Attention Land Trust Leaders

First meeting of the NEW Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program’s Conservation Council

Blair Fitzsimons of TALT will also be speaking about the importance of protecting Texas’ farm and ranch lands. The Council will also consider the adoption of the new TPWD scoring process for evaluating and awarding applications for grants.  There are many other interesting items on the agenda and I hope that the Texas land trust community can make a strong showing at this meeting.

Texas Farm and Ranch Lands
Conservation Council
 

January 28, 2016

10:00 a.m

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Commission Hearing Room

4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744

 

  1. Reed Morian, Council Chairman

 

  1. Briefing Item – Presentation of Welcoming Statement by Carter Smith, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Executive Director

 

  1. Briefing Item – Presentation to Council regarding the importance of protecting the heritage of Texas’ farms and ranches. Presenter: Blair Fitzsimons, Chief Executive Officer, Texas Agricultural Land Trust

 

  1. Briefing Item – Presentation to Council regarding a brief history and scope of the land trust contribution to land and water conservation in Texas. Presenter: Lori Olsen, Executive Director, Texas Land Trust Council

 

  1. Briefing Item – Review of training program provided to the Council by TPWD staff. Presenters: Ted Hollingsworth, Director, Land Conservation Program; Robert Sweeney, staff attorney

 

  1. Briefing Item – Review and acceptance of minutes from September 17, 2014 Council meeting. Presenter: Ted Hollingsworth

 

  1. Briefing Item – Presentation to Council by TPWD staff regarding the mission and functions of the TPWD and TPWD Land Conservation Program. Presenter: Ted Hollingsworth

 

  1. Briefing Item – Presentation to Council by TPWD staff regarding working lands of Texas: their extent, productivity, economic value, and the threats they face; and the role of land trusts and conservation easements in protecting working lands. Presenter: Ted Hollingsworth

 

  1. Briefing Item – Presentation to Council by TPWD staff regarding grant programs of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and other potential sources for matching funds with Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program (TFRLCP) grants. Presenter: Ted Hollingsworth

 

  1. Action Item – Consideration by Council of the adoption of the scoring process for evaluating and awarding applications for grants by the TFRLCP required under Texas Parks and Wildlife Code section 84.010(2). Presenter: Ted Hollingsworth

 

  1. Action Item – Consideration by Council of the adoption of a schedule for evaluation of TFRLCP applications, including the deadlines for grant application submission and the expected dates of Council decisions on grant awards. Presenter: Ted Hollingsworth

 

  1. Public Comment Session. The Council will receive comments from the public on any matters within its jurisdiction. Speakers will be limited to three minutes each, with the total time for public comment limited to one hour.

 

NOTICE REGARDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT AGENDA ITEMS

Additional information about the agenda items listed above is available on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) website at: www.tpwd.texas.gov/texasfarmandranch

NOTICE REGARDING NON-DISCRIMINATION

TPWD receives federal assistance from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and other federal agencies. TPWD is therefore subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, in addition to state anti-discrimination laws. TPWD will comply with state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability.

If you require an accommodation or informational materials in an alternative form, please contact Carla Beavers at (512) 389-4911 (telephone). Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the agency on a Text Telephone (TDD) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any TPWD program, activity or event, you may contact Dawn Heikkila, Deputy Executive Director, Policy and Administration, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744, (512) 389-4727 (telephone), dawn.heikkila@tpwd.texas.gov (email). Alternatively, you may contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Diversity and Inclusive Workforce Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.

NOTICE REGARDING PUBLIC TESTIMONY

Public testimony will be taken on items labeled “Action Item.” Public testimony will normally be limited to three minutes per person.

NOTICE REGARDING EXECUTIVE (CLOSED) SESSION 

In addition to the items for which an Executive Session is scheduled; the Council may meet in Executive (Closed) Session on any item listed above if authorized by the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551.

NOTICE REGARDING ORDER OF AGENDA ITEMS

Items may be taken up in an order other than that listed on the Agenda

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