B and B

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is seeking donations in order to keep our state parks open

Texas has been hit with a record drought over the past 15 months.  The first few weeks of December saw a little relief, but forecasts call for the drought to likely continue well into next year.

Apparently the Texas parks system has been hit hard in the budget as a result, and they are now asking for people to send donations to help keep our state parks open. 

Please consider donating if you love Texas state parks.  You can do so at the website of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department:

Record drought and heat, devastating wildfires, and a drop in visitation have led to a critical situation for state parks.

We need to raise $4.6 million to keep state parks operating, and we can't do it without you.

There are three simple ways you can help:

1. Make a year-end, tax-deductible donation.
2. Make a donation when it's time for you to renew your vehicle registration.
3. Most importantly, because visitor fees pay for about half of all park operating costs, visit a state park this holiday season.

Please act now, to help keep Texas State Parks open for everyone to enjoy. Our state parks won't be the same without you.

Thank you,
Carter Smith
TPWD Executive Director

In case it helps out, here's a scene I captured at Guadalupe River State Park north of San Antonio a few weeks ago.

No more swap. Texas gets a new state park on the Devils River and can keep the old one.

I was surprised and encouraged to hear this news.  Instead of losing access to a large, remote natural area in order to gain another, smaller, but more accessible, one, the people of Texas will be able to use both thanks to private donations. 

From today's Austin American-Statesman:

Using a remarkable pool of private contributions totaling more than $10 million, the commission agreed to buy the Devils River Ranch from Dallas-area home builder Rod Sanders for $13 million.

The ranch fronts the east side of the Devils River for about 10 miles before the river begins merging with the Amistad International Reservoir on the Rio Grande near Del Rio. The ranch, which is largely desert scrub, includes a large lodge, several other residences and an airstrip.

The Devils River State Natural Area also is on the east side of the river about 13 miles upstream, and the two properties will compose a single state nature complex on the river.

The purchase means that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department now controls about 38,000 acres adjacent to Devils River, which is only 90 miles long but is regarded as the purest natural waterway in Texas and is considered sacred by anglers, paddlers, campers, hikers and wildlife lovers.

The deal was in contrast to a land swap proposal in early November in which the state and Sanders would have exchanged ownership of the two large tracts, and Sanders would have received $8 million in cash.

I'm looking forward to checking this place out.

State Park swap in the works?

Potentially interesting maneuvers at Texas Parks and Wildlife.  They appear to be in a hurry to swap the existing, remote, Devils River State Natural Area for a somewhat smaller, more accessible ranch downstream.  I'm not sure what to think of this, but the hurry is definitely unsettling.

From Shannon Tompkins in the Houston Chronicle:

The swap/purchase would put into Texas Parks and Wildlife Department hands a "spectacular," much more accessible-to-the-public tract that could become "one of the premier parks in our system," said Scott Boruff, TPWD deputy executive director.

But some conservation organizations and paddler/anglers are leery of the deal, questioning the logic of the transaction, TPWD's procedures for informing the public about the proposed exchange and the impact on paddlers of trading away the only public land along the upper reaches of the Devils.

"There are several things that concern us. How are they going to pay for it? Not just the up-front costs — the $8 million - but development, operational and maintenance costs, particularly given the economic issues state agencies are facing," Ken Kramer, director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, said of the Devils River swap/purchase proposal. "And we're certainly concerned with what seems like a rush to get this deal done quickly, without much notice and opportunity for public input. The first I heard about it was last week. It doesn't appear to me they are living up to the spirit of their policy on land transactions."

...

The Devils River swap/purchase has been discussed only in closed-to-the-public executive session of the TPW Commission. The Nov. 4 TPW Commission meeting at which the proposal will be considered for adoption will be the first meeting at which the transaction is publicly discussed.

Hopefully this can be considered with a bit more deliberation and public discussion.

Lost Maples State Natural Area is growing

From the San Antonio Express-News today:

For centuries, people have been drawn to the twisting limestone canyons that make up Lost Maples State Natural Area.

Lou Waters was one. Now 70, he can hop across white boulders to explore the grottos like a 10-year-old.

On Friday, he plans to sign paperwork to transfer more than 600 acres of his neighboring ranch to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to be added to Lost Maples. Another 100 acres will be transferred this fall.

Agency staff said the public should have access to trails on the new addition — which is a third of the park's current size — by 2012.

State appraisers valued the land at more than $2 million, but Waters is selling it for $1.5 million because he wants to see the land and its Can Creek watershed protected forever.

Land acquisition funds from the Parks and Wildlife Department and a $400,000 federal conservation grant will pay for it.

