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The Ecoregion Extraordinary diversity of life amid and in Central

Partnerships

Protecting ’s sole source of drinking water is an important priority for the Conservancy. Since the 1990s, in partnership with others, the Conservancy has bought land from or established conservation agreements with willing private landowners to protect the recharge and contributing zones of the .

Winding through Kendall, Blanco and Hays counties, the Blanco is a vital link in a network of and aquifers conservationin profile the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion on which residents in Austin, San Marcos, Wimberley, San Antonio and the surrounding countryside depend for water. With partners, the Conservancy

launched the Blanco River Project in Black-capped vireo (© Mike Gray) 2003 to encourage collaboration among landowners, communities and other he much-loved Texas diversity of animals and plants, stakeholders to conserve the diversity of life in the Blanco River . Country is both rugged and many of which are not found outside pastoral in . Renowned the region. Beginning in 1994, the Conservancy T for its beautiful water-carved canyons joined forces with the U.S. Army to protect and steep hillsides forested with oak Perhaps most important to the the federally endangered black-capped and juniper, the Hill Country, Edwards Plateau Ecoregion is a vireos and golden-cheeked warblers on described as the Edwards Plateau profusion of irregular limestone and around . Ecoregion by conservation scientists, (or karst) features that capture encompasses 36,680 square miles water underground and supply this in . A recent ecoregional semi-arid landscape with abundant assessment undertaken by The water, the lifeblood of the land. Nature Conservancy and partners Supreme among underground water identified 62 rivers, creeks, springs resources is the Edwards Aquifer, and watersheds, along with 102 the primary water source for the landscapes, that are important to city of San Antonio and other conservation. They support a rich consumers. The Edwards Aquifer The very appeal of the Edwards Plateau spurs the greatest challenge to conserving the ecoregion: We are in danger of loving the Hill Country to death. Poorly planned growth; habitat fragmentation as older, large landholdings are developed; introduction of harmful, non-native species; poor range-management practices; and suppression of natural fire are putting severe pressure on the environment, particularly water resources.

Appreciation for the region’s natural treasures also helped create many state

Love Creek (© Edward Porter) parks and natural areas – some, such as and Honey Creek, also provides habitat for a variety of tanager, indigo bunting, blue-gray with help from the Conservancy. The rare - and crevice-dwelling species. gnatcatcher, zone-tailed hawks and Conservancy’s preserves in the Edwards bald eagles. This region – located Plateau include: While best known for the beautiful on the North American Central and historic Hill Country, the Edwards Flyway – provides essential corridors • The 4,000-acre Plateau Ecoregion includes for a great variety of migratory bids. Habitat Preserve in southwest Austin a wide range of plant and animal provides habitat for rare songbirds, communities, making it one of the Rare aquatic and cave-dwelling serves as a conservation-outreach most biologically diverse regions in species include Balcones ghostsnail, center and is a research site. the nation. fountain darter, San Marcos salamander, Texas blind salamander, • Eckert James River Bat Cave With its picturesque landscapes, Tooth Cave ground beetle and Bee Preserve in Mason is mild climate and copious water, the Creek Cave Harvestman spider. Rare home to about 6 million Mexican region beckoned to early settlers in plants include Texas mock-orange, free-tailed bats between May and the 1800s, particularly Germans, sycamore-leaved snowbells, darkstem October, when the bats migrate who built the gracious and orderly noseburn, spreading least-daisy, scarlet from Mexico to give birth in this Hill Country towns of Fredericksburg, virgin’s-bower, big red sage, buckley important maternity colony. This Comfort, New Braunfels and others. tridens and Tobusch fish-hook cactus. eight-acre preserve on the James , shrub lands and Reptiles include the fabled Texas River was given to the Conservancy also attracted cattle, sheep and horned lizard. in 1990 by the Eckert family. goat ranchers. Hill Country towns today are • At Love Creek Preserve, in Bandera Although large predators now are magnets for Texas urbanites seeking County, crystal-clear water flows uncommon on the Edwards Plateau, a small-town lifestyle within from springs and seeps to feed the bear and lions occasionally commuting distance of Austin creek for which the 1,400-acre are spotted in western portions of the and San Antonio. As a result, the preserve is named. These life-giving plateau. Other intriguing mammals populations of seven counties waters etch through deep, cool canyons are more common, such as javelinas, within the ecoregion are among and support a variety of rare wildlife. ringtails, bobcats, armadillos, raccoons, the fastest growing in the nation. contact information opossums and badgers. Rare and San Antonio, the eighth-largest interesting birds include the American city, continues to grow, The Nature Conservancy of Texas golden-cheeked warbler, which nests with much of that growth occurring P.O. Box 1440 San Antonio, Texas 78295 only in the Hill Country, black-capped in the recharge zone for the tel (210) 224-8774 vireo, Acadian flycatcher, summer Edwards Aquifer. fax (210) 228-9805

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