Texas Agricultural Land Trust Tops 314,000 Acres of Working Lands Conserved
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 3, 2025
Media contact: Kacie Hatsfelt
985-351-9867
Texas Agricultural Land Trust Tops 314,000 Acres of Working Lands Conserved
Across every corner of Texas, from the rim of Palo Duro Canyon to the pine forests along the Angelina River, more than 314,000 acres of working lands are now permanently conserved through the Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT).
Formed in 2007 by landowners for landowners, TALT has grown into the largest state-based land trust in Texas, working with 84 families across 47 counties to complete 63 voluntary conservation easements. Together, these conserved landscapes span all 10 of Texas’ ecoregions and protect more than 255,000 acre-feet of water—enough to fill 83,000 municipal water towers, 4.4 million swimming pools, or 630 billion water bottles.
“TALT exists to help Texas landowners keep working lands working,” said Mike Conaway, Chair of TALT’s Board of Directors. “Each easement represents a family’s deep commitment to stewardship. These are people who love their land and want to see it remain productive and healthy for generations to come. Their choices today ensure that the open spaces, wildlife habitat, and agricultural heritage that define Texas will endure.”
From the desert mountains of the Trans-Pecos to the Gulf Coast marshes, every easement tells a different story of conservation and care.
West Texas: On the Miller Ranch and ZH Canyon LP Ranch, TALT easements safeguard vast stretches of Chihuahuan Desert habitat—home to more than 3,000 plant species and a quarter of the world’s cacti—while protecting historic landmarks like Camp Holland and vital desert watersheds.
North Texas: The Birdwell & Clark Ranch is a nationally recognized model of regenerative ranching, where adaptive grazing and soil-health practices have restored native prairie, improved water infiltration, and supported a thriving diversity of grassland birds and wildlife.
East Texas: The Durst Lakes property conserves upland forests and riparian zones along the Angelina River, ensuring clean water, healthy soils, and habitat for native fish and wildlife.
Texas Coast: The E. Cross Cattle Company, a Century Ranch owned by the Cornelius family, preserves productive coastal prairie and wetlands that provide critical habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds while buffering inland communities from storm surge.
South Texas: San Pedro Ranch protects a biologically rich landscape of native brush, grasslands, and riparian corridors, as well as portions of El Camino Real—the historic route that once linked Mexico to Texas and Louisiana.
Central Texas: Eagles Nest Ranch conserves one of the last remnants of native tallgrass prairie in the Leon River watershed, maintaining both agricultural productivity and clean water for downstream communities.
Panhandle: MVR Rim Ranch borders Palo Duro Canyon State Park, protecting one of Texas’ most iconic vistas while sustaining rangeland, wildlife, and family heritage dating back to 1948.
“Conservation takes grit,” said Darren Clark, TALT’s Director of Land Conservation. “These families choose to protect their land not for short-term gain but for long-term good. In the last year and a half alone, TALT has closed 15 easements—nearly a quarter of our total portfolio—which shows just how committed Texans are to keeping our working lands working.”
From family ranches to forested watersheds, TALT’s 314,000+ acres of conserved land form a living legacy of stewardship—ensuring that Texas remains a place where agriculture, wildlife, and wide-open spaces thrive side by side.
The Texas Agricultural Land Trust is a private non-profit organization, founded by farmers and ranchers for farmers and ranchers. As the largest state-based land trust in Texas, conserving over 314,000 acres under easements, TALT is dedicated to preserving open spaces, native wildlife habitats, and natural resources on Texas' private working lands.
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