Land conservation 'loop' completed around city

The San Marcos River Foundation has completed one of their long held dreams for land conservation; one that also provides protection for the recharge zones of the Edwards Aquifer. According to the SMRF newsletter, the Hays County Parks and Open Space Bond was used recently to purchase the 102-acre Elsik Tract, completing a contiguous greenbelt loop around the city.

San Marcos River Foundation Executive Director Virginia Parker said over a 25-year-span the SMRF has been partnering with many different organizations, including the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance, to complete a greenbelt loop around the city of San Marcos.

“The Elsik Property was originally purchased by 4 individuals focused on conserving the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone who were willing to keep the property until a more permanent solution was available,” Parker said. “The Hays County Parks and Open Space Bond allowed for this permanent solution, and Hays County purchased the Elsik Tract in October of 2023 for future public access and park space.”

Parker added that the Elsik Tract contains many karst recharge features, which are beneficial for aquifer, river and spring protection in addition to flood mitigation. By creating this loop, she said they are protecting drinking water for over 2.5 million central Texans.

“And [the Elsik Tract] completes the greenbelt loop around the city which serves as an important wildlife corridor,” Parker said. “It also connects two pieces of land owned by the city, and will connect existing trails which will enhance the alternative transportation and recreation corridor for everyone to use.”

Parker said each portion of land within the loop was funded and conserved in different ways. “Some were purchased by the city of San Marcos, and some were conserved through conservation easements by private landowners,” Parker said. “The San Marcos River Foundation purchased several of these properties in order to hold on to them until more permanent solutions were available. Every land purchase that the foundation made was ultimately a financial loss for the organization, but an environmental win for our aquifer, springs and river.“ Parker said the SMRF would like to see this contiguous greenbelt loop around the city widened– increasing its environmentally beneficial features, and they “will work towards more land protection over the recharge zone as we have for the past 25+ years.”

This is not the only project that the SMRF is working on. Parker said they have trained citizen scientists to monitor water quality, and they work to improve wastewater discharge permits, which have a huge impact on water quality as well.

“SMRF currently has nine permits that they are working on which is very costly and time consuming,” Parker said. “SMRF works with riverside landowners to educate on best practices within the riparian zone and manages a 31-acre private preserve along the San Marcos River–removing invasive species and planting native species to control erosion in the floodplain.”

Parker added that the SMRF works within three counties to monitor agenda items and contest or improve any projects that could negatively impact the river. She said they also work with developers to promote green infrastructure practices.

“The San Marcos River Foundation is a member organization that is fiscally responsible, and incredibly effective with limited resources,” Parker said.

She said the SMRF is having their first in-person fundraiser from 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 21 in Martindale, due to the financial burden involved in remedying the large number of wastewater permits in that area. Tickets to the fundraiser can be found at donorbox. org/events/481158. Also, sign up for the free SMRF newsletter at sanmarcosriver. org.