NRI Announces $2 Million for Conservation Easements in Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape
San Antonio, TX — In response to the rapid urbanization surrounding Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI) is offering $1.9 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). This funding is available to help private landowners within the Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape area protect agricultural and open lands through conservation easements.
These easements are designed to curb land loss and fragmentation—issues that have increasingly affected Texas in recent years. By securing conservation easements, landowners can preserve vital natural resources, ensuring benefits such as clean air, water, and dark skies while supporting the military mission and training operations at Camp Bullis.
San Antonio’s Growth: Impact on Natural Resources and Military Training
As San Antonio’s growth accelerates, so does the pressure on natural resources, especially water supply. Water is among the most critical resources facing increasing demand. In the face of more frequent droughts and severe storm events, partners within the Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape (CBSL) emphasize preserving water features around Camp Bullis.
Conservation easements are vital in safeguarding land from development, enhancing water quality, and promoting groundwater recharge through responsible land management. The CBSL project area encompasses portions of the Medina, Guadalupe, and San Antonio watersheds, which are home to unique and sensitive karst features such as natural springs and seeps. Additionally, limiting development through conservation easements helps maintain dark skies—crucial for human health, migratory wildlife, and nighttime military training operations at Camp Bullis.
How to Apply
Interested landowners with properties located entirely within the project area boundary are encouraged to apply. The application window is open from October 11 through November 21, 2024.
To learn more about the project, apply, and receive program updates, visit CampBullisRCPP.nri.tamu.edu. For questions about eligibility, contact George Clendenin, Project Coordinator, or Erin Davis, Project Specialist, at CampBullisRCPP@ag.tamu.edu.
Camp Bullis RCPP Project Area
By participating in this initiative, landowners can preserve the Texas Hill Country’s natural beauty and secure financial benefits through conservation easements, ensuring their land remains productive and protected for future generations.
Thank you to our key partners:
- Texas A&M AgriLife Natural Resources Institute
- Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)
- The Nature Conservancy of Texas
- Texas Agricultural Land Trust
- Hill Country Alliance
- Green Spaces Alliance
- The Cibolo Conservancy Land Trust
- Edwards Aquifer Authority
- Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance
- Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District
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Authors
As a program manager for partnerships for the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Brittany works with our partners to build strategies to grow the recognition and use of sound science, expanding conversations around conservation and how we work with private landowners in Texas.
Brittany joined NRI in 2017 with a background in agency strategy in the nonprofit, transportation, energy and higher education sectors. She received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Communications and Journalism from Texas A&M University. Today, she works with students in the department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management to ensure they are prepared to meet the challenge to connect the right research and solutions to natural resource managers.
She and her husband both come from families with working ranches in Texas where they spend their weekends with their two sons. She enjoys coffee, landscape photography, bow hunting and practicing ranch management methodologies in and out of the office.
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