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5 Questions About Lone Star Land Steward Awards
Q&A
5 Questions About LONE STAR LAND STEWARD AWARDS
A Q&A with TIM SIEGMUND
STORY BY LORIE A. WOODWARD
In Texas, 95 percent of the land is privately owned. As a result, the bulk of conservation is achieved by private landowners on their land. Because their voluntary stewardship efforts take place behind their fencelines, their efforts are often unnoticed even though the results of their hard work are critical to all Texans.
To shine a spotlight on landowners who are making a difference, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) launched the Lone Star Land Steward Awards in 1996. Each year, land stewards who are “doing the right things” are nominated by resource professionals, fellow landowners or others who have seen their positive impact on the landscape. The nominated properties are evaluated by a panel of TPWD biologists using a set of criteria that encompasses everything from ecological productivity to public outreach.
The cream of the crop in six ecoregions are recognized as regional Lone Star Land Stewards, while a single statewide winner earns the coveted Leopold Conservation Award. The Leopold Conservation Award, sponsored by the Sand County Foundation, American Farmland Trust and Lee and Ramona Bass, is the highest conservation honor bestowed by TPWD.
The honorees and their accomplishments are celebrated at an annual banquet held each May in Austin.
I sat down with Tim Siegmund, TPWD Private Lands Program Leader, to discuss the program and the power of private conservation in Texas.
What is the overall purpose of the Lone Star Land Stewards Program?
TS: It’s a public way to recognize the people who are out in rural Texas that few see or hear about because they’re busy conserving natural resources and not tooting their own horns. And yet, their efforts benefit their fellow Texans in countless ways ranging from food, fiber and forest products to clean air, fresh water, wildlife habitat and carbon sequestration.
The people we honor are running their properties in sustainable ways that make sense for them and their families and allow them to stay on the land. The latter is something that is very important to us at TPWD because vast tracts of Texas are disappearing under concrete because of development of all kinds.
On top of that, these honorees serve as role models who inspire their fellow landowners and help carry the conservation message to new audiences through their outreach.
Obviously, ecological productivity is an important factor in selecting the winners, but why are outreach efforts equally significant?
TS: It’s no secret that Texas is growing exponentially, which means we have a lot of new Texans. Unlike you and me who have roots four to six generations deep in Lee County, they don’t necessarily have the same sense of place. For me, it’s very easy to associate who I am with where I’m from, but for these newcomers they don’t know what the area they live in used to look like or have a personal tie to an area’s history.
Let’s face it, a suburb looks like a suburb, but rural Texas isn’t the same. Private landowners are not only conserving the natural resources but the culture and history of their communities. They’re touchstones.
Plus, now 88 percent of Texans live in urban/suburban areas, so they might not understand the importance of private lands unless someone tells them. When these landowners do outreach, they’re connecting with people who vote and shape the future of Texas.
What does voluntary conservation on private lands contribute to Texas and why should people care?
TS: To me, realistically, private voluntary conservation keeps the heart of natural Texas in existence. The animals, plants, and geology all together tell a story. For some people, Texas is the oil patch, row crop agriculture, or the vibrant downtowns of big cities, but for me it’s important to see the sights of plant and animal life that made original settlers describe Texas as something akin to the Garden of Eden.
When you see some of these intact, ecologically productive properties that reflect the stewardship of multiple generations and the family’s commitment to staying on the land, it not only gives a glimpse of historic Texas, but drives home the point that stewardship comes with a cost. They could break up their land and put money in the bank, but at what cost to themselves and to Texas?
For instance, raindrops must have a place to fall if they’re going to feed our beloved Hill Country rivers or iconic landmarks such as Barton Springs, Jacob’s Well or the Blue Hole. The demand for rural land is changing the landscape so rapidly that iconic landmarks like our natural springs are beginning to show the impact. In fact, a recent study out of Texas State University noted that the number of dry springs has tripled in the last 50 years. Findings like that make people consider what it means when there is no more.
The Lone Star Land Steward honorees are dedicated to ensuring that iconic pieces of Texas survive—and thrive.
If you had to choose one word to describe the Lone Star Land Steward Awards celebration, what would it be and why?
TS: Inspiring. I’m a professional wildlife biologist and in my line of work, I’m often reminded of the Aldo Leopold quote that points out that an education in natural resource management makes you only notice the wounds on the land—the overgrazing, the erosion, the brush encroachment, the urban sprawl and the rest.
At the banquet, the entire evening is dedicated to celebrating people who are doing just the opposite—they are putting the pieces back together stronger than ever.
Each year, land stewards who are “doing the right things” are nominated by resource professionals, fellow landowners or others who have seen their positive impact on the landscape.
I attend every year and without fail, the stories lift me up, personally, just as they inspire other landowners to make similar decisions and teach members of the public about the value of well-managed natural resources to their quality of life.
What is your definition of stewardship and how do these landowners personify that?
TS: To me, stewardship means that while you may own or control land, you’re not only doing what’s good for you but what’s good for it. I don’t really like the word “preservation,” as that implies not using something and setting it aside. They’re conserving it. Keeping it intact and productive now with the knowledge it will be passed onto the next generation, or even the next owner in some cases, through their wise use today.
While these people are managing the land for their own personal enjoyment or maybe even financial gain, it’s not a commodity to them. The land is a living thing that is part of them. They realize that their choices have an impact in the short-term and the long-term— and they’re doing everything they can to make that impact positive, so that they leave the land better than they found it.
