Christmas Mountains tract could become part of Big Bend park

[sonias]

AAS article 2/2/08
Christmas Mountains tract could become part of Big Bend park
National Park Service proposal made public

By Asher Price
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, February 02, 2008

The Christmas Mountains, a rugged 9,000-plus-acre West Texas tract whose proposed sale by the state raised questions about public preservation of land, could be on the way to being incorporated into Big Bend National Park, bringing to a close the debate over its future.

On Friday, the General Land Office, which controls the land and had put it on the auction block, released a proposal by the National Park Service to take over the land, which is adjacent to Big Bend. The land board could decide as soon as Tuesday whether to go forward with the sale to private bidders or steer the property toward the National Park Service.

In its proposal, the park service said it hopes the land office donates the land. Otherwise, the park service says it would work with private conservation organizations to find a third party to buy the land and then donate it to the National Park Service.

(snip)
The proposal pays special attention to hunting, which it says would not be allowed on the land. Patterson, a supporter of gun rights, had said last year that he wanted hunting allowed on the land. But the park service proposal says hunting access is difficult and that the deer population is low. Herrmann said a prohibition on hunting on the property did not bother him.

This is good news and I hope that donors can be found to raise the money to buy the lands from the State of Texas.
:woohoo: :bounce: :woohoo:

Essentially the money to pay for the land has to be raised again since Texas can't (or won't) donate the land to the Federal Government. So the lesson to be learned here kiddies is never give the State of Texas any land you want to be conserved. You should give it to the National Park Service instead. Texas will just sell it anyway.

Sonia

[WolverineDG]

1. But but but

what about our rights to go onto that land & kill stuff? Why do you hate America?

:sarcasm:

I remain flattened that the original donor's generosity would be treated as a commodity to be sold, but then I remember that wackos are in charge, so I shouldn't have been too surprised, huh?

dg

[DUgosh]

2. The Christmas Mountains

Are so lovely this time of year.

[east texas lib]

3. Yeah they will...

And soon after the sale will come the celebrity studded commercials hawking the latest
"master planned community getaway destination with all the best amenities".:mad:

[cosmik debris]

6. I believe the donation came with restrictions

I believe that development is prohibited.

[sonias]

8. Yes they did - conservation easements

But Patterson and his privatize the land cronies keep saying that the state can't afford to enforce those conservations easements. It will cost money to manage the land they whine.

So I agree that the best thing to do to honor the spirit in which the land was given to us is to let the Federal Park Service add the land to their mismanaged properties. Make it part of Big Bend.

Sonia

[sonias]

4. Heads-Up: School Land Board to Meet on X-Mas Mountains

Texas Observer blog 2/4/08
Heads-Up: School Land Board to Meet on X-Mas Mountains
February 4th, 2008 at 5:07 pm

The three-member School Land Board is scheduled to meet tomorrow at 10am on the Christmas Mountains. On their agenda is “consideration and possible action” on the two private bids for control of the 9,270 acre wilderness. The National Park Service proposal is not on the agenda. That means the Land Board can accept one of the bid proposals, turn them both down, or delay action. (I suspect the latter.)

You can watch tomorrow’s proceedings here.

Land Commish Jerry Patterson, the chair of the Land Board, has given no indication of what he may do. Keep in mind, however, that the other two members were responsible for temporarily halting Patterson’s privatization gambit. That gave the Park Service time to draft its proposal, and time for conservation groups, citizens, and editorial boards to light into Patterson.

I'm watching right now. Who will enforce the conservation easements? The pro-business sale people just keep chiming in that we basically can't protect the land.

The state should abide by their contracts.

Sonia

[sonias]

7. Board rejects bids to buy Christmas Mountains

Sweeet!!!!

AAS article 2/5/08
Board rejects bids to buy Christmas Mountains

AUSTIN — The School Land Board has rejected two private bids to buy about 9,200 acres of rugged West Texas state land.

The move Tuesday in Austin pushes to the forefront a proposal from the National Park Service to acquire the Christmas Mountains and add them to Big Bend National Park.

Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson had proposed the sale, but it was vigorously opposed by environmentalists.

Oh Jerry Patterson - kiss our big fat environmental loving asses!

Sonia

[sonias]

5. They've gone into executive session

School Land Board will go into closed door session for at least 30 minutes.


Sonia