In July, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that Hill Country Conservancy and Storm Ranch would receive a Private Lands Stewardship Grant for approximately $51,000 to be utilized for habitat improvement for the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler, endangered Barton Springs salamander and the now-threatened Austin blind salamander. The Storm Family has generously offered to match these funds with $51,000 of their own money and volunteer labor expenses totaling more than $102,000.00 for habitat improvement!

Volunteers contributed more than 68 hours of service at the Storm Ranch in September and October. Each hour of labor contributes to the matching funds for the federal USFWS grant. HCC extends grateful thanks to this hardworking volunteers!

A large part of this project involves planning and preparation for a prescribed burn on over 400 acres of the ranch. In preparation for the burn, volunteer teams from Dell and Hill Country Conservancy recently helped to define the boundaries of the burn area by pulling cut brush out of the firebreak line. click here to read the rest of this article.

For most people interested in working together to protect our land and our economy, the role of water in our lives and the need to save and protect this precious resource is understood. Unfortunately the majority of Texans aren’t aware of where their water comes from. Many were also unaware that the efforts they take to save water today can extend our supply for tomorrow. In a recent survey measuring the attitudes and behaviors of people who live in the Colorado River basin more than 50 percent were unaware of efforts to save water or the simple things they could do to reduce consumption.

That’s a problem. In Central Texas and the Hill Country, demand for water is greater than ever. Consumers need to use the river’s limited water wisely to make it last. In fact, if one-third of the families that rely on the river for drinking water cut back home water use by 10 percent, collectively they would save more water than the flow into Lake Buchanan from September of 2005 through September of 2006.

Most people think saving water is only necessary during drought and if it rains, there is no need to save water. That is a myth. While rainfall in Central Texas and the Hill Country supplies the Colorado River, it doesn’t eliminate the need to make our water supply last. For example, if we all would have used 10 percent less water last summer, Lake Travis could be 2 to 3 feet higher today.

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Prop 2 includes $50 million for protecting land in the fragile Barton Springs watershed. Prop 3 includes $20 million for new parkland acquisition throughout the city. Find early voting locations here.

Go to www.keepaustinvoting.com for information on ballot items, links to candidates’ campaign web sites, and early voting locations for Hays, Travis and Williamson counties. The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce has included information on the Congressional, State, and County elections as well as City of Austin and Round Rock ISD bond propositions.

Texas Statewide Land Trust Conference: January 25 - 27 in Austin at the Austin Airport Marriott South, 4415 South IH-35. Sponsored by the Texas Land Trust Council. More information is available on the TLTC’s online flier: click here to view. Contact: cvogel@texaslandtrustcouncil.org.