“You see it and you just want to take care of it,” Waters said.

In a memo explaining the sale, Waters said walking through the Can Creek canyons in the fall under the native big-tooth maples was like “hiking in a golden-red cathedral.”

His wife, Wanda Waters, said, “It just makes you feel so good that other people are going to be able to enjoy it.”

Lost Maples is about two hour drive west of here and a spectacular park as it is.  Excellent news that it will soon be about 30% larger.

Texas Parks and Wildlife offered land next to two state parks. Will they take it?

From the Hill Country Planning Association:

The Hill Country Planning Association asks that you please consider sending two e-mail letters (samples provided (below) to support Tx Parks & Wildlife Commission purchasing 732 acres adjacent to Lost Maples and accepting 3000 acres adjacent to Government Canyon.  My understanding is that the state needs to hear public support, or the default position would be to decline these opportunities to meet budget cuts.  With sufficient support, they have a good chance of being passed.   Thanks 

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Land Purchase - Bandera County:  Lost Maples State Park
In a meeting on May 27, 2009, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (the Commission) will consider the purchase of approximately 732 acres of land adjacent to Lost Maples State Park in Bandera County. At this meeting the public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed transaction before the Commission takes action. The meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Headquarters, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. Prior to the meeting, public comment may be submitted to Ted Hollingsworth, Land Conservation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744 or by email at:  ted.hollingsworth@tpwd.state.tx.us  or through the TPWD web site at www.tpwd.state.tx.us .

Dear Mr. Hollingsworth: 

I will not be able to attend the May 27, 2009 meeting described below.  I wish to submit my opinion for public comment.  I strongly support purchase of land adjacent to Lost Maples State Park in Bandera County.  Lost Maples is a popular destination and is at risk of having its natural resources decline through overuse.  Purchasing an additional 732 acres of land adjacent to Lost Maples will help protect more of this invaluable and rapidly vanishing habitat.

 

Sincerely,

(name and address)

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Acceptance of Land Donation - Bexar County:  Government Canyon State Park

In a meeting on Ma7 27, 2009, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (the Commission) will consider accepting a donation of approximately 3,000 acres adjacent to Government Canyon State Park in Bexar County.  At this meeting the public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed transaction before the Commission takes action.  The meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Headquarters, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744.  Prior to the meeting, public comment may be submitted to Ted Hollingsworth, Land Conservation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744 or by email at:  ted.hollingsworth@tpwd.state.tx.us  or through the TPWD web site at www.tpwd.state.tx.us .

Dear Mr. Hollingsworth:

I will not be able to attend the May 27, 2009 meeting described below.  I wish to submit my opinion for public comment.  I strongly support TP&W Commission accepting donation of 3000 acres adjacent to Government Canyon State Park in Bexar County.  Government Canyon State Park is a wonderful asset that the public is just starting to utilize.   With such close proximity to San Antonio, it is expected the park will be heavily utilized.  The City of San Antonio Parks and Natural Areas are already over-utilized and crowded.  Accepting donation of additional land adjacent to Government Canyon will help protect more of this invaluable and rapidly vanishing habitat.

 

Sincerely,

(name and address)

Express-News features Texas state parks

The Express-News has much of their Sunday Travel section devoted to Texas state parks this week, including profiles of two specific parks:  Pedernales Falls in the Hill Country north of San Antonio, and Palo Duro Canyon in far, far northwest Texas.  The former I've been to a few times; the latter I've never been to since I can't figure out a convenient way or time to get up to Amarillo.  The idea of this spectacular and rugged canyon in the middle of the drearily monotonous plains is intruiging. 

The newspaper plans to do further profiles of the remaining parks, so this will apparently be an ongoing feature for quite some time.

Other articles in yesterday's paper include The state of our state parks and New Texas state parks funds prompt call for repairs, more staff.

Of course, whle reading about our parks may be enjoyable, actually going to them is even more so. Sometimes it just doesn't work out, though.  Last weekend we tried to visit South Llano River State Park, near Junction, a couple hours west of here--a park in an area that is part Hill Country and part West Texas.  We hadn't been there since shortly after we moved to this area more than eight years ago. 

But thanks to all the rain that we've been having, the river was a bit high, and covered the low water crossing of the road that enters the park.  So the park was closed to all for the July 4 holiday.  Fortunately, thanks to the new funding for our parks system, we don't have to worry about it being closed for good eventually.  So we'll have to try again soon.

Parks funding: "a tremendous short-term victory", but long term is "unfinished business"

The Houston Chronicle and the Tyler Morning Telegraph have provided useful summaries of what the parks funding bill that passed the legislature at the last minute actually contains.  Here are a couple substantial excerpts, though if you care about Texas's parks, it is worth looking at the entire articles.

