%, and made available $52 million for state parks and historical sites. George was the recipient of the first Texas TPL Land & People Award, and we are pleased to feature him in our newsletter. The Trust for Public Land and our donors are investing in Texas communities. We now have offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio and are working in new places—communities along the coast and in east and west Texas. And, we are using TPL’s national resources to strengthen our programs in Texas: > TPL’s Center for City Parks Excellence, led by Peter Harnik, is providing national expertise to guide commu-
nities on their best options for paying for new parks and greenspace and sharing our knowledge about parks development and research; > The Conservation Campaign, a separate 501(c)4, is supporting public funding opportunities to pay for land conservation, such as bond measures; > Greenprint.org, a new concept headed by Kathy Blaha, is creating a statewide web-based greenprint which can be used by state agencies, communities, and local and state government; and > Our Federal Affairs staff, managed by Alan Front, has pushed hard for increased federal funding for
Texas projects. We are excited to be part of a national organization that recognizes the growing needs of our state and that is willing to invest time, resources, and expertise to help us ensure that our iconic image is one that is shared by all Texans. Warm regards,
Nan McRaven Texas State Director
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Project Highlights Southeast Texas Brays Bayou, TX The Trust for Public Land has completed a series of conservation acquisitions for the Houston Parks Board to establish a new park with a linear hike-and-bike trail along Brays Bayou in the East End area. The future park is an important greenway between Mason Park, a 108-acre park that is heavily used by the surrounding residential neighborhood, and the Houston Ship Channel. TPL’s acquisitions for the Brays Bayou greenway are located within the historic Harrisburg neighborhood. Formerly a town in its own right, Harrisburg served Texas briefly as the state capital, and was the community from which Houston was established. Today, the area is a mix of ageing residential, commercial, and industrial structures and has been underserved by parks for decades. The Harris County Flood Control District had acquired two dozen tracts along this initial stretch as part of its federally funded Vision Brays Project to reduce flood damages along Brays from Buffalo Bayou all the way to Addicks Reservoir. The Trust for Public Land partnered with the Houston Parks Board to acquire ten adjacent properties totaling about 12 acres along the bayou. Funding for these acquisitions comes from a combination of federal Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program funds and funding from the Houston Endowment, a local charitable foundation. U.S. Congressman Gene Green, who serves the 29th Congressional District of Texas and secured the federal funding for this conservation effort, said, “I am pleased to support these incredible efforts to preserve Brays Bayou as a historical and recreational resource for all Houstonians.” In October, Houston Mayor Bill White announced the completion of the Brays Greenway’s land acquisition phase. “Adding to Houston’s park space is a priority, making our available space work together increases the
benefit,” Mayor White says. “Partnerships among the City, County, Parks Board, and others are one of the best ways we have to make that happen.”
Darcy Kiefel
“Houston’s bayous have the potential to become beautiful welcoming greenways that wind through our neighborhoods,” says Tom Bacon, chairman of the Houston Parks Board. The Brays Bayou flood control and park project will capitalize on the natural features of the bayou and help further the realization of Houston’s original master plan for parks, which called for parks connected by and along bayous across the city. It would remain green and natural. Protection of this property will also continue to reduce flood damage by keeping the land as open space to help control and capture run-off during storms.
A future hike and bike trail along Brays Bayou will provide Houston’s park poor East End residents a direct route to parks and other places to play.
Growing the San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge In May 2007, The Trust for Public Land donated 50 acres to the San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge in Brazoria. Funding for the project came from the private fundraising efforts of the Houston Audubon Society.
Japhet Creek’s Future Greenway In March 2007, The Trust for Public Land transferred a small but important piece of land to the Buffalo Bayou Partnership. This acquisition protects a little less than one acre of property, but it makes a tremendous impact on a neighborhood in transition. This acquisition will be the second in an effort to establish a greenway along Japhet Creek—the first “green finger” along Buffalo Bayou. Funding for this transaction and those to follow are a combination of NOAA’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program funds, funding from the Houston Endowment, and by the Buffalo Bayou Partnership. (continued on page 4)
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Project Highlights (continued from page 3)
Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, brought nearly 800 people together in Houston last fall.
