What's New
VICTORY!
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, the School Land Board voted unanimously to stop the sale of the Christmas Mountains to private interests. Comissioner Patterson has announced that the Mountains will remain in public hands and will be opened to the public for hiking, camping and hunting.
Environment Texas supports adding the mountains to Big Bend National Park and will continue to work to accomplish that goal.
How You Can Help
Please sign our petition to Gov. Perry and Attorney General Abbott
asking them to direct their appointees to stop the sale of the
Christmas Mountains.
Summary
The Christmas
Mountains, a ruggedly beautiful wilderness area adjacent to Big Bend National Park, were donated to the state of
Texas in 1991
“for use as and inclusion in a nature park, wildlife refuge, recreational area
or similarly designated use area." However, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is working to sell the land to private interests.
The Richard K. Mellon Foundation, one of the land’s original
donors and one of the nation’s leading public land philanthropies, has warned
that if the sale goes through against their wishes, the state of Texas should “not look
to the R.K. Mellon Foundation for any future help.” The state of Texas hasn't funded a
major land acquisition program since 1967 and has primarily relied on the
generosity of private foundations to fund natural area protection, including
public hunting lands. Selling the Christmas Mountains could create a “chilling
effect” on future philanthropy.
The
good news is the National Park Service wants to acquire the property to
add to the crown jewl of Texas' park system, Big Bend National Park.
Unfortunately, Commissioner Patterson has said he won't sell the
Christmas Mountains to Big Bend unless they allow hunting and concealed
weapons on the property, which they currently don't. However, after
Environment Texas rallied public support to oppose the sale to private
interests, the School Land Board voted to give the National Park
Service the opportunity to submit a bid.
It's unclear whether the other two members of the Board will make hunting and
firearms a precondition of NPS acquisition, as Patterson wants. The
fact the school land board didn't explicitly require hunting as a precondition
in their 90 day delay seems to indicate they are backing away from that position.
If that's the case, we think it's great news and the future
looks a lot brighter for the Christmas Mountains becoming part of Big Bend
National Park.
Environment
Texas will continue working with the School Land Board, the National
Park Service, and Congress in the coming months to find a final
solution that will keep the Christmas Mountains in public hands and
that will maintain the integrity of Texas' word.
