The Nature Conservancy, Texas A&M Forest Service, and the U.S. Forest Service have collaborated to purchase a conservation easement on 4,785 acres of forestland in the Longleaf Ridge area of East Texas, permanently protecting some of the best longleaf pine habitat in the state.
The groups purchased the easement for $2,277,000 from Crown Pine Timber LP, a limited partnership managed by Campbell Global, a timber investment and management firm based in Portland, Oregon. Campbell Global manages over 1 million acres of timberlands in East Texas on behalf of Crown Pine Timber.
The easement was funded through the Forest Legacy Program, a federal program managed by the USDA Forest Service. The Nature Conservancy provided $569,250 in matching funds.
This type of conservation – often called a “working forest” conservation easement – keeps forestlands in private ownership while conserving the land for future generations. Landowners and local communities continue to realize economic gain from timber management while the forest provides other benefits such as watershed protection, wildlife habitat, recreation and scenic values.
Crown Pine Timber will continue to harvest timber on the property according to a forest stewardship plan; however, the easement prohibits subdivision and development of the land by any current or future owner.
From the Texas A&M Forest Service: https://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/main/default.aspx?dept=news