Presentation was used as an introduction to The Nature Conservancy\'s Davis Mountains Project in far west Texas. The presentation covers the history and development of the project as well as current research and management.

1. The Davis Mountains Project

2. The Davis Mountains Project
• Davis Mountains
Preserve
~ 33,000 acres
• Eleven conservation
easements
~67,000 acres
•100,000 acre project
centered around the
highland mass of
Mount Livermore

3. CON SERVATION PLAN
SU MMARY
FEE EASEMEN T
N AME D ATE
ACREAGE ACREAGE
U U p U D own Ranch
1984
(T LSS)
TOT AL

4. CON SERVATION PLAN
SU MMARY
FEE EASEMEN T
N AME D ATE
ACREAGE ACREAGE
U U p U D own Ranch
1984
(T LSS)
1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645
2. H arris T racts I&II May 17, 1995 324
TOT AL 969

5. CON SERVATION PLAN
SU MMARY
FEE EASEMEN T
N AME D ATE
ACREAGE ACREAGE
U U p U D own Ranch
1984
(TLSS)
1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645
2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324
3. Balsinger Tract August 21, 1997 700
4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274
TOTAL 969 1,974

6. CON SERVAT ION PLAN
SU MMARY
FEE EASEMEN T
N AME D AT E
ACREAGE ACREAGE
U U p U D own Ranch
1984
(T LSS)
1. LJB Tract August 26, 1993 645
2. H arris T racts I&II May 17, 1995 324
3. Balsinger T ract August 21, 1997 700
4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274
5. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 11,809 20,603
Purchase /Resale
TOT AL 12,778 22,577

7. CON SERVATION PLAN
SU MMARY
FEE EASEMEN T
N AME D ATE
ACREAGE ACREAGE
U U p U D own Ranch
1984
(T LSS)
1. LJB T ract August 26, 1993 645
2. H arris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324
3. Balsinger Tract August 21, 1997 700
4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274
5. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 11,809 20,603
Purchase /Resale
6. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 6,453
Easement D onation
TOT AL 12,778 29,030

8. CON SERVATION PLAN
SU MMARY
FEE EASEMEN T
N AME D ATE
ACREAGE ACREAGE
U U p U D own Ranch
1984
(TLSS)
1. LJB T ract August 26, 1993 645
2. Harris T racts I&II May 17, 1995 324
3. Balsinger T ract August 21, 1997 700
4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274
5. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 11,809 20,603
Purchase /Resale
6. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 6,453
Easement D onation
7. McD onnold I February 27, 1998 1,069
8. D raughon T ract October 15, 1998 1,240
9. Crowley II N ovember 20, 1998 462
10. Sheriff’s T ract N ovember 23, 1998 18
11. McD onnald II D ecember 16, 1998 1,926
12. Burkitt Tract I D ecember 21, 1998 5,127
TOTAL 15,567 36,083

9. CON SERVATION PLAN
SU MMARY
FEE EASEMEN T
N AME D ATE
ACREAGE ACREAGE
U U p U D own Ranch
1984
(TLSS )
1. LJB T ract August 26, 1993 645
2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324
3. Balsinger T ract August 21, 1997 700
4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274
5. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 11,809 20,603
Purchase /Resale
6. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 6,453
Easement D onation
7. McD onnold I February 27, 1998 1,069
8. D raughon T ract October 15, 1998 1,240
9. Crowley II N ovember 20, 1998 462
10. Sheriff’s Tract N ovember 23, 1998 18
11. McD onnald II D ecember 16, 1998 1,926
12. Burkitt Tract I D ecember 21, 1998 5,127
13. Burkitt II D ecember 21, 1998 960
TOTAL 16,527 36,083

10. CON SERVATION PLAN
SU MMARY
FEE EASEMEN T
N AME D ATE
ACREAGE ACREAGE
U U p U D own Ranch
1984
(TLSS)
1. LJB T ract August 26, 1993 645
2. Harris T racts I&II May 17, 1995 324
3. Balsinger T ract August 21, 1997 700
4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274
5. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 11,809 20,603
Purchase /Resale
6. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 6,453
Easement D onation
7. McD onnold I February 27, 1998 1,069
8. D raughon T ract October 15, 1998 1,240
9. Crowley II N ovember 20, 1998 462
10. Sheriff’s T ract N ovember 23, 1998 18
11. McD onnald II D ecember 16, 1998 1,926
12. Burkitt Tract I D ecember 21, 1998 5,127
13. Burkitt II D ecember 21, 1998 960
14. Valentine Ranch D ecember 28, 1998 2,300
TOTAL 16,527 38,383