Pete Baatz
Richard Louv Brings Last Child in the Woods to Houston
West Galveston Island’s Greenprint for Growth
The Trust for Public Land and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department hosted Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder,” on October 2, 2007. Nearly 800 people attended to hear Mr. Louv’s perspective on nature and childhood development. Peter Harnik, Director of TPL’s Center for City Park Excellence, opened the program. Mr. Louv was introduced by Mayor Bill White.
The West Galveston Island’s Greenprinting for Growth analysis was completed fall 2007. The results of the year-long process to define a community vision for future growth and local natural resource protection for the island’s rapidly growing West End underscored the need for future land conservation efforts that increase focus on protecting critical natural areas, mitigating coastal hazards, and working with developers and landowners to preserve the island’s local character and water quality. The process identified 6,835 acres of the existing natural areas with high conservation values in the West End, but only about one-fourth of that land has been protected.
“Houston is a place with plenty of opportunity to expose our children to the wonders of nature. Richard Louv has spent his life reminding us of how important it is to do that,” said Mayor White. The event was also sponsored in part by the Junior Anglers & Hunters of America, along with a number of local organizations and businesses: Bayou Preservation Association; Buffalo Bayou Partnership; Center for Houston’s Future; Conservation Capital; Environment Associates, Architects & Consultants; Galveston Bay Foundation; Houston Arboretum & Nature Center; Houston Audubon Society; Houston Wilderness; Katy Prairie Conservancy; Memorial Park Conservancy; The Park People; Trees For Houston; and White Oak Bayou Association.
“Greenprinting for Growth is intended to be an equitable, balanced analysis of community stakeholders’ land conservation priorities, blending community values with scientific analysis to identify opportunities with the greatest public support,” says Linda Shead, Program Director for the Trust for Public Land. “It identifies land that meets most or all of the conservation priorities, allowing governments to leverage limited land acquisition dollars to meet multiple conservation priorities.” Over the last year, neighborhood representatives, members of the business community, local government staff, and conservation advocates have worked together to identify the community’s shared values for West Galveston Island. The community stakeholder group identified and prioritized the following reasons to plan for balanced growth and development: to protect wildlife habitat, to improve public access for outdoor recreation, to protect our endangered shoreline, to better manage drainage and flooding, and to preserve the island’s local character. An action plan to implement the Greenprinting for Growth recommendations has been presented to the city. (continued on page 5)
L to R: Peter Harnik, director for TPL’s Center for City Park Excellence; Mayor Bill White, City of Houston; and Richard Louv.
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Project Highlights
Darcy Kiefel
(continued from page 4)
North Texas Eagle Mountain Lake Park Saved!
Central Texas News Colorado River Partnership
In March 2007, The Trust for Public Land completed a fundraising effort to conserve nearly 400 acres of rolling, oak-dotted prairie on Eagle Mountain Lake in Tarrant County. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department had owned the land for more than 25 years for a planned state park. But years of tightening budgets left plans for the park in limbo. Conservationists became concerned that the property would be sold off and developed.
The Colorado River is a life-giving artery flowing through Central Texas, connecting the greater Austin and Bastrop communities and connecting residents with the natural world. For years, the river has been under intense pressure from development both in Central Texas and downstream all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. In conjunction with a number of stakeholders, it is The Trust for Public Land’s vision to promote economic and recreational use of the river corridor that supports its long-term ecological health and allows equitable access.
Instead, TPL raised funds from the Tarrant Regional Water District, Tarrant County, TXU, the AT&T Foundation, the City of Fort Worth, the Bass and Amon G. Carter foundations, Chesapeake Energy, and other private donors to purchase the land for a regional park. The park, owned and managed by the water district, will offer picnicking, hiking, birding, and canoeing.
Parking lots to parks The future of Dallas’ Pacific Plaza is green. The Trust for Public Land has transferred most of the surface parking lot comprising the future downtown greenspace to the City of Dallas. Pacific Plaza is one example of the many conservation efforts in progress through TPL’s partnership with the City.
Greenprinting North Texas In partnership with Vision North Texas, a coalition led by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Urban Land Institute, and University of Texas at Arlington, TPL is helping to plan a land conservation and park creation vision for the region. One tool in this is greenprinting, a Geographic Information System that creates a model to identify, prioritize, communicate, and track critical lands for protection, along with a comprehensive database of key open spaces and natural resources. Thanks to funding from the Harold Simmons Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency, the first phase of the greenprinting process wrapped in fall 2007. The next two phases of the process should be completed within 12 months. Ultimately, we envision a greenprint database for North Texas available to local communities, nonprofits, and development interests.
