Preserving Texas In the News

From the swimming holes of the Hill Country to the barrier islands of the Gulf of Mexico, our natural areas are a big part of what makes Texas special.

But despite our state's great size, the rapid development of Texas natural areas is harming our natural resources and waterways, jeopardizing Texas' growing recreation and eco-tourism based industries, and threatening the beauty, character and rural heritage of the Lone Star State.

When Texas first became a Republic in 1836, there was more than enough land to go around. Thus the sale of most of its public lands to pay off debt and attract new settlers did not raise eyebrows. Of course, Texas is now a very different place. Most of us live in cities, and less than 1 percent of us own any sizable amount of land or have our own well for drinking water. We rely on public parks and open spaces, and well-managed private lands, to give us access to nature and much of our water.

As Texas continues its dramatic growth, the stress on our natural areas will only escalate. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture study, between 1992 and 1997 an average of 20 acres of natural areas were destroyed every hour in Texas to make way for new developments.

Poorly planned growth is replacing our natural areas with subdivisions and our bubbling creeks with paved culverts. Energy production and resource extraction are leveling many of our last forests and permanently scarring coastal vistas. Water developers threaten our rivers and lakes with dams and reservoirs, despite ready alternatives. Our once-proud state parks system has been starved of funding, forcing parks to the auction block and leaving the rest dilapidated and with restricted public access.

Our state's leaders need to do more. Strong majorities of Texans want these areas protected and are willing to pay for it. A March 2005 poll found that fully 77 percent agree that "if state leaders don't purchase and protect some of Texas' natural areas today, they will be lost forever to development."

Consider the plight of Barton Springs. Called the "Soul of the City," Barton Springs is known across the state for great swimming and clean drinking water, but it is also a particularly vulnerable natural area. Because the ground above and upstream of the springs is thin, pollution can easily enter the watershed, meaning further development over the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer jeopardizes the future of the springs.

It's estimated that we'll need to protect an additional 30,000 acres of land over the aquifer to save it forever. In the short term, Austin city staff have warned that 7,500 acres are imminently threatened with development. Thankfully, the City Council is preparing a bond package that may include money to purchase and protect aquifer lands. The council should include at least $75 million in the November bond election to protect the immediately threatened areas.

Our elected officials must invest in Texas' natural heritage and provide the planning and resources to preserve it. If we fail —if we continue to allow development in our last, best wild places — our state's beauty and character will be lost forever.

Metzger is an advocate with Environment Texas, a statewide citizens' advocacy organization based in Austin. Learn more at www.EnvironmentTexas.org.