Dixon Water Foundation

Promoting healthy watersheds through sustainable land management

RECENT NEWS

Kids On the Land – Learning from Home Outdoor Activites

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One of our partners, Kids On the Land, has come up with some activities for families to do outside while learning from home. With spring programming being canceled, and schools being closed, Kids On the Land are looking for ways to stay engaged and for children to get outside and learn.

We’re happy to share these activities. There are 4 activities so far with more to come! Click the links below to access the activity details.

Activity #1 – Let’s Go Outside – Use Your 5 Senses

Activity #2 – Hurry and the Monarch

Activity #3 – Native American Talking Stick

Activity #4 – Make Your Own Rain Gauge

“Grazing Like It’s 1799: How Ranchers Can Bring Back Grassland Birds”

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Our West Texas ranching operations work in partnership with Audubon’s Conservation Ranching program to raise cattle in a way that’s also beneficial to grassland bird species. Audubon has been building this program and developing more ways to deliver beef raised under this certification to the consumer.

Blue Nest Beef is a subscription-based delivery service that is now offering Audubon-Certified beef. Click for more information.

For more information on Conservaiton Ranching, please visit this link https://www.audubon.org/node/358059

Baker Institute-led group to develop nationwide protocol for storing carbon

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Credit: 123RF.com/Rice University

HOUSTON — (Dec. 3, 2019) – Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy has initiated a working group to develop a United States protocol for paying ranchers and farmers to store carbon in their soil. The current system for voluntary carbon transactions is broken and needs to be fixed, group founders said.

The group is co-led by attorney Jim Blackburn, a professor in the practice of environmental law at Rice, Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar and co-director of the university’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center (SSPEED), and Kenneth Medlock, the James A. Baker III and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute. Robin Rather, CEO of Austin-based Collective Strength, is the group’s facilitator.

Most accepted carbon transactions in the world today occur based on standards that originated from the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. These standards impose significant and unnecessary impediments to U.S. landowners, so few or no transactions actually happen, Blackburn said.

“We formed this group out of necessity,” Blackburn said. “While there are specifics of the existing standards that are useful, an overall new approach is needed, and the Baker Institute was willing to act as our host in convening this working group. We have assembled a diverse group that I feel sure will develop an excellent, defensible concept.”

There are many ranchers and farmers in the southwestern and central U.S. whose land has substantial potential to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, according to the working group. However, they are being kept from participating by the current standards for voluntary carbon trading — standards that were not developed to optimize carbon storage in the soil, the group said. The need for a defensible new standard has led to the formation of the group, Blackburn said.

“This protocol is intended to enable a market system for the voluntary trading of carbon removal and storage in the soil,” Medlock said. “This is an exciting idea that has the potential to add a scalable alternative into the portfolio of companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint.”

Natural photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it in the wood of trees and the soil of the country’s prairies and coastal marshes and soils of agricultural lands. “In the United States, the potential exists for the removal of 1 to 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide or more by these natural systems, yet to our knowledge, only one grassland project has been approved in the U.S. for carbon sales,” Blackburn said. “As we move toward attempting to avoid, minimize and remove the U.S.’s 7-billion-ton carbon dioxide footprint from the atmosphere, we are going to need a range of alternatives that remove and store carbon.”

Through carbon farming, farmers and ranchers could reap an additional source of cash flow, one that also would help restore native ecological systems that would generate fish and wildlife benefits, according to the working group. Additionally, industries and businesses that emit carbon dioxide will be provided with a scalable and affordable carbon dioxide removal process. “If enabled, this system will be a win-win on many levels,” Blackburn said.

Over the next several months, the working group will convene to discuss topics such as general principles of eligibility, measurement protocols and buyer needs. The goal is to develop a set of principles for these transactions that will be endorsed by the diverse group of 45 stakeholders from nongovernmental organizations, governmental entities, Native American nations, corporations, universities and consulting firms.