The Austin-Bastrop River Corridor Partnership is a coalition of agencies, organizations, and individuals formed in 2003, which seeks to increase public awareness of the values, issues, and concerns along this stretch of the Colorado River. The Trust for Public Land is taking the lead on implementing this vision plan for the 87-mile river corridor from Austin through Bastrop County. TPL plans to continue to raise public awareness and focus its land conservation resources on the Colorado River corridor and its tributary creeks. “The Trust for Public Land is developing a major new local program aimed at protecting substantial portions of this river corridor over the next ten years,” says Nan McRaven. “Many of the communities along the corridor are traditionally underserved in terms of parks access and recreational opportunities. By working through this integrated vision, TPL hopes to assist these communities to address land conservation and ecological protection issues.” In 2006, TPL conducted a greenprinting analysis for Travis County to help local governments make informed strategic decisions for parks and open space acquisition. As confirmed in the Travis County greenprint, the greenway along the river corridor provides (continued on page 8)
The future Eagle Mountain Lake Park.
Darcy Kiefel
The Trust for Public Land is focusing on conserving significant areas along the Austin to Bastrop Colorado River Corridor and establishing new public access points.
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A Day on the Land —The Gift of Place By George Bristol
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“A Day on the Land” is a series of narratives by guest writers describing special lands—places in Texas that have been protected for people to enjoy through the work of the Trust for Public Land.
o honor the request of The Trust for Public Land, I will confine my thoughts about the relationship of people to public lands. But the gift of place can be found on a porch at sunrise or set, as nature awakens or prepares to rest. There, a bounty of sensual satisfaction to fill one’s memory bank awaits. That is the essence of the gift: a special place to go to in body or spirit. The problem is, as we’ve become more urbanized, we have greatly diminished the prospects for such idyllic settings. That is why the great American experience of shared places for renewal must remain at the top of our agenda. The more we crowd into one another, the harder we must strive to assure adequate public spaces. We must give priority to places with access to the greatest number. For the gift of place to be relevant, it must be within reach. The Trust for Public Land reinvigorated this commitment with their work to save the urban-area state park: Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth. Undeveloped, the 400-acre tract was slated for auction.
George Bristol, pictured enjoying his favorite place: outside.
Again, a natural gift of public place would have vanished without viable alternatives. Through state leadership, coupled with local determination, an arrangement was fashioned by TPL that not only saved that area for local park use, but through private/public fundraising partnership raised $9.6 million to purchase the land, thus giving Texas funding for a larger tract—5,000 acres—within that essential zone of accessibility. Instead of none, there will be two places within the metropolitan area available for Texans and visitors. By this act of generosity, through the persistence of TPL, there is a little more of the original face of the land set aside in Texas’ gifts of place. Properly cared for over the years, how much better we will be as a society and as individuals. But as important as the Eagle Mountain Lake transaction is, it is far from enough for a state that will double in population by 2050. As we strive to provide good housing and jobs for all Texans, so too must we provide places where our children and grandchildren can go to for group activities and family outings, as well as venues where they can connect to the true meaning of the sounds and sightings of God’s natural blessings. Hopefully, they will come to realize that the gift of place requires stewardship for the future.
