Jasmin has been working on mapping the Preserve, available pastures for grazing and rotation purposes, topography and soil analysis across the Preserve. The goal is to use the map for land planning including recreational purposes, grazing and improvements. Follow the link to see what soil is on your property along with, fence lines, and recent improvements on the Ranch. 
Ranch Interactive Map ​

Join Blanco County Master Gardeners and Hill Country Alliance in exploring the grasses of the Texas Hill Country. A Free Grass Field Trip co-sponsored by the AgriLife Extension and LBJ National Historical Park with Master Gardeners will take place Tuesday, October 9th.
 
The Field Trip will begin at the LBJ Park Event Center with check-in beginning at 12:30 PM. The National Park is in the process of restoring acreage into the mid-grass prairie of our heritage. The Field Trip will conclude at 4:00 PM north of town by the Pedernales River.
 
Bill Carr, a botanist, an expert on Hill Country flora and co-author of  Rare Plants of Texas,  A Field Guide will guide the field trip along with Daniel Oppenheimer of Hill Country Alliance and Alex Shane, Resource Manager at the National Park.  Chris Wiemers, Extension Agent, will join two Master Gardeners, Susan Evans and Susan Hamm, in guaranteeing that every participant will have a guide nearby.
 
*The Grass Field Trip is limited to 40 participants to assure everyone has a great, personal experience.* 
 
To register for the Free Grass Field Trip contact the Blanco County AgriLife Extension Office. Sonya Fenton, office secretary, will see that you are registered and provide you with the Grass Field Trip Itinerary. 830-868-7167    sonya.fenton@ag.tamu.edu  Sonya Fenton   101E. Cypress Ste. 109, Johnson City

Our land stewardship philosophy is the preservation and enhancement of nearly 1,500 acres of open space in a manner that balances conservation with member enjoyment. Current uses of the open space include a small-scale cattle operation, habitat for horses, recreational use of our twenty-two mile trail system, hunting, agricultural production, vital birding habitat, native springs and habitat for numerous native and some exotic species.

The HOA frequently participates in wildlife and habitat improvements in support of its commitment to thoughtful land stewardship of the open space.

Last year the Preserve at Walnut Springs HOA participated in the Land Incentive Program through Texas Parks and Wildlife Division who matches our funding.  The goals of this
project are:

1. to protect two spring sites (Cuellar Spring and Walnut Springs) from degradation,
2. to improve the diversity of the mixed oak-juniper plant communities in the adjacent canyons and riparian zones, and

1. to promote the establishment of native herbaceous vegetation. The ultimate goal is to manage for habitats that are appealing to a diversity of native wildlife species including the endangered golden-cheeked warbler, while also enhancing water infiltration and groundwater recharge.

 
These goals will be accomplished by implementing the following management practices:
1.     constructing fences to exclude feral hogs and livestock from the two spring sites and their associated riparian areas,
2.     reducing the cover of baccharis within the lower riparian zone of Cuellar Spring where the baccharis has become dense and is competing with native grasses, desirable shrubs, and herbaceous plants, and
3.     reducing the cover of small 'second growth' Ashe juniper growing in the woodland canopy in the head canyons associated with both springs. 

The Preserve at Walnut Springs Homeowners Association is preparing for our 2016-2017 Whitetail Deer Harvest in accordance with our Wildlife Management Plan. If your family would like to participate in the harvest this year, please let General Manager Dale Richey know as soon as possible so that we can coordinate a time and date for you. Safety is our highest priority.

If your family is not participating in the harvest this year, but will be visiting the ranch trails during hunting season, please let us know and follow the mandatory Trail Closures for your safety. General Season begins on November 5th and runs until January 1st 2017 and Trails will be CLOSED prior to 10am and after 3pm.


There will be two exceptions during this time frame when the trails will be open without closure:

• Thanksgiving Day: November 24th 
• Christmas Day: December 25th 

January 2nd to January 15th, 2017 is late season and Trails will be CLOSED prior to 10am and after 3pm.

Voluntary land stewardship, the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care, is the keystone for preserving the natural resources of Texas. With land in Texas being approximately 95% privately owned, voluntary land stewardship is vital to keeping these resources healthy. It all starts with a Conservation Plan. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural producers have been working with their local soil and water conservation districts for over 75 years receiving technical assistance to develop and implement conservation plans for their operations.

A conservation plan focuses on the specific needs and objectives of the individual producer. Whether that objective is grazing management for livestock, wildlife habitat enhancements, timber management, cropland irrigation efficiency improvements, cover crops for better soil, brush management, or native grass restoration, the Texas agricultural producer faces many challenges head on in an effort to be a good steward. The implementation of some of these conservation practices can be expensive, but the landowner, and ultimately all of Texas, will reap the benefits through sustainable food and fiber along with water quality enhancements.

By Brendan Gibbons STAFF WRITER

AUSTIN — Thousands of acres of private land across Texas and eight Midwestern and Plains states could become better habitat for vulnerable monarch butterflies, thanks to a federal grant program.

U.S. Department of Agriculture officials Friday announced $720 million in funding for 84 projects across the U.S., including $6 million for monarch butterfly preservation in Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. The iconic butterfly’s population has dropped from an estimated high of about 1 billion 20 years ago to a low of 20 million before a modest rebound to 34 million today, deputy undersecretary Ann Mills said at Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Texas will be the lead state in the project because of its vast amount of private land and its importance for monarchs crossing the state during their annual migration to Mexico from the Upper Midwest and Northeast.

The Preserve at Walnut Springs HOA has two European Longhorn wall mounts to auction off to the public. The opening bid will be $500. The auction will begin following the December board meeting and end on Saturday, December 19th at 5:00 pm CT. 

All bids must be sent via email to: preserveatwalnutsprings@gmail.com. No bids can be placed via phone or in person, as the email will provide a time and date stamp needed in order to prevent inaccuracies. As bids come in via email, the highest amount will be posted on the pwshoa.com website. Please refer to this page for the current status of the auction. The highest bidder will have their choice selection of horns. The second highest bidder will receive the horns remaining. 

Additional Details: All bids will be processed according to when they are received, with the highest and earliest bid taking precedence. In the event of a tied bid, the tie-breaker will be the highest and earliest bid received according to the time and date stamp on the email transmittal. The Buyer's will be responsible for any shipping or handling following the auction.

The Preserve at Walnut Springs Homeowners Association is preparing for our 2015-2016 Whitetail Deer Harvest in accordance with our Wildlife Management Plan. 

If your family would like to participate in the harvest this year, please let General Manager Dale Richey know as soon as possible so that we can coordinate a time and date for you. Safety is our highest priority.

If your family is not participating in the harvest this year, but will be visiting the ranch trails during hunting season, please let us know and follow the mandatory Trail Closures for your safety.