From the Morning Telegraph, May 31:

"It appears that we will receive more than 90 percent of what was recommended by the State Parks Advisory Committee and requested by TPWD's commissioners," George Bristol, president of the Texas Coalition for Conservation wrote to supporters.

According to Bristol's group, the department fell short $3.4 million in its request for transportation and equipment, $1 million in division support, $5.9 million in major repairs and $14 million in acquisition and development. The local park grants appropriation was $3.5 million less than requested. The department will receive almost double what was requested for Battleship Texas.

TPWD will also see an increase of $10 million in Texas Department of Transportation inter-departmental fund. That money will be used to improve state park roads. The last budget included $5 million.

In all, the department is expected to get about $180 million of its $195 million request.

But the good comes with restrictions and strings. According to a Texas Coalition for Conservation summary the major repairs are to be funded with bond money. The department has $17 million it can issue from an old bond program. The remaining $27 million must come from a new bond package that has to be approved by voters in November.

TCC had hoped Legislators would have approved a pay-as-you-go plan or, if requiring a bond package, authorize the entire amount needed for repairs in a single bond. Department officials have said that the peaks and valleys of having to repeat bond elections makes long-term planning for repairs more difficult.

Also $17 million of the $36 million appropriated for the local parks' fund has already been mandated to projects in select House districts and will not be required to go through the normal competitive bid process.

Actually new money for acquisition and development is only $4.3 million, and $2.5 million of that is mandated for purchasing land next to Palo Duro State Park. The remainder of the $13.9 million for land purchases will come from the sale of Eagle Mountain Lake State Park and several small parcels, leaving the department only enough money to buy one park designated west of Fort Worth and add several small areas to existing state parks.

The budget is also built around the department raising an additional $16 million in park user fees. Although the department doesn't have a plan outlined yet, there has been some talk that it may have to start charging youth an entrance fee.

From the Chronicle, June 3:

And no one at TPWD or in the Legislature believes this one-time increase in funding will address park problems that took decades to create.

For example, the agency's backlog of needed repairs to state parks — repairs necessitated by the wear from millions of visitors and years of deferred maintenance — is estimated to be $430 million.

To address that backlog, the agency would need the Legislature to appropriate for that purpose at least $40 million each year for 10 years.

"We had a tremendous short-term victory," Hilderbran, through a news release, said of the Legislature's actions on park funding. We secured record appropriations for the next two years; however, a long-term funding solution is unfinished business."

Parks funding passes amidst dramatic final days of legislative session

I tuned in to the Texas House proceedings Sunday night just after midnight (hence Monday morning, officially) in anticipation of seeing action on the parks funding bill, HB 12, in the final hours of this legislative session.  Instead, I saw quite a dramatic display, as the latest battle in the attempt to dislodge Tom Craddick from the Speaker position was launched. 

A fellow GOP representative from El Paso, Pat Haggerty, in the middle of a brief speech, started to take a roll call on a motion to declare the speaker position empty -- the exact motion that Craddick had spent the last two days furiously trying to suppress, ever since the original Friday night uproar that prompted the resignations of two parliamentarians and their replacement by loyal Craddick-ite former legislators, Republican Terry Keel and Democrat Ron Wilson.  The new parliamentarians interpreted every rule to Craddick's benefit in order to run out the clock on the attempt to oust him.  Immediately prior to starting his roll call, Rep. Haggerty asked the chamber about Keel and Wilson:  "Where did they go to parliamentarian school that somehow makes them better than God?"

The Craddick forces eventually halted Haggerty's impromptu roll call and Haggerty then stormed out of the chamber, with over 50 other representatives (out of 150; most of those walking out were Democrats no doubt) joining him, breaking the quorum and forcing the House to adjourn for the night.  All this with only a single day left in the session, and numerous bills still waiting for final approval.

Not being very familiar with how the House operates, I was worried that this action would doom a major part of the increased state parks funding, which was contingent on passage of HB 12.  That could be acceptable if it helped to depose Craddick, but he was still as entrenched as ever despite the walkout.

Fortunately, that worry seems to have been misguided.  The House returned to session today for the final day and unanimously passed HB 12 (as I found out first via Charles Kuffner), thus ensuring that Texas' state and local parks systems will be well funded for the next two years.  Unfortunately, based on what I read, modifications made to the bill in the state Senate suggest that we will probably have to go through this all over again in 2009.  Fortunately, parks obviously have extraordinarily wide support so odds of success are good.  One area to target:  more money for acquiring new parks.