The 45 stakeholders include but are not limited to experts from Gensler Inc., King Ranch Inc., the Nature Conservancy, Audubon Texas, Applied Ecological Services Inc., Texas Parks and Wildlife,  the Texas Coastal Exchange, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, GSI Environmental Inc., Texan By Nature, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Lone Star Coastal Alliance, the Quivira Coalition, Sprint Waste Services, the Dixon Water Foundation, Climate Action Texas, the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, Valero Energy Corp., the U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, America’s Wetland Foundation, the Soil Value Exchange, the Western Landowners Alliance, Batker Consulting, the Meadows Foundation and the Savory Institute, as well as the Baker Institute, the SSPEED Center, Rice’s Energy and Environment Initiative and Earth sciences department, and several subject matter experts.

When completed, the working group’s concept will be available and open to anyone who wants to buy or sell carbon.

Jeff Falk
713-348-6775
jfalk@rice.edu 

Bill George Family Leaves a Legacy on the Marfa Grasslands

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George Ranch, photo by King Land & Water

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.

Dixon Water Foundation Partners with the Audubon Society For Bird-Friendly Beef

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The Audubon Society’s 2019 North American Grasslands and Birds Report details the loss of more than 60% of historical grasslands.  This loss has led to degraded soils, dysfunctional watersheds, and loss of habitat for native wildlife. Grassland bird populations have subsequently seen a decline of more than 40% since the 1960s. 

The Dixon Water Foundation’s mission is to promote healthy watersheds through good land management. We manage our land through regenerative cattle grazing practices that allow disturbed land to rest and recover, resulting in sustained nutrient cycles and ecosystem functionality. This creates benefits for our ranching efforts while creating better habitat for native wildlife and sequestering carbon in the soil.

Audubon “protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation”. Audubon has acknowledged the role that ranchers can play in saving grassland bird populations from further declines, which resulted in the creation of the Conservation Ranching program. Dixon Water Foundation is a partner in the Audubon’s Conservation Ranching program. The Foundation is happy to announce that we recently received Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Land seal, which certifies that cattle grazed on our land was grazed in bird-friendly habitat. Consumers can find more information on where they can purchase beef that was grazed in bird-friendly land here.

Mimms Unit Walking Trail Closed

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The Dixon Water Foundation announces the closing of the walking/running trail on its Mimms Unit pending review and development of a new public access policy.

For almost ten years the first two miles of the main road into the Mimms Unit of Dixon Ranches has been open for the public to use as a hiking and running trail during daylight hours. Along the public access section of the road, the Foundation has installed signage to interpret the importance of prairie ecosystems and the role of livestock grazing in maintaining those ecosystems.

Over the past year the amount of unauthorized use of the property outside the open-access road has increased to the detriment of the land, cattle and wildlife of the ranch. “We regret closing the road to public use” said Robert J. Potts, President of The Dixon Water Foundation. “We know that there are many responsible users of the trail that really enjoy the opportunity to be on the ranch and respect the rules of access. Unfortunately, there are also too many people who are disrespectful of the rules, the land and even our employees.”

During this public access review period, The Dixon Water Foundation will continue to provide access to groups interested in desert grasslands and the role of livestock grazing in maintaining and improving those grasslands. For more information or to arrange for group access contact Philip Boyd pboyd@dixonwater.org.

New resource for teachers

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“Understanding Soil Health and Watershed Function” is a new teacher’s workbook by Didi Pershouse, now available as a “sneak preview” for educators preparing their fall lessons. The Dixon Water Foundation supported the production of this resource, which was a joint project of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the USDA Southern Plains Climate Hub, The Soil Carbon Coalition, and Redlands Community College.

DWF receives Leopold Conservation Award®

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The state’s top land conservation award typically goes to a private ranch, but this year the honoree is the Dixon Water Foundation, a North Texas-based nonprofit which manages not one, but six different ranches, all of them devoted to demonstrating how good land management using cattle grazing can lead to more and better water for people and wildlife.

