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7,000 acres added to Big Bend Ranch
Special to the Avalanche AUSTIN — The Nature Conservancy of Texas has bought the 7,000-acre Fresno Ranch in Presidio and Brewster counties, and plans to transfer it to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for Big Bend Ranch State Park for the purchase price of $2.6 million. The deal culminates 20 years of work to remove the largest remaining in-holding inside Texas’ biggest state park, expands hiking and public access, and protects desert springs, Rio Grande river frontage, diverse wildlife and rich cultural resources. Acquiring the checkerboard 11-section tract removes in-holdings within the park’s Fresno Canyon, a natural corridor with cottonwood trees, desert springs, archaeological sites and majestic views. The acquisition means park users will be able to access all of Fresno Canyon. The property has frontage on the Rio Grande. The acquisition also gives the state park 8.5 miles of unbroken public river access. Most of Fresno Ranch lies in non-contiguous tracts in Presidio County, with some 200 acres in Brewster County. “The Nature Conservancy is thrilled to be able to make this important addition to Big Bend Ranch State Park a reality to allow Texas residents and visitors greater opportunities to enjoy this beautiful and fascinating natural resource,” said Laura Huffman, state director of The Nature Conservancy of Texas. “Acquiring this key piece of land means additional opportunities for park visitors, and we believe providing access to this Texas treasure is important.” “This is the most important land acquisition at Big Bend Ranch since the department bought General Land Office in-holdings in 1991, which included large parts of the current park, including the Solitario,” said Scott Boruff, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department deputy executive director for operations. “The Fresno Ranch acquisition opens up key areas in the park, places the public couldn’t go before,” Boruff said. “Plus, the mouth of Fresno Creek is the one remaining large tract along the river inside the park that could have been subject to adverse development. So this protects one of the most scenic and important areas at Big Bend Ranch.” The Nature Conservancy bought the property from the estate of the late Jeanne Norsworthy of Houston, granddaughter of George Dealey, founder of the Dallas Morning News. Norsworthy was a noted artist who lived on Fresno Ranch after she acquired it. “Jeanne was a great lover of the Big Bend country,” said Andrew Sansom, a member of the Texas State Parks Advisory Committee and former TPWD executive director, who helped lead state efforts to buy Big Bend Ranch. This year, the park is opening more than 50 new campsites in remote, scenic areas, as well as many new miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails and dirt roads. John Karges, The Nature Conservancy’s West Texas program manager, said the abundant year-round water resources on the Fresno Ranch are rare and ecologically important in the arid Big Bend region. “The ranch protects springs in and around Fresno Creek and its tributary, Arroyo Primero,” Karges said. “The streamside cottonwood and willow gallery woodlands of Fresno Canyon provide important habitat for resident and migratory birds. The native habitat supports a rich variety of other wildlife, including peregrine falcon, Big Bend black-headed snake, Texas horned lizard and a rare reptile, the reticulated gecko, found only in Brewster and Presidio counties.” Archaeological and cultural resources on the Fresno Ranch include Native American sites as well as the former Fresno and Whit-Roy cinnabar mines (cinnabar is a source of mercury) and the ruins of wax-rendering operations that used the native candelilla plant. The area has been a crossroads of human activities for more than 11,000 years, as diverse people and cultures have been drawn by the abundant resources of the river corridor. Prehistoric Native American sites include open campsites, rock shelters, rock art sites and special-use or ritual sites. Archival documents indicate that Pedro de Rabago y Teran traveled through the area in 1747 during his search for suitable sites to construct presidios. Beginning in the late 1840s, explorers, missionaries, traders and freighters followed the Texas Chihuahua Trail through what is now the northwestern portion of the park. By the 1880s, several area ranches had been established and cattle, goats and sheep became a common sight on the landscape. Once one of the 10 largest working ranches in Texas, Big Bend Ranch was acquired by TPWD in the late 1980s and opened to the public in 1991 as a state natural area. In 1995, it was re-designated as Big Bend Ranch State Park. The park contains more than 300,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert wilderness. It extends 23 miles along the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo from southeast of Presidio to near Lajitas. Alpine’s huge, glamorous party and art show begins Friday and continues through Saturday. It’s the chance to see, be seen and, yes, strut your stuff. Great people, great art, great food, great music. Early deadlines for Thanksgiving The deadline for editorial copy, classified and retail display ads for the Nov. 27 issue is Monday, Nov. 24. Commission voices election concerns With holidays already on their minds — Thanksgiving’s next week, after all — Brewster County commissioners jumped a week ahead of their usual schedule Monday to wrap up old business and target new projects. Commissioners say the sheriff can get a dog Avalanche staff 7,000 acres added to Big Bend Ranch Special to the Avalanche The usual suspects — gas, money, law enforcement — made for lively discussions at Tuesday night’s Alpine City Council meeting. Home tour countdown: Tour spotlights 5 Alpine homes What: Chistmas Historic Tour of Homes |
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