Jim Bristol
I have several special places which have given me the gift. But I have found that by simply going out to any number of places affords me solace. Even as I began to think about this essay, I walked through Trinity Park in Fort Worth, listening not only to the calling of birds, but also the happy chatter of children gathering around picnic tables for birthday parties and family. But there were also those watching the antics of squirrels with the intensity of new discovery. Gift enough. >
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The Trust for Public Land gratefully acknowledges its supporters in Texas This list recognizes supporters of The Trust for Public Land in Texas with gifts made between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. $100,000 and above AT&T Foundation Amon G. Carter Foundation Bass Foundation Houston Endowment Inc. $25,0000—$99,999 Trammell S. Crow ExxonMobil Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Harris L. Kempner, Jr. The Meadows Foundation Samsung Austin Semiconductor L.P. $10,000—$24,999 3M Company Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Applied Materials Mr. Bill Cryer Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Epstein Mr. and Mrs. Ronald J. Gafford Tom and Peggy Grace Beverly and Balie Griffith Terese T. Hershey Houston Parks Board Mr. and Mrs. C. Hastings Johnson Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund KerrMcGee The Powell Foundation $5,000—$9,999 Anonymous Harry S. and Isabel C. Cameron Foundation Earth Share of Texas Mr. Gary Farmer Beverly and Balie Griffith Ms. April L. Hatfield Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation Mr. H. Russell Pitman Roy W. and Ellen S. Quillin Foundation $1,000—$4,999 Anonymous Anonymous Ms. Bonnie Bain Dr. William Bauta Mr. Sinclair Black Ms. Nancy Bowman Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Brown Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Douglas Byars Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC Mr. Michael Cude Mr. Eric W. DeJernett Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Duncan ExxonMobil Frost Bank Charitable Foundation Fulbright & Jaworski LLP Ms. Susan C. Gentz Mr. and Mrs. William J. Gillilan, III The Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation Dick and Doris Hickner John Hirschi Fund of the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Steve Hixon Junior Anglers & Hunters of America Inc Mr. Rostam Kavoussi Wendy and Mavis P. Kelsey, Jr. Fund
Mr. and Mrs. David Knudsen Lake / Flato Architects, Inc. Robert H. & Anita Lawe Foundation Mr. George P. Mitchell Jerry and Winkie Mohn Bonnie New Family Fund Alice Anne O’Donell, M.D. Dr. William Pugh & Dr. Patricia Troncoso Mr. and Mrs. Temple G. Ratcliffe Ms. Gay Rogers Mr. and Mrs. James W. Root, Jr. Ms. Linda Shead and Dr. Tom Douglas Simons Family Foundation Ms. Charlotte H. Stafford Mr. Eric Stumberg Mr. Greg Stevinson Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation Ms. Irene H. Waters Richard W. Weekley Family Fund Ms. Evelyn Jo Wilson Mr. F. Karl Zavitkovsky $500—$999 Bury + Partners Mr. David Edward Gochman Green Hotels Association Herman Family Fund of the Greater Houston Community Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Alan Kailer Ms. Barbara C. Kyse Mr. Joseph Thomas Lapp Ms. Ann Lents and Mr. J. David Heaney Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Johnson Mr. Terry Long Ms. Linda W. Petersen Ms. Jacqueline C. Russell Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Shanley Ms. Carrol D. Simon Mr. and Mrs. Shelton Smith Ms. Charlotte Stafford Texas Recreation & Park Society Mr. Paul Westbrook $100—$499 Mr. H. Carroll Alexander Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Applebaum Mr. Nicolas Arnao Ms. Ann Arnold John and Gloria Augelli Mr. and Mrs. Milton F. Babbitt Ms. Mary Bacon Mr. Kerry L. Balch Ms. Carol C. Ballard Mr. Gregory W. Bartha Bayou Preservation Association Mr. and Mrs. Philip Beekman Mr. and Mrs. Scott E. Beeler Mr. David Bench Ms. Marian Blake Buffalo Bayou Partnership Mr. Charles Burke Mr. and Mrs. Merwin J. Camp Mr. Nathan Cedars Ms. Claire Chamberlain Mr. and Mrs. Tony Chamness Mr. and Mrs. Rene J. Champagne, Jr.
