December 01, 2011 Land Committee Minutes

ITEMS FOR FOLLOW-UP □ Review and legal interpretation of Gardens of Connemara conservation easement document by an attorney. □ Land Committee Objectives and Strategic Conservation Plan – finalize 2012 outreach objectives and land conservation objectives by February 2012 meeting.

Available Projects (still open for a Volunteer) □ Create a power point canned presentations for upcoming outreach needs (based on current CCF presentations). Coordinate with Outreach Committee. □ Assist Connemara staff with the creation of the Easement Profile booklet.

Committee Chair: Mark Yarbrough Members Present: John Dugdale, Chris Ebling, Brett Johnson, David Proposed Date of Next Meeting: Morgan, RJ Taylor (CCF staff), Mark Yarbrough, 01/10/2012

Mark Y. opened the meeting at 8am.

Strategic Plans for the CCF Land Committee into 2012 – (PLEASE FILL IN.)

Updates on Easement Preparation 1. Martin Ranch in Parker Co. –RJ is working with landowner and his attorney to complete the conservation easement paperwork and pertinent reports by the end of 2011. 2. Margaret McDermott Site (Eugene McDermott Park) in Allen, TX – Mrs. McDermott has officially placed Connemara Conservancy in her will as the recipient of a conservation easement on the 104-acre floodplain tract. Land will be donated in fee to the City of Allen as “Eugene McDermott Park”. 3. Mill Branch Mitigation Bank in N/W Denton Co. – A subordination letter with Bank of America has been drafted by Riverbank Ecosystems for the mortgage on the ranch, after review by John Dugdale. 4. Gainesville Site in Gainesville, TX – no updates. 5. Montalcino Estates Conservation Subdivision in Flower Mound – Developer was to have completed the developmental paperwork and finalized the easement by Thanksgiving 2011. No recent updates. 6. Pittman Ranch (DWF) in Cooke Co. – CCF received authorization to begin preparation of a conservation easement over the property. RJ is beginning to assemble the data for the Baseline Report.

Update on Leads RJ 1. D Bar B Ranch in Aledo, TX – planning a visit to meet the descendents of ranch owner. 2. Tree Mitigation needs in Dallas – no updates from attorney. 3. Stream Mitigation Project in Plano – no updates from bank developer. 4. Red Oak Umbrella Mitigation Bank – RJ Taylor visited the proposed tracts with the consultants for Johnny Mack Powers in October. He is adding 20 acres to TMC bank site, a new 348-acre bank site near Palmer in Ellis County, and a 90-acre bank site on the Trinity River north of his first bank in Ellis County. RJ also took Mark Y and John D to two of the sites in November. The tracts should fit our criteria for acceptance as easement properties. Waiting on Mr. Powers to coordinate with Army Corps of Engineers as to next steps in process.

Stewardship Activity No recent developments. All sites have been visited and photo-documented for the 2011 annual monitoring period, and monitoring reports will now be prepared.

Policy Paper Preparation All new policies have approved by Board, with amendment to the Amendment Policy to address the chain of approval to landowner amendment requests.

Other Outreach Information 1. A Landowner Workshop is being proposed for ranchers and farmers in counties southwest of the DFW area. The proposed venue will be in Granbury, TX on Friday afternoon March 11, 2012. 2. The Upper Trinity Conservation Trust (Upper Trinity Regional Water District subsidiary) and Connemara have initiated conversations with Randall Arendt about putting on a conservation development workshop for developers and municipalities sometime in the spring of 2012. 3. Connemara staff are initiating discussions with the Trinity Waters (used to be the Trinity Basin Conservation Foundation) about possible outreach partnerships to landowners in the Trinity River watershed corridor southeast of Dallas. 4. “Answers to Conservation Easement Questions” and Easement Profile booklet being assembled as an outreach item for landowners. Six easements chosen for profile. Sandra will be compiling interviews with these easement holders. More site photographs and photos of landowners are needed! Targeting to finish booklet by end of year.