Brushy Creek Co-op, a well known East Texas wildlife co-op located in Anderson County, was recently named among six 2021 Lone Star Land Steward Ecoregion Award Winners, according to reports from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The Lone Star Land Steward Awards recognizes private landowners in Texas for their exemplary contributions to land, water, and wildlife stewardship. With 95 percent of the land in Texas under private ownership, the conservation and stewardship efforts of private landowners are of vital importance to all Texans.
The 2021 recipients will be recognized during an upcoming awards banquet that will held virtually beginning at 6 p.m. on May 27.
Here is the rundown:
Wildlife Co-op – Brushy Creek Co-op
The Brushy Creek Co-op consists of over 10,000 acres that provide habitat for eastern wild turkeys and further their restoration in East Texas. The Co-op Chairman, Gary Costlow, owns property within the Co-op which has been in his family since 1859. Costly unites the cooperating landowners and organizes their efforts for brush control, native grassland restoration, forestry logging and thinning operations, food plot establishment, and prescribed burning. These efforts have created ideal habitat for eastern wild turkey reproduction and created a model TPWD research and restoration site for the region.
Coastal Prairies – Dunn O’Connor River Ranch (Goliad County)
Family owned since 1836, he Dunn O’Conner River Ranch in Goliad County is owned by three sisters, Morgan O’Conner, Kelly Schaar and Bridey Greeson. The family implements a thoughtful approach to cattle production and actively manages their land to improve wildlife habitat. In 2007, the ranch worked closely with state and federal partners to serve as a release site for the highly endangered Attwatter’s Prairie Chicken. The property continues to serve as an important site for research and recovery efforts.
Edwards Plateau – 7 Oaks Ranch (Crockett, Val Verde Counties)
The 7 Oaks Ranch was originally founded in 1934 and has been operated by the Walker family for three generations. Since 2005, the ranch has been jointly managed by ranch owner Kelly W. Walker, Sr. and his three sons Wayne, Philip & Caton. In March 2020, the three sons took on the leading role in managing the ranch following the passing of their father.
The brothers have forged creative partnerships with organizations and volunteers to help them manage the property for a variety of Texas wildlife through prescribed burning and brush management They actively implement prescribed fire, brush management, and community outreach, to carry on their father’s legacy of land stewardship and educate others on land management practices.
Post Oak Savannah – Shady W Ranch (Brazos County)
The Shady W Ranch in Brazos County exemplifies the patience and persistence that stewardship requires. While owner Parten Wakefield has experienced successes and setbacks in his restoration efforts through the years, he continues to work at doing what’s right for the land. Wakefield is active in the local community, particularly through programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters, allowing NRCS, Agrilife Extension and TPWD staff access as a demonstration site for grassland restoration. The ranch also focuses on hunt er and angler outreach and takes part in multiple grassland restoration projects through prescribed burning, TPWD’s Pastures for Upland Birds Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners Programs.
Rolling Plains – Chimney Creek Ranch (Shackleford County)
Chimney Creek Ranch in Shackelford County is a historic ranching operation run by the Paup family since the 1920s. The ranch puts income from hunting and livestock sales back into ranch improvements, focusing on conserving quality Rolling Plains habitat. Ranch owners Ted Paup and Hank Paup work to restore, protect and share the historic and cultural resources of the property and area with the public. Chimney Creek Ranch has worked to rebuild Smith’s Station on the Butterfield Trail and Bud Matthews Switch, a Texas Central Railroad shipping point. Artifacts found on the property are used for education and outreach with the local community. The ranch’s owners have also created Endowed Scholarships at Texas A&M University and Tarleton State University in Wildlife Science and Horticulture.
Trans-Pecos – Moore Ranch (Jeff Davis County)
The Moore Ranch in Jeff Davis County was settled by the Moore family in 1888. Jane Moore Crittendon, and her husband, Lynn Crittendon, continue to actively manage the property that once belonged to her parents and grandparents. Both in their 90s, Jane and Lynn have lived on and made a living on their land for over 60 years. The couple focuses their efforts on reducing erosion, improving water distribution and managing brush to benefit both wildlife and cattle.