Ms. Nancy Charbeneau Ms. Victoria Chung-Ping Chen Mr. W. M. Clayton Conservation Capital LLC Mr. R. G. Converse Ms. Ann Costello Mr. Lora Cousins Mr. Bill Cox Mr. David L. Davidson Eugenia B. Davis, Ph.D Mrs. Helen Dengler Ms. Mary Gabriella Di Giacomo Ms. Lee Dixon Mr. Glenn P. Donnahoe Dr. John Edlin Mr. Jay Edwards Ms. Susan M. Edwards Mr. Ramsay M. Elder Mr. Smith L. Elder Environment Associates, Inc Thomas and Linda Ewing Dr. and Mrs. Philip Fischer Mr. Frank Fuller Galveston Bay Foundation Mr. John Gilbert Ms. Eliza H. Gilkyson Mrs. Charlotte Gilman Mr. Tom Godwin Ms. Katherine S. Greene Ms. Susan Brittingham Gregg Mr. Pete A. Gunter Mr. and Mrs. David W. Habenicht Mr. Guy L. Hagstette Mr. Bryan M. Hale Ms. Mary T. Hall Mr. Hall S. Hammond Ms. Mary K. Hannigan Mr. Erik J. Harris David and Patricia Graham Harrop Ms. Deborah S. Hartsfield Mr. Sam Hodges Mr. Richard B. Hopper Houston Arboretum Nature Center Houston Audubon Society Houston Wilderness Mr. Bill R. Hubbard, Jr. Ms. Vicki Huff and Mr. Eric Boerwinkle Mr. Dallas G. Ives Mr. Jay L. Jackson Ms. Patricia Jackson Mr. Allen T. Jacoby Mr. James J. Jeffries Mr. and Mrs. Fred R. Jones Ms. Joann Karges Katy Prairie Conservancy Mr. Alan Kautz Mr. and Mrs. Douglas L. Keene Ralph and Dorothy Kelley Mr. Jim Kitchell Mr. Kirk Klinkerman Mr. Billy Klock Mr. David Knowles Mr. Roger Kramer Mr. Tom Krueger Mr. William A. Kumpf Mr. Kenneth Kunze The Lifshutz Foundation
Ms. Amber Logsdon Mr. and Mrs. Richard MacKeen Mr. Mark Mahaffey Mr. Brandt C. Mannchen Ms. Karen Mason Mr. and Mrs. Francis B. May Charlie and Sara McCabe Ms. Jean McClintic Mr. and Mrs. Robert McCulloch The Honorable Katherine McIntyre Mr. Robin Mckeever Mr. and Mrs. James C. McMillan Ms. Mimi McMillen Memorial Park Conservancy, Inc. Ms. Judi Messina Mr. Brant O. Miller Ms. Janet Gayle Miller Mr. Kirk Miller Mr. Martin Milliken Ms. Tara Mize Mr. Michael Moeller Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Morgan Jerry and Ann Lee Morrisey Dr. George Murphy Nature Heritage Society Lyle and Patricia Nordstrom Mr. E. Edward Okpa, II Mr. Jesse H. Oppenheimer The Park People Ms. Barbara Pearson Ms. Emilee Peters Ms. Madrienne A. Petitjean Ms. Elizabeth Bradshaw Pittman Ms. Leslie Pool Mr. Robert Prejean Mr. and Mrs. Daniel M. Price Dr. David C. Queller and Dr. Joan E. Strassman Mr. and Mrs. Bradley I. Raffle Mr. Kirby T. Rapstein Ms. Tiffany Rasco Ms. Pam Reed Blair and Denise Richter Mr. John T. Riecker John W. Rogers and Suzanne Labarthe Mr. Scott Rubenstein Mr. and Mrs. William Russell Mr. and Mrs. Patrick B. Ryan Ms. Ann Heard Sakhaee Mr. David Savage Mr. Jay D. Schaffer Ms. Jane Scroggs Mr. Paul Searl Ms. Julie Sears Mr. Michael Seay Ms. Laverne Sensiba Sierra Club—Lone Star Chapter Mrs. Robert Slagle Mr. David L. Smith Mr. and Mrs. John Treanor Smith M. K. Smith Mr. Bryan S. Spencer Mr. Pat Y. Spillman, Jr. Ms. Evelyn R. Spletter Mr. John Stacy
Dr. Joan Strassman and Dr. David Quellar Mr. Charles Tapley Ms. Martha Tarpley Texas Riparian Association Mr. and Mrs. H. Grant Thomas, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Peter Thompson Ms. Larkin Tom and Mr. Leonard VanGendt Trees For Houston Ms. Ann Trentin Ms. Diane Turner Mr. Robert W. Tyner Mr. James Vaughan Dr. and Mrs. G. Hulse Wagner Mrs. Gretchen Walker Mr. and Mrs. David Wallace Mr. and Mrs. Roger Wallace Joan H. Wanamaker Mr. Osamu Watanabe Donna and Scott Weaver Robert and Patricia R. Weirich Mr. Richard Wharton Ms. Donna Wheeler Ms. Anita White Mr. Richard Wilcox Mr. Bennett J. Woll Ms. Amber York Mr. J.D. Zimmermann, Jr. Partners and Supporters The Trust for Public Land works with many individual, nonprofit, and public agency partners to accomplish our land conservation mission. In addition to our individual, institutional, and corporate donors, The Trust for Public Land also thanks each of the following individuals and organizations for their support and partnership of our land for people mission in 2007. Armand Bayou Watershed Partnership Marty Baker Chambers County City of Austin City of Dallas City of Galveston City of Houston City of Fort Worth City of San Antonio Envision Central Texas Margo Farnsworth Friends of Galveston Island State Park Galveston Bay Estuary Program Galveston Convention & Visitors Bureau Galveston Country Club Galveston County Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council Galveston Park Board of Trustees Harris County Flood Control District Harris County Precinct Two Harris County Precinct Four Houston Audubon Society Houston-Galveston Area Council Houston Parks & Recreation Department Houston Parks Board