11. CON SERVATION PLAN
SU MMARY
FEE EASEMEN T
N AME D AT E
ACREAGE ACREAGE
U U p U D own Ranch
1984
(TLSS )
1. LJB T ract August 26, 1993 645
2. Harris Tracts I&II May 17, 1995 324
3. Balsinger T ract August 21, 1997 700
4. Ryan Tract August 21, 1997 1,274
5. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 11,809 20,603
Purchase /Resale
6. McIvor
D ecember 19, 1997 6,453
Easement D onation
7. McD onnold I February 27, 1998 1,069
8. D raughon T ract October 15, 1998 1,240
9. Crowley II N ovember 20, 1998 462
10. Sheriff’s Tract N ovember 23, 1998 18
11. McD onnald II D ecember 16, 1998 1,926
12. Burkitt Tract I D ecember 21, 1998 5,127
13. Burkitt II D ecember 21, 1998 960
14. Valentine Ranch D ecember 28, 1998 2,300
15. Caldwell March 1, 1999 27,378
TOTAL 16,527 65,761

13. Not always welcome with all stakeholders…

14. DMP Vegetation & Landforms
Vegetation Types
oak-pinyon pine
W
alligator juniper
pinyon pine
mesic woodland

15. Mount Livermore

16. Upper Madera Canyon

17. Little Aguja Canyon

18. Dead Man Canyon

19. Ecological Significance
• Center of endemism
– 6 plant species
– 8 animal species
• Multiple globally rare
species
– 23 plant species Longspur Columbine
– 9 animal species
Shinners Tickle Tongue Mountain Short-Horned Lizard

20. Rio Grande Chub Population Multiple Remnant Aspen
Stands

21. • Functioning “Sky Island” Ecosystem
– Relatively natural fire regime
– Intact ecosystem
– Exemplary plant communities
– Significant migratory corridor & stop-over

22. Archeological Resources
Wolf Den Shelter Tall Rock Shelter

23. The Preserve as a Laboratory
• Research Projects
– Montz Quail, Sul Ross, A&M Kingsville
– Mex Spotted Owl, Sul Ross
– Pinyon Juniper Stand Development, SFA
– Community Delineation of Ponderosa Forests, SFA
– Regional Fire & Climate, Yale University
– Eco-hydrology, UT Bureau Eco Geology
– Spring Biodiversity & Function, Texas State
– Feral Hog Diet & Demographics, Sul Ross
– Aspen Genetics & Demography, Sul Ross & UTSA
– Turkey genetics, Sul Ross
– Dendrochronology of DM Pinus Species, Sul Ross
– Dung Beetle Diversity, private study
– Mammal Inventory, Texas Tech
– Proposed Elk Demographics Project, Sul Ross
– And more……

24. Montezuma Quail
Habitat Modeling

25. Mexican Spotted Owl
Habitat Modeling

26. Taking cores for eco-hydrology research

27. Fire History

28. Fire Suppression
Juniper, Pinyon, Oak Size Class Distribution

29. Fire Suppression
300
275
250
Trees per hectare
200
150
100
50
18 16 15 8 3 1 0
0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 > 40
Diameter (dbh; cm) classes midpoints
Ponderosa Size Class Distribution

30. Davis Mtns Fuels
• Low – grass
• Med - woodland
• 100-hr fuels
• 1000-hr fuels
Fuel Loads
W
low
medium
100-hr
1000-hr

31. Thinning treatments on the Davis Mountains Preserve

33. Canopy opening in a mature ponderosa stand

34. Fire on the DMP
• Partnership Approach
– Texas Forest Service -National Park Service
– US Fish & Wildlife -Region Wide TNC
– Local Resources -TPWD

35. Private Lands Burning

37. Prescribed Fire on the Davis
Mtns Preserve
Prior to Prescribed Fire 25 Days Post Prescribed Fire

45. 7590 Acres

46. Exotic Species Management
• Active trapping program – 15 traps with over 220 hogs
taken in 1.5 years
• Hog demographic and diet study in cooperation with Sul
Ross State University
• Landowner hog cooperative in partnership with USDA
Wildlife Services

47. Landowner Field Days

48. Volunteer Program
Trail Work ~1700 hours Volunteer Work Weeks

49. Public Activities
Public Open Weekends
Public Hiking Trail

50. Thanks