From the Express-News online, hot off the wire late Monday night (emphasis added):

Texas lawmakers gave final approval Monday to increasing spending for state and local parks but stopped short of using all of the sporting goods tax revenue supporters said is necessary for the long-term vitality of parks.

"This is mixed. Short term, we did great, but long term is very much a question," said House Culture, Recreation and Tourism Chairman Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, a longtime champion of state and local parks.

A special parks advisory committee last year recommended a 10-year plan and urged lawmakers to allocate all of the sporting goods tax revenue for state and local parks.

The bill would increase funding for state and local parks by $156 million, and it includes a $44 million bond issue that requires voter approval in the November election.

"It's a good, solid package, and it's a good first step," said George Bristol, vice chairman of the parks advisory committee. "Basically, we got almost everything we wanted for the first two years. Obviously, it will take longer than two years to fix up the parks."

Senate leaders insisted on a study of the sporting goods tax to determine from which items the sales tax should flow to parks. For example, Hilderbran asked if billiards equipment tax revenue should continue to be eligible for parks funding. The tax revenue from canoe sales currently does not go for parks, he said.

Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, who pushed the parks bill through the Senate, said the $156 million increase for state and local parks over the next two years is "very generous."

"It's going to make it very difficult to go back. This is a great step in the right direction," Estes said.

But he added that state leaders must spend more on park acquisition, considering Texas' rapidly expanding population.

The parks committee recommended that Texas spend $15 million a year to develop new parks. The budget calls for less than half of that.

Investing in new parks, Estes said, "is something that we need to work on in the future."

Meanwhile, though, today is a day to celebrate.  It's been a truism ever since I arrived in Texas in 1998 that our parks, while great places, just don't get much money.  This looks like it's about to change, at least for the next couple years. 

Parks funding comes down the wire, as state House descends into chaos

As the hours tick down on this biennial session of the Texas legislature, the state house has devolved into chaos due to a renewed, so far unsuccessful, attempt to oust the current dictatorial GOP House Speaker, Tom Craddick.  The Dallas Morning-News has more on last night's quite unusual events.

Meanwhile, though, the status of the bill to lift the cap on funding of state parks via the sales tax on sporting goods and the final total that our long neglected parks will receive over the next two years are both still up in the air.

State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran of Kerrville is lamenting that no one in the state Senate is championing parks, leaving that job up to him.  (Jeff Wentworth, GOP senator from San Antonio and the hill country and presumed parks advocate, where are you?)  From the San Antonio Express-News:

"I'm championing it here, and I champion it in the Senate, too," Hilderbran said about his efforts to lift the sporting goods tax cap on revenue that flows to state parks. "I'm going over there, bursting into meetings with the lieutenant governor and other people on other bills, saying, 'What in the hell's going on? You promised this.'"

More than 20 of the state's 31 senators originally signed on to legislation to remove the cap, but questions about the funding and a study of the revenue are dividing lawmakers.

"I'm confident that we are going to have an agreement that's going to be good for our park system," said Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, who is the Senate's chief negotiator for House Bill 12.

...

Lawmakers are proposing to increase the operating budget for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department from about $50 million to $157 million for the two-year budget cycle.

But $16 million of the increase is a "phantom," Hilderbran said, because it relies on such changes as charging scouting groups and church organizations admission into state parks. And an additional $74 million of the increase hinges on HB 12 passing, he said.

"So it's not quite as good as it sounds," Hilderbran said.

HB12 is the bill to lift the cap on funding via the sporting goods sales tax -- a variant of the original one co-sponsored by a huge majority in both the Senate and House.  It passed the House virtually unanimously.  It passed the Senate, but in an altered form that Hilderbran called "crummy" according to a report from the Texas Observer earlier this week.  Now the differences need to be worked out in a conference committee, and there's only a couple days left to do so. 

And with the House in chaos due to this last minute battle over the speakership, our parks may be left by the wayside yet again.

Parks funding all up to Lt Gov Dewhurst. Will he come through?

The latest on the state Senate's machinations to restrict funding to restore Texas' parks, from the Austin American-Statesman (emphasis added)

[A] Senate version of an appropriations bill had appeared to give $142 million more to the state parks department over the next two years, but that number drops to about $8 million when corrected for money already in the department's base budget, federal grant money and other sources that [parks advocate Rep. Harvey] Hilderbran's office says do not amount to additional funding.

"The next two days are real critical to give us some indication of what parks will get," Hilderbran said. "This is in the lieutenant governor's hands [Dewhurst]. He can set up funding for parks that will consistently fund it better than we have been, or he can stop short of leading us to a restored Texas parks system that provides the visitor experience we all want."

What will it be, David Dewhurst?