Conservation Committee

Wednesday, 9:00am, May 24, 2006

Committee Agenda Item No. 1
Presenter: Robert L. Cook

Conservation Committee
Land and Water Plan Update
May 2006

I. Executive Summary: Executive Director Robert L. Cook will briefly update the Commission on the status of the agency’s efforts to implement the Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan (the Plan).

II. Discussion: In 2001, the 77^th Texas Legislature directed that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) develop a Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan (Tex. Park & Wild. Code §11.104). In November 2002, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (the Commission) adopted the first Plan. A revised Plan was adopted by the Commission in January 2005. The Plan is available on the TPWD web site. Executive Director Robert L. Cook will update the Finance Committee on TPWD’s recent progress in achieving the Plan’s Goals and Objectives as they relate to the Conservation Committee.

The Plan consists of 8 Goals and a total of 56 Objectives. The Goals stated in the Plan are as follows:

• Goal 1: Improve access to the outdoors.
• Goal 2: Preserve, conserve, manage, operate, and promote agency sites for recreational opportunities, biodiversity, and the cultural heritage of Texas.
• Goal 3: Assist landowners in managing their lands for sustainable wildlife habitat consistent with their goals.
• Goal 4: Increase participation in hunting, fishing, boating and outdoor recreation.
• Goal 5: Enhance the quality of hunting, fishing, boating and outdoor recreation.
• Goal 6: Improve science, data collection and information dissemination to make informed management decisions.
• Goal 7: Maintain or improve water quality and quantity to support the needs of fish, wildlife and recreation.
• Goal 8: Continuously improve TPWD business management systems, business practices and work culture.

Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Jack Bauer

Conservation Committee
East Texas Conservation Projects
May 2006

I. Executive Summary: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and other conservation organizations are realizing land conservation success in East Texas following a decade of forest land sell-offs from the wood product industry. This item summarizes the status of land conservation work in East Texas.

II. Discussion: Across the United States, for the past decade, some major wood product industry corporations including International Paper, Inc. and Louisiana Pacific have greatly reduced their inventory of commercial forestlands. Some of these lands have very high natural resource values. In East Texas, these land sales have created opportunities to acquire forestlands for conversion to conservation and public recreation use.

TPWD is partnering with private investors to conserve 33,400-acres along the Neches River in Angelina, Tyler and Polk counties, once owned by Champion Paper and International Paper, and develop the property into mitigation lands to offset anticipated transportation projects and other anticipated development activity in East Texas.

The Conservation Fund, a non-profit conservation organization is involved in the Neches River property above, is also involved in acquisition of former commercial forestland to expand the Big Thicket National Wildlife Preserve and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge system. A summary of these projects will be described in some detail in this presentation.

Committee Agenda Item No. 3
Presenter: Jack Bauer

Conservation Committee
Land Donation – Brown County
(Acceptance of Surface and Mineral Rights)
May 2006

I. Executive Summary: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is the devisee of the estate of Ms. Leona Muse of the mineral interests and any surface estate not deeded by the Muse family to TWPD in 2000 at McGillivray and Leona McKie Muse Wildlife Management Area.

II. Discussion: In August of 1998, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorized staff to accept the McGillivray Muse Ranch containing 1,972.50 acres approximately 15 miles northeast of Brownwood in Brown County as part of the bequest of Mr. McGillivray Muse.

The executor of the Leona Muse estate has informed TPWD that TPWD is named as devisee in the will of Ms. Leona Muse that has been admitted to probate in Dallas County, Texas. In this will, Ms. Muse devised to the Texas Parks and Wildlife of the State of Texas all mineral interests owned by Ms. Muse in Brown County and any surface estate omitted from the deed in 2000 to TPWD.

Attachments - 2

1. Exhibit A – Property Map
2. Exhibit B – Fiscal Note (available upon request; contact Carole Hemby at 512-389-4804)

Committee Agenda Item No. 3
Exhibit A

Property Map

For help in interpreting this map, please contact Jack Bauer.