Jeri Kinnear Lower Colorado River Authority Nissa Maddox Jerry Mohn Moody Gardens National Fish & Wildlife Foundation National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Natural Resources Conservation Service Kathryn Nichols North Central Texas Council of Governments Dianna Puccetti Ana Puszkin-Chevlin San Luis Resort Greg Stevinson Jessica Sullivan Tarrant County Tarrant Regional Water District Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Texas General Land Office Texas Parks & Wildlife Department U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Vision North Texas
The Trust for Public Land’s Advisory Council Members in Texas
Sinclair Black—Austin Paul Bury—Austin Sam Byars—Austin Jerry Converse—Austin Chris Cooper—Dallas Tim Costello—Austin Bill Cryer—Austin Mike Cude—San Antonio Edgar Duncan—San Antonio Larry Eisenberg—Austin Gary Farmer—Austin Lois G. Finkelman—Dallas Sonny Flores—Houston Frank Fuller—Austin Ronald Gafford—Dallas Beverly & Balie Griffith—Austin Robert Harris—San Antonio Larry Heimer—San Antonio Terry Hershey—Houston Deirdre Hisler—San Antonio Karen Hixon—San Antonio Megan Kromer—San Antonio Paul Lehner—Dallas Michal Anne Lord–Jonestown Mr. Brent Luck—Austin Dennis B. Martinez—San Antonio Mr. Charlie McCabe—Austin Mary Meek McNelis—San Antonio William Merrell—Galveston Mr. Terry Mitchell—Austin Bonnie New—Houston Mr. Andy Sansom—San Marcos Mr. Doug Schmidt—Austin Mary Van Kerrebrook—Houston F. Karl Zavitkovsky—Dallas
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unmatched potential to satisfy fast-growing needs for accessibility, equity, recreation, and water protection.
Christianne Cecil
“Discovering the Colorado—A Vision for the Austin-Bastrop River Corridor” includes complete issue and vision statements, the specific action recommendations, and essays on various aspects of the river corridor, including the ecology, history, current land use, economic, education, and conservation activities. The report can be accessed online: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/downloads/coloradofinallowres2.pdf
Parking Day 2007 On September 21, forty cities across America gained more than one hundred new downtown parks, if only for a few hours.
The Austin Green Art Guild organized an innovative Park(ing) Day installation last September by replicating the vibe of Enchanted Rock State Park.
Darcy Kiefel
On National Park(ing) Day, metered public parking spots nationwide became public parks. The Trust for Public Land sponsored National Park(ing) Day in 2007, a concept created by San Francisco art collective Rebar (www.rebargroup.org). In 2005, Rebar created its first “PARK(ing)” project by transforming a metered parking spot into a temporary public park, briefly expanding the public realm and improving the quality of urban human habitat (at least until the meter ran out). “By turning parking spaces into instant parks, National Park(ing) Day is a creative way to demonstrate the real need to create more parks in our cities,” says Will Rogers, TPL president. “Across America, cities are renewing their investments in parks because our civic leaders have come to recognize that close-to-home parks, gardens, and playgrounds are essential if we are to have cities that aren’t just livable, but lovable.” Austinites organized by Austin Green Art, a project created to produce public art programs based on environmental themes, designed and created a Park(ing) Day park replicating a nearby natural treasure— Enchanted Rock State Park.
The Trust for Public Land’s continued effort to grow the Barton Creek Wilderness Park not only expands the recreational value of this natural gem, it helps protect the water quality of the Barton Creek.
