Keeping West Texas Big, Wide & Open

The Respect Big Bend coalition has released a milestone report that reflects more than two years of intensive community engagement and analysis on energy development in the Big Bend Region of West Texas.

This area is iconic Texas, a vast and storied country west of the Pecos River. It’s home to one of the most biodiverse deserts in the world and is a place of wide-open skies, native grasslands, diverse wildlife, breathtaking mountain vistas and, most important, self-reliant communities. It’s also the most energy-intensive region in America.

The Respect Big Bend coalition came together in 2019 to do something unprecedented in Texas history: chart a path forward that balances future possible energy development—oil and gas and renewables alike—with conservation planning and community input and leadership. The coalition was established by the George and Cynthia Mitchell Foundation and supported by a host of partners, including the Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT) and the Borderlands Research Institute.

At the heart of the Respect Big Bend effort is a 14-person local stakeholder advisory group. Members of this group include landowners and community members from the Big Bend Region counties of Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio.

Working with a team of conservation scientists and energy industry experts, the local advisory group developed a set of conservation values to guide future possible energy development. These values are outlined in the summary report and technical report.

These reports provide a roadmap for conserving the unique resources and iconic communities of this region, a blueprint that could change the way communities in any geographical region approach future energy development.

READ THE REPORTS

Beyond the Fence Line with Billy Tarrant

The Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross State University in Alpine has been deeply involved with the Respect Big Bend effort. BRI’s Associate Director of Stewardship Services Billy Tarrant has been the primary liaison with stakeholders involved in the effort. Chad Ellis caught up with Billy recently for a wide-ranging conversation about Respect Big Bend and BRI’s research efforts.

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Conserving Land Conserves Water

Water is essential to life. As Texas grows, the availability of this precious resource becomes increasingly important. That’s exactly why many folks are focused on improving Texas’ water resources, to meet the near 9 million acre-feet of water that the Texas Water Development Board estimates the state will need to meet the 70% increase in population projected over the next 30 years. TALT is committed to contributing to this goal by protecting and conserving wide, open spaces.

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Invest in Texas’ Working Lands

Assisting and advocating for the landowners who conserve Texas lands, waters and wildlife is what we do every day. Rural land conserved means cleaner air and water for us all.

Over the last year, TALT has closed on five new conservation easements, forever protecting land and water resources that benefit all Texans. Since 2007, we’ve closed on 33 easements, for a total of more than 236,000.

This is land that provides livelihoods for families and benefits for all Texans – food, fiber, fresh air, and water. The landowners who have partnered with TALT to protect their cherished lands have made a perpetual gift of wide-open spaces. Now we’re hoping you can make a gift to support our work.

We need your help to continue having an impact – you can make a difference today!