Founded in 1994 by the late Roger Dixon, the Dixon Water Foundation promotes healthy watersheds and sequestration of carbon through regenerative land management to ensure that present and future generations of Texans have the water resources they need. In 2005, the foundation acquired the Bear Creek Ranch in Parker County west of Fort Worth. In 2008, they went west to try their approach in drier soils, acquiring the Mimms Ranch near Marfa. Today the foundation operates six ranches totaling 21,960 acres. Each one utilizes a high intensity/low duration holistic grazing system which mimics the natural effect of large herds of bison which used to migrate through Texas.

On May 18, the foundation received $10,000 along with a Leopold Conservation Award crystal at the 22nd Lone Star Land Steward Awards dinner in Austin. This award is given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, and conferred each year by Sand County Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to private land conservation, in partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. In Texas, the Leopold Conservation Award program is sponsored by the Lee and Ramona Bass Foundation.

Dixon Water Foundation staff and board members receive the Leopold Conservation Award at the 22nd Lone Star Land Steward Awards ceremony in Austin on May 18th. (Photo by Texas Park and Wildlife Department)

Photo by Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.

Since 1996, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has hosted the Lone Star Land Steward Awards to recognize private landowners for habitat management and wildlife conservation.  In addition to the statewide Leopold award, multiple eco-region recipients are acknowledged in various parts of the state.

A primary purpose of the award is to elevate outstanding landowners who can serve as a positive example to other ranchers and landowners, and to demonstrate how good land management practices can be both profitable and ecologically sustainable.

“Even though they’re a nonprofit, the Dixon Water Foundation always makes management decisions with the bottom line in mind,” said Justin Dreibelbis, who leads TPWD’s private lands conservation efforts. “If their ranches don’t pay for themselves, the demonstration won’t apply to other landowners.”

And the foundation has demonstrated decades of results, using only one tool: cattle.

“The only tool that we use is cattle, because that’s the tool that’s on the landscape; that’s what most landowners across Texas are using,” said Robert Potts, foundation president. “If you’re ranching for the long-term, this is the way to build the wealth in the land. This is going to be a much more profitable way, we believe, to run a ranch. Because you’re not mining the soil, you’re building the soil. That makes it more resilient during drought, and makes it more productive when you do get rain.”

Alongside its cattle enterprise, the foundation is committed to education, outreach and community service, and its list of these credits goes on and on for pages in the award nomination form. For example, Mimms Ranch serves as an outdoor classroom for K-8 students at Marfa International School. Students study sustainable land management, water quality, soil health, desert plants and animals, and other topics through hands-on activities at the ranch. Similarly, more than 1,200 students from Aledo I.S.D. west of Fort Worth complete field labs at Bear Creek Ranch. From studying how wildlife rebound after drought to pronghorn restoration, the foundation also hosts research projects on its properties in partnership with multiple colleges and universities.

Ultimately, it all comes back to water, which the foundation views as the single most important resource for Texas’ future.

“Lots of people worry about how much rain falls,” Potts said, “but what really matters is how much rain gets in the ground. That’s the rain you can use. The rain that runs off, that creates flash floods, that erodes creek banks, that silts up reservoirs — that doesn’t do you any good.”

“What’s easy to happen in these drier environments is that you lose the ground cover, and when that happens you end up with bare ground, and when you have bare ground it’s like not having skin on the earth,” Potts explained. “So we’ve been really pleased that we’ve been able to bring back a lot of the native cover with low grasses like curly mesquite interspersed with bunch grasses like blue gramma.”

“By owning these ranches and being able to raise and sell cattle and support the economics of the enterprise, we’re also able to build wealth in the soil. We’re able to build micro-life in the soil, sequester carbon in the soil, create healthier forage, and then that pays dividends over a long period of time.”

 

NORTH TEXAS OFFICE

4528 County Road 398
Decatur, TX 76234

WEST TEXAS OFFICE

P.O. Box 177
Marfa, TX 79843

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