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Photos from this year’s event are available online at www.tpl.org/parkingday.
More land for Balcones Canyonlands Last June, The Trust for Public Land conveyed 263 acres of conservation easement to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. This designated 41,000-acre wildlife refuge provides critical habitat for the endangered black-capped vireo and golden-cheeked warbler. Due to the explosive growth in this area, much of the property within the refuge boundaries is being purchased and developed into residential subdivisions. Funding for this project came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund through the efforts of U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and the Texas congressional delegation.
Expanding the Barton Creek Wilderness Park In April 2007, The Trust for Public Land donated just over 44 acres to the City of Austin. The property was incorporated into the existing Barton Creek Wilderness Park. The land was deeded to TPL several years ago as a gift. Thanks to the individuals and corporations that have supported TPL’s work in Central Texas in the last year, TPL was able to donate the land outright to the City. TPL has been a longtime partner to the City in the effort to conserve sensitive watershed lands over Barton Springs. Between 1993 and 1996, over four separate acquisitions, TPL assembled almost 1,000 acres of the most environmentally sensitive land to establish the nationally known wilderness park. >
Saving our Parks (continued from page 1)
organizations, such as TPL, have cast muchneeded light on the subject. The 80th Legislative Session gave parks supporters much to celebrate since the session concluded on May 31, 2007. As a result of bills passed at the end of the session, the state parks system saw its annual operating budget effectively doubled for the next two years. And House Bill 12, which removed the longtime funding cap imposed on revenue generated from the state sporting goods sales tax to be used for parks maintenance and operations, was approved on the last day of the session.
Connecting With Place One summer in the early 1960s, George, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, took off for a few months to work at Glacier National Park. “That was my great outdoor experience. More important, it was a defining experience.” Spurred by his devotion to the special places and the people of his home state, George has worked for decades to preserve the outdoor experience for future generations of Texans. At the conclusion of his tenure with the National Parks Foundation board of directors in 2000, “the best non-paying job I ever had,”
George made a commitment to advocating a well-funded Texas state parks system. Looking to champion state parks, he decided to focus on solving Texas parks’ biggest problem. “I went to see Andy Sansom, the former executive director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,” he says. “Andy told me the greatest need for Texas parks was money, so I founded the Texas Coalition for Conservation with David Gochman, Morton Meyerson, and others to try to resolve these issues. Darcy Kiefel
“As popular and essential as parks are, they never had a real spokesperson for funding. The constituency was too broad and too diverse.”
Texas Coalition for Conservation In 2001, the new Texas Coalition for Conservation [TCC] began work in earnest to build a coalition among the diverse groups, while at the same time weaving the common thread of economic benefit derived from a well-funded park system. The mechanism was there: the state’s sporting goods tax, but it had been capped at $32 million, even though it was generating close to $100 million by 2001. “But 2001 was not the year, although we did pass Proposition 8, nor was 2003. We couldn’t have picked a worse period,” George recalls. “September 11, 2001, brought every(continued on page 10)
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Saving our Parks (continued from page 9)
thing to a halt for months, and in 2003, the state was confronted with a $10 billion deficit, a real donnybrook. “Nonetheless, we did pick up support and interest around the state and in the media, mainly through ‘The Economic Contributions of Texas State Parks’ that TCC commissioned through Texas A&M University. Those surveys of 80 parks laid the solid basis that parks were not only good for the spirit and the body, but also are good for the pocketbook, particularly to local communities and merchants. Local chambers and the press came to recognize that their park was an essential part of their community and economic well-being.” In 2005, Representative Harvey Hilderbran, with the support of Speaker Tom Craddick, sponsored HB1292, which, if passed, would have lifted the cap from $32 million to over $80 million and would have restored park funding to adequate levels. “HB1292 was locked and loaded to pass the house, but the legislature got into a financial meltdown over school financing, which stymied the legislature and knocked out over 200 bills, including HB1292.” Nevada Wier
Then, in the summer of 2005, real trouble with the state parks system came to light. The potential sale of the Big Bend Ranch State Park property created a public storm. It also pointed out how little money Texas Parks and Wildlife had. By 2006, state parks ran out of money, laid off staff, and partially shut down a few parks. These unfortunate milestones opened the eyes of many Texans and bolstered public support to increase state parks funding. “We had a perverse lucky break. With all the work we had done prior, media across the state had so much background on the parks funding issue, and the major papers were already writing about this, everyone came to recognize the crisis. Our parks were crumbling.” In 2006, Chairman Joseph Fitzsimons of the Parks and Wildlife Commission appointed a state parks advisory committee to review and recommend state and local parks funding needs. The committee identified at least $85 million in essential spending needs and recommended that the cap on sporting goods tax revenue be eliminated in order to provide that funding. That recommendation not only was unanimously approved by the committee, but also by the Texas Parks and Wildlife commissioners who sent it to the legislature in the department’s 2007 budget request. George says, “So going into the 80th Legislative Session in 2007, we knew we were going in with a lot of support, and we eventually got it through, but not without a lot of heartburn, tie-ups, earmarking, and other issues. We had to fight for it right to the end.” Walt Dabney, former Texas Parks and Wildlife director of state parks, commented on George’s role in the 80th session. “What a champion of the state parks system. Bristol never quit. He didn’t do it for himself, he did it for the people of Texas.”
