Scott Shannon Ranch

Scott Shannon Ranch

Hill Country Conservancy is pleased to announce the donation of a conservation easement from Scott Shannon of Scott Shannon Ranch in Blanco County. This easement protects an area of land roughly the size of Austin's Zilker Park within the Middle Trinity Aquifer recharge zone and Pedernales River watersheds.

In Texas, we owe a lot to private landowners like Scott Shannon who voluntarily protect their land's water and wildlife... thanks to [Scott] and the assistance of the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program, these 367 acres will remain a wondrous example of the glory of the Texas Hill Country for many generations to come.

Frank Davis, Chief Conservation Officer
Image
Scott Shannon Ranch in Blanco County is 367 acres of beautiful Hill Country land along the heavily-trafficked US Highway 290 corridor between Johnson City and Fredericksburg. The ranch hosts 1.4 miles of Towhead Creek, which drains into Flat Creek, .75 miles above where it joins with the Pedernales River. As the City of Austin gets approximate 23% of its water from the Pedernales River, this area is in vital need of conservation to protect the drinking water supply of Austin residents, and the acquisition of this conservation easement on Scott Shannon Ranch plays an important role in watershed protection efforts.
Image
Image
Scott Shannon Ranch also contains prime farmland soil, which is becoming increasingly rare within the Edwards Plateau. The conservation easement on this property will preserve the many plants and animals dependent on the habitat and food sources found on the ranch. Scott Shannon Ranch also hosts several Species of Greatest Conservation Need (species identified to be particularly vulnerable or threatened and in need of protection). It is also within the southern migration route for the rapidly-declining Monarch butterfly, providing Monarchs and other pollinators with abundant milkweed and other nectar plants.
Image

Landowner Scott Shannon is committee to conducting activities aimed at enhancing soil and native plants for the benefit of water and wildlife on the ranch. "My hope is that the second phase of our work will begin at some point soon and I'll be giving this property to Hill Country Conservancy when I pass on," said Shannon. "That's my real dream for the property: to build a center on the property and use Scott Shannon Ranch as a headquarters to host Hill Country Conservancy star parties and educational programs."

The conservation values of Scott Shannon Ranch include several that are fundamental to HCC's mission, including water resources, agricultural viability, wildlife habitat and scenic views. "In Texas, we owe a lot to private landowners like Scott Shannon who voluntarily protect their land's water and wildlife for generations to come," said Frank Davis, Chief Conservation Officer. "Thanks to him and the assistance of the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program, these 367 acres will remain a wondrous example of the glory of the Texas Hill Country for many generations to come."

Image

Comments 1

  1. Thank God for people like Scott Shannon, the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program and your organization. I hope you continue to gain more easements like this to preserve the Hill Country before developers make it unrecognizable and destroy it’s important benefits to wildlife and people.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *