The Davis Mountains Project

The Davis Mountains Project

• Davis Mountains Preserve

~ 33,000 acres

• Eleven conservation easements

~67,000 acres

•100,000 acre project centered around the highland mass of Mount Livermore

CONSERVATION PLANSUMMARY

NAME DATEFEE

ACREAGEEASEMENTACREAGE

U Up U Down Ranch(TLSS)

1984

TOTAL

CONSERVATION PLANSUMMARY

NAME DATEFEE

ACREAGEEASEMENTACREAGE

U Up U Down Ranch(TLSS)

1984

1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645

2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324

TOTAL 969

CONSERVATION PLANSUMMARY

NAME DATEFEE

ACREAGEEASEMENTACREAGE

U Up U Down Ranch(TLSS)

1984

1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645

2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324

3. Balsinger Tract August 21, 1997 700

4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274

TOTAL 969 1,974

CONSERVATION PLANSUMMARY

NAME DATEFEE

ACREAGEEASEMENTACREAGE

U Up U Down Ranch(TLSS)

1984

1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645

2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324

3. Balsinger Tract August 21, 1997 700

4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274

5. McIvor Purchase/Resale

December 19, 1997 11,809 20,603

TOTAL 12,778 22,577

CONSERVATION PLANSUMMARY

NAME DATEFEE

ACREAGEEASEMENTACREAGE

U Up U Down Ranch(TLSS)

1984

1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645

2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324

3. Balsinger Tract August 21, 1997 700

4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274

5. McIvor Purchase/Resale

December 19, 1997 11,809 20,603

6. McIvor Easement Donation

December 19, 1997 6,453

TOTAL 12,778 29,030

CONSERVATION PLANSUMMARY

NAME DATEFEE

ACREAGEEASEMENTACREAGE

U Up U Down Ranch(TLSS)

1984

1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645

2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324

3. Balsinger Tract August 21, 1997 700

4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274

5. McIvor Purchase/Resale

December 19, 1997 11,809 20,603

6. McIvor Easement Donation

December 19, 1997 6,453

7. McDonnold I February 27, 1998 1,069

8. Draughon Tract October 15, 1998 1,240

9. Crowley II November 20, 1998 462

10. Sheriff’s Tract November 23, 1998 18

11. McDonnald II December 16, 1998 1,926

12. Burkitt Tract I December 21, 1998 5,127

TOTAL 15,567 36,083

CONSERVATION PLANSUMMARY

NAME DATEFEE

ACREAGEEASEMENTACREAGE

U Up U Down Ranch(TLSS)

1984

1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645

2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324

3. Balsinger Tract August 21, 1997 700

4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274

5. McIvor Purchase/Resale

December 19, 1997 11,809 20,603

6. McIvor Easement Donation

December 19, 1997 6,453

7. McDonnold I February 27, 1998 1,069

8. Draughon Tract October 15, 1998 1,240

9. Crowley II November 20, 1998 462

10. Sheriff’s Tract November 23, 1998 18

11. McDonnald II December 16, 1998 1,926

12. Burkitt Tract I December 21, 1998 5,127

13. Burkitt II December 21, 1998 960

TOTAL 16,527 36,083

CONSERVATION PLANSUMMARY

NAME DATEFEE

ACREAGEEASEMENTACREAGE

U Up U Down Ranch(TLSS)

1984

1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645

2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324

3. Balsinger Tract August 21, 1997 700

4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274

5. McIvor Purchase/Resale

December 19, 1997 11,809 20,603

6. McIvor Easement Donation

December 19, 1997 6,453

7. McDonnold I February 27, 1998 1,069

8. Draughon Tract October 15, 1998 1,240

9. Crowley II November 20, 1998 462

10. Sheriff’s Tract November 23, 1998 18

11. McDonnald II December 16, 1998 1,926

12. Burkitt Tract I December 21, 1998 5,127

13. Burkitt II December 21, 1998 960

14. Valentine Ranch December 28, 1998 2,300

TOTAL 16,527 38,383

CONSERVATION PLANSUMMARY

NAME DATEFEE

ACREAGEEASEMENTACREAGE

U Up U Down Ranch(TLSS)