So, now what? “So we got $180 million for the next two years, but we’ll have to press for this level of funding all over again in 2009,” George says. (continued on page 11) Government Canyon State Natural Area, San Antonio
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Saving our Parks (continued from page 10)
James Sharp
“Conservation is a never-ending battle, like schools or other important societal matters— you have to have people who keep positioning parks and land conservation funding. It’s not that legislators want to kill parks. They’ve just got so many things to deal with. You have to position parks and keep it in front of them.” According to George, one of the most challenging aspects of advocating our parks is getting people excited about the nitty-gritty. “I have found that many people, including legislators, are more interested in concept and policy than funding the day-to-day maintenance and operations necessary for our parks systems: facilities, campgrounds, fencing, roads. These facilities have got to be there and be in good condition so people have a good park experience. If not, people will leave and never come back. They will go to other states to enjoy better state parks.” With so many recreational options competing for visitors, public parks have to change with the marketplace as the public’s tastes change. “If you want to compete with other attractions, you have to know what your market is. I’m hopeful for the future, now that we’ve set the predicate, I don’t think they can go back. Hopefully they’ll go forward and think about some of the bigger issues that have to be addressed to ensure that the state of parks in Texas never gets as dire as has been the case.” It’s an economic issue, a health and recreational issue, certainly. But our parks systems are also vital to our civic well being, the places that bring people together. “People really do need to get out to connect and remain civil. That is the most important part of America’s best idea. Parks, natural and cultural, are where people, particularly the young, learn firsthand about the bounty of God’s work and mankind’s history. In doing so, it creates a sense of place, a sense of community, and a sense of belonging. Tied together, it is inevitable that our citizens will want to help conserve our last best places.” >
Left to right: Andy Sansom, Executive Director pf the River Systems Institute at Texas State University; TPL Texas State Director Nan McRaven; and George.
The Trust for Public Land Honors George Bristol In summer 2007, The Trust for Public Land celebrated George Bristol’s work for Texas parks with the first annual Texas Land & People Award. The Texas Land & People Award will be given to individuals and organizations that demonstrate extraordinary commitment to conserving our natural lands, enhancing local or state parks systems, and protecting the natural assets that define our unique communities. “We spoke to parks leaders and conservation organizations across the state, asking for nominations for our first annual award,” says Nan McRaven. “All of them said, ‘George, George, George’.” George L. Bristol is the founder and president/executive director of the Texas Coalition for Conservation. Mr. Bristol has more than 37 years experience in business and politics as a successful businessman, political organizer, fundraiser, and lobbyist for a range of conservation-related organizations. His experience includes a six-year appointment to the National Parks Foundation board of directors by President Bill Clinton and Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt. He was named to the Texas Conservation Foundation by Governor Mark White in 1984 and chaired the foundation until 1988. He presently serves on the board of directors of the Glacier National Park Fund and is vice-chairman of the Texas State Parks advisory committee. He is on the board of Audubon Texas, serving as its chairman in 2006–2007. George Bristol is also an award-winning photographer and poet.
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Message from the Director > page 2 Project Highlights > page 3 Day on the Land— The Gift of Place, by George Bristol > page 6 Our Supporters > page 7
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