Following a surge of funds from the , Fort Worth鈥檚 open space is making moves to preserve land throughout the city.
The new push will begin in southeast Fort Worth. On Nov. 29, City Council members approved a $2.5 million purchase of five properties spanning 29 acres on the western shoreline of Lake Arlington. The acquisition marks the program鈥檚 fifth since launching in 2020 and the first approved this year.
The city already owns several parcels along Lake Arlington and behind Eugene McCray Park. Brandi Kelp, who runs the open space program from her position in Fort Worth鈥檚 stormwater management department, said the area was a high priority for city staff seeking to expand Eugene McCray and create a trail system for the public to enjoy.
鈥淲e wanted to create more of an amenity for the residents over there,鈥� Kelp said. 鈥淭hat area is and we wanted to create an opportunity for trail-oriented development 鈥� mixed uses and restaurants and things that benefit the community economically and also tie into the open space and trails that we鈥檙e creating over there.鈥�
The cost was split evenly between Fort Worth鈥檚 parks department and the open space program, which obtained $15 million from a voter-approved bond in May. The program also has millions to spend on capital projects from Fort Worth鈥檚 oil and gas trust.
If council members approve three more expected acquisitions over the next few months, the program鈥檚 coffers will have about $2 million in oil and gas funds and a little over $11 million left in bond funding, Kelp said during a with council members.
Where will the city head next? Kelp originally expected council members to vote Nov. 29 on another acquisition of a property just west of Rosehill Park in east Fort Worth. But the $400,000 purchase is paused because council members had more questions about the proposal, Kelp said.
City staff plan to install natural surface trails, signage and a gravel parking lot on the site, which is located on Nosilla Street. The area is home to rare migratory bird species cataloged by a member of the Fort Worth Audubon Society. Kelp expects the society to partner with the city to build bird blinds 鈥� camouflaged shelters used to observe wildlife.
鈥淚t could really be a very unique environmental education opportunity,鈥� she told council members on Nov. 15.
Fort Worth is also close to obtaining just under 50 acres at Primrose Station, adjacent to Chisholm Trail Parkway near Benbrook. The property contains 鈥渃ritical habitat鈥� for wildlife and would connect to the Fort Worth Prairie Park, an open space project that from the nonprofit Great Plains Restoration Council.
The last property currently under consideration is in far southwest Fort Worth and would connect the West Fork of the Trinity River to the other side of Lake Benbrook. The parcel is located just south of the Walsh Ranch development, Kelp said.
Other priority areas include the north Fort Worth prairie, , Ten Mile Bridge, the Trinity Trails, Lake Worth Water Department land and trail connections along the Sycamore Creek watershed trail, according to Kelp鈥檚 Nov. 15 presentation.
Beyond obtaining more land, the open space program also obtained a $150,000 grant from the North Texas Community Foundation鈥檚 conservation and environment fund to build trails and signage as well as from the Tandy Hills Natural Area. A portion of the natural area, Broadcast Hill, was the open space program鈥檚 back in the summer of 2020.
The program has been successful because city staff involved developers and several different city departments in the process since the start, Kelp said.
鈥淧ulling in the developers in that community was a critical piece to the whole thing because now they just see the value of what we鈥檙e doing and they see the value to their developments and a lot of them live here, too,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e want to create these really nice communities for our current and future residents.鈥�
Kelp is also hoping to work alongside other city governments who are leading open space initiatives, possibly through a working group convened by the North Central Texas Council of Governments. That initiative is still in its early stages, according to Edith Marvin, the director of environment and development for the council of governments.
Nonprofit organizations in the area need more financial support to fund conservation easements, Kelp said. Those agreements allow landowners to keep the title to their land but agree to permanently limit certain kinds of development on the property.
There鈥檚 more demand from landowners interested in signing easements than there is funding to complete them in Texas, according to . Kelp imagines that a future working group will focus on how to bring organizations together with the goal of increasing the amount of funding available to complete those agreements.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a big gap between what we鈥檙e able to do right now and there really aren鈥檛 a lot of active nonprofits who are able to hold and maintain those conservation easements,鈥� Kelp said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working with a lot of those partners and basically trying to bring everyone together who鈥檚 already working on things separately and hopefully have a greater impact when we鈥檙e all working together.鈥�
is the environmental reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Her position is supported by a grant from the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation. Contact her by email or via .