Devils River: TPW Commission To Meet Dec. 20 in Austin

[SHANEA]

Below is a news release issued by TPWD this afternoon. We know you are very interested in this topic and will continue to update you with any new developments.

All updates will be posted to the TPWD website at the following link:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/news_roundup/devils_river_land_acquisition/

Thank you.

Lydia Salda?a
Communications Director
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Rd.
Austin, TX 78744
512-389-4557 (ofc)
512-217-9479 (cel)

Media Contact: Tom Harvey, 512-389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us

Dec. 6, 2010
TPW Commission To Meet Dec. 20 in Austin
Devils River, TFFC Land Acquisitions on Special Meeting Agenda

AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will hold a special meeting Dec. 20 at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Austin headquarters to consider two land acquisitions, one on the Devils River in Val Verde County and another near the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.

TPWD is now proposing to acquire the 17,638-acre Devils River Ranch in Val Verde County and manage it as part of the existing Devils River State Natural Area. Previously, the agency had proposed exchanging the natural area as partial payment for the ranch about 13 miles downriver.

The agency will host a local constituent briefing in Del Rio to explain the new Devils River proposal. Anyone is welcome to attend that meeting, which will take place from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Del Rio Civic Center, Kennedy Room, 1915 Veterans Blvd.

The Devils River Ranch owner has agreed to sell the ranch to TPWD for $13 million, significantly below the $15,875,000 fair market value calculated earlier this year by a certified appraiser. To fund the purchase, TPWD would use $2.7 million in state funds allocated for park land acquisition. This would be matched with $1.3 million in federal Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars. But the bulk of the purchase would be made with $9 million in private donations.

A proposal to exchange the natural area for the ranch was pulled from the Nov. 4 commission agenda after TPWD heard concerns from paddlers, some environmentalists and others. Kayak and canoe clubs expressed concern that loss of the state natural area would disrupt opportunities to paddle the upper river. The new proposal maintains that opportunity while opening the way for the department to work collaboratively with landowners and paddlers to resolve longstanding disputes surrounding the river’s use, as well as improve the existing state natural area.

If the acquisition is approved by the commission, the two sites would likely be operated under one superintendent as a state natural area complex. Public access to the new site would come after creation of a master plan as well as a public use plan for both units of the natural area, a process estimated to take about two years. Private donations would fund the first 2.5 years of operating expenses for the new site.

TPWD also plans to bring together a working group to include landowners, paddlers, businesses, elected officials, non-profit partners and others to work together and seek solutions to address the recreational interests of Devils River users as well as the property rights of adjacent landowners.

The department has compiled maps, photos, questions and answers, conservation easement documents and other resources in a Devils River Land Acquisition News Roundup on its website.

At the Dec. 20 meeting, commissioners will consider one other item, a proposal to acquire about 14 acres of private land just north of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. The tract would be used to build a small reservoir to provide water for fish hatchery ponds.

Public testimony on both items may be made at the Dec. 20 commission meeting.  Questions or comments about the Devils River proposal can be sent by email to ted.hollingsworth@tpwd.state.tx.us or by regular mail to Ted Hollingsworth, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744.

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On the Net:

    * http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/news_roundup/devils_river_land_acquisition/

 

[SHANEA]

The voice of Texans appears to have been heard loud and clear.   

[TexasAggieHiker]

Sounds like a great addition to the public lands of Texas!

[SHANEA]

you know, I have given up all that I know to save the Devils'; some significant history and observations re the Devils'; but I no longer want to carry the fight...

What are you talking about?  We won!  Synergy.  1+1=3 or more.  The fight is over with and we get to keep the Devils River SNA AND we are probably going to get a new spot as well.  I think it's great and it won't break the bank, etc.  This should be an outstanding addition to the TPWD inventory. 

[SHANEA]

BTW - if you agree/disagree with the direction that TPWD is moving in based on press release below, be sure to send comments to TPWD @ ted.hollingsworth@tpwd.state.tx.us

I just checked the Sierra Club website, Lone Star Chapter, and they have not issued a press release yet.
http://lonestar.sierraclub.org/

[SHANEA]

I am forever in your debt for carrying the fight! Now find a way to get Chinati Ranch back!

WON:  TPWD Land Sale Presidio County - huge swath of BBRSP to John Poindexter
WON:  GLO Land sale of a huge tract of Black Gap WMA to CEMEX.
WON:  GLO Land sale of the Christmas Mountains
WON:  TPWD land sale of Devils River SNA
WON then LOST: Texas Open Beaches act (Texas Supreme Court Decision)
LOST:

Chinati Ranch hasn't gone anywhere.  It's still in the TPWD inventory where it belongs.  Time, effort, and patience will bring it around.  Legislative session is coming up and TPWD budgets, etc.  Time to do a full court press on TPWD to improve Chinati or at least get ROW to it for public access.

[SHANEA]

My endorsement.

[SHANEA]

Public testimony on both items may be made at the Dec. 20 commission meeting.  Questions or comments about the Devils River proposal can be sent by email to ted.hollingsworth@tpwd.state.tx.us or by regular mail to Ted Hollingsworth, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744.

[SHANEA]

The Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club response.
http://lonestar.sierraclub.org/press/newsreleases/20101206SConNewDevil%27sRiverProposal.pdf

[trtlrock]

Hmm..

I was wondering when QS would finally catch Shane on the post count...

...looks like Shane is holding his own, though.

 

[SHANEA]

Hmm..

I was wondering when QS would finally catch Shane on the post count...

...looks like Shane is holding his own, though.

 

I've slowed way way way down now that I've been gainfully employed for over three years.  A long lengthy period of unemployment drought, 9 months, does increases ones post count.  Once the severance and unemployment checks quit coming in, posting is the cheapest form of entertainment.  In fact, Jeff predicted sometime ago that I would cross the 10k threshold very quickly.  Not a clue of what my post count is nor do I care.

[TexasAggieHiker]

Look under your avatar......

[SHANEA]

ok, 9602. 

Anyway, back to the topic at hand

WE DID IT!   

damn, it makes me feel good when a group of strangers all over Texas and different disparate groups can pull together for a common cause.  TPWD and Ted Hollingsworth must have been over ran with emails on this!

Dontcha see...
WE DID IT!   

We are getting a new huge SNA out of this while keeping the existing SNA and having meetings with land owners, etc. on ironing out the problems up stream.  This my friends is called SYNERGY in action and thinking WIN-WIN. 

BTW - some may "wonder" why this is on the Big Bend Chat Board and would be of any interest - well, the new SNA will be a nice stage coach stop on the way to Big Bend for many of us that are an awful long ways away.  Plus, it's another alternative  of a place to stop on the way home - some folks like to break a trip up on the way back by stopping at South Llano River SP.  Plus, anything of "interest" in the West Texas Trans Pecos Big Bend Region ...   

WE DID IT!   
     

[homerboy2u]

I'm so happy for you?..Shane, I think i am going to cry right now.


 Thank God, for my really convincing email to TPWD.

[MyLifeOutdoors]

Devil's River Texas - Public Access Might Increase

Land addition a win-win