www.txaglandtrust.org/bill-george-family-leaves-a-legacy-on-the-marfa-grasslands/
MARFA, TX. The Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT) is pleased to accept the donation of an agricultural conservation easement in Presidio County from the Bill George estate. At the bequest of Mr. George, the 5,117-acre George Ranch will remain undeveloped and open forever.
“Mr. George devoted 20 years to managing his ranch and stewarding his grassland pastures with great care. Enacting the conservation easement through his will creates a conservation legacy that will benefit all Texans,” says Blair Fitzsimons, CEO of the Texas Agricultural Land Trust.
A working cattle ranch, the George Ranch was once part of the neighboring Mimms Ranch. Both properties are now owned by the Dixon Water Foundation and are home to the famous Marfa grasslands which are rich in nutrients for cattle and wildlife alike. The proximity of the George Ranch, plus its pasture and paddock infrastructure, made it an attractive purchase for the Foundation, whose mission is to promote watershed health through sustainable land management and planned grazing.
Honoring Mr. George’s request, the Foundation worked with the George estate to ensure that a conservation easement was in place at closing.
“The ranch and the Texas Ag Land Trust easement are a natural fit for us. Both are in complete alignment with our mission,” said Robert Potts, CEO of the Dixon Water Foundation.
A conservation easement is a voluntary, perpetual restriction on future non-agricultural development. Each easement is individually tailored to meet the needs of the landowner and his or her goals for the property. To date, TALT has negotiated agricultural conservation easements on 233,000 acres throughout Texas, including 101,037 in the Greater Big Bend region.
The enactment of the George Ranch conservation easement comes at a time when the loss of agricultural lands is accelerating. According to a recent update of Texas A&M’s Land Trends study, Texas loses approximately one million acres of open space and agricultural lands every five years. This loss impacts not only food production, but rural economies, water and air quality, and wildlife habitats as well.
Thanks to the George family’s commitment to conservation, a piece of Texas’ wide open space, with its unique grasslands, is permanently conserved for future generations to enjoy. TALT is proud to partner with the George estate and the Dixon Water Foundation to keep Texas’ working lands productive for future generations.