1984

1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645

2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324

3. Balsinger Tract August 21, 1997 700

4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274

5. McIvor Purchase/Resale

December 19, 1997 11,809 20,603

6. McIvor Easement Donation

December 19, 1997 6,453

7. McDonnold I February 27, 1998 1,069

8. Draughon Tract October 15, 1998 1,240

9. Crowley II November 20, 1998 462

10. Sheriff’s Tract November 23, 1998 18

11. McDonnald II December 16, 1998 1,926

12. Burkitt Tract I December 21, 1998 5,127

13. Burkitt II December 21, 1998 960

14. Valentine Ranch December 28, 1998 2,300

15. Caldwell March 1, 1999 27,378

TOTAL 16,527 65,761

Not always welcome with all stakeholders…

DMP Vegetation & Landforms

Vegetation Types

oak-pinyon pine

alligator juniper

pinyon pine

mesic woodlandW

Mount Livermore

Upper Madera Canyon

Little Aguja Canyon

Dead Man Canyon

Ecological Significance• Center of endemism

– 6 plant species– 8 animal species

• Multiple globally rare species– 23 plant species– 9 animal species

Longspur Columbine

Mountain Short-Horned LizardShinners Tickle Tongue

Rio Grande Chub Population Multiple Remnant Aspen Stands

• Functioning “Sky Island” Ecosystem– Relatively natural fire regime– Intact ecosystem– Exemplary plant communities– Significant migratory corridor & stop-over

Archeological Resources

Wolf Den Shelter Tall Rock Shelter

The Preserve as a Laboratory• Research Projects

– Montz Quail, Sul Ross, A&M Kingsville– Mex Spotted Owl, Sul Ross– Pinyon Juniper Stand Development, SFA– Community Delineation of Ponderosa Forests, SFA– Regional Fire & Climate, Yale University– Eco-hydrology, UT Bureau Eco Geology– Spring Biodiversity & Function, Texas State– Feral Hog Diet & Demographics, Sul Ross– Aspen Genetics & Demography, Sul Ross & UTSA– Turkey genetics, Sul Ross– Dendrochronology of DM Pinus Species, Sul Ross– Dung Beetle Diversity, private study– Mammal Inventory, Texas Tech – Proposed Elk Demographics Project, Sul Ross– And more……

Montezuma Quail

Habitat Modeling

Mexican Spotted Owl

Habitat Modeling

Taking cores for eco-hydrology research

Fire History

Fire Suppression

Juniper, Pinyon, Oak Size Class Distribution

18 16 15 8 3 1 0

275

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 > 40

Diameter (dbh; cm) classes midpoints

Tre

es p

er h

ecta

re

Fire Suppression

Ponderosa Size Class Distribution

Fuel Loads

low

medium

100-hr

1000-hr

W

Davis Mtns Fuels

• Low – grass

• Med - woodland

• 100-hr fuels

• 1000-hr fuels

Thinning treatments on the Davis Mountains Preserve

Canopy opening in a mature ponderosa stand

Fire on the DMP

• Partnership Approach– Texas Forest Service -National Park Service– US Fish & Wildlife -Region Wide TNC– Local Resources -TPWD

Private Lands Burning

Prescribed Fire on the Davis Mtns Preserve

Prior to Prescribed Fire 25 Days Post Prescribed Fire

7590 Acres

Exotic Species Management

• Active trapping program – 15 traps with over 220 hogs taken in 1.5 years

• Hog demographic and diet study in cooperation with Sul Ross State University

• Landowner hog cooperative in partnership with USDA Wildlife Services

Landowner Field Days

Volunteer Program

Trail Work ~1700 hours Volunteer Work Weeks

Public Activities

Public Open Weekends

Public Hiking Trail

Thanks