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The United States Forest Service is giving a $423,500 grant to the City of San Marcos to fund a land purchase of the Sink Creek Community Forest Track, the city announced on July 30.
The City of San Marcos purchased the 102-acre tract through a 3-year lease with The Trust for Public Land in 2017 for $1.27 million. The City Council approved the lease-purchase agreement with an expectation that external funding sources would be found to match the commitment of public funds, the city said.
“The city targeted this property for conservation so it can serve as a buffer from development in a particularly sensitive area,” said Kelly Eby, City of San Marcos urban forester. “By awarding these funds to the city, the U.S. Forest Service is joining our efforts to achieve strategic environmental planning.”
This is the first Community Forest and Open Program grant awarded to a project in Texas, according to the city. The federal assistance granted by the U.S. Forest Service will be applied toward the final installment payment for the Sink Creek property, which is located in the Upper San Marcos Watershed. Sink Creek connects to the headwaters of the San Marcos River.
The property features ancient live oak trees, limestone cliffs and wildlife.
“The land will remain open space, where it will help protect the water quality of the river, foster the native ecosystem and mitigate some of the urban heat island effect as the city expands,” the city said.
