204 Acres of Texas Blackland Prairie Protected Forever
Texas Land Conservancy is excited to announce the permanent protection of the Elder Prairie Preserve, 204 acres located in south-central Washington County near Brenham, Texas. The preserve’s grasslands and woodlands of the Southern Blackland Prairie include a diversity of species and is expected to undergo restoration as a tallgrass prairie remnant.
Legacy
The conservation easement is the legacy of the late Virginia Elizabeth Jago Elder (1931-2018) who cared for the property and was part of her larger Wunder Hill Farm which she owned from 1969 until her passing and where she raised thoroughbred horses.
Habitat and Conservation Values
Elder Prairie Preserve is part of the Southern Blackland Prairie, a subregion of the Texas Blackland Prairie, and also known as the Fayette Prairie which spans from Navasota to Yorktown. While it may appear to be the younger brother to the larger Northern Blackland Prairie, which stretches from San Antonio to Dallas and beyond, it is no less significant in terms of its ecological value and biodiversity.
The shrink-swell nature of the deep clays throughout the ecoregion form small gilgai, or depressions. This microtopography provides habitat for its many unique and imperiled plants that are increasingly found among fewer and fewer sites due to land conversion. Now, less than 1% of the original vegetation of the ecoregion exists and can only be found among scattered pockets of prairie remnants.
The property is in the upper Caney Creek watershed which is a tributary of the Brazos River. The Brazos River is one of Texas Land Conservancy’s priority watersheds due to its combination of conservation values, the threats they face, and the opportunity to conserve significant areas.
The complex interaction of water resources on the property such as wetlands, intermittent streams, floodplains, and the Gulf Coast aquifer all play a part in the public benefit of land conservation. Water quality, water supply, and flood prevention are all at stake and benefited by the permanent protection of the land.
A Belt and Suspenders Collaboration
Simultaneous to the creation of the conservation easement, the Elder Prairie Preserve was gifted to our friends at the Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT). It’s not the first instance of two trusted conservation organizations working together, in fact, TLC’s very own Tanglewood Prairie has a conservation easement held by NPAT. This so called “Belt and Suspenders” approach to land conservation with two conservation organizations allows flexibility in ownership without sacrificing the protections afforded by a permanent conservation easement. TLC is excited for this opportunity to grow our partnership and grab a front-row seat to NPAT’s restoration and management.
We are extremely grateful to the landowners across the state who have made the commitment to permanently conserve their land. In addition, we’d like to thank our members and supporters – YOU make this important work possible!
