The grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are part of a large increase in federal money for nature conservation for 2001. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, who announced the grant with Travis County Commissioner Karen Sonleitner, said he didn't expect the levels to be repeated under President Bush. We're hopeful that the leadership in Washington, Republicans and Democrats, will continue helping us.
Money goes much further east of Austin.
Some of the land is open to the public, such as parts of the Barton Creek Greenbelt and Emma Long Park, while other sections are accessible through educational tours and research groups. Much of the local public money to buy preserve land comes from developers who pay a fee to the city and county in exchange for being allowed to build in less environmentally sensitive habitat outside the preserve. Travis County also has a taxing district in that habitat area that funnels property taxes from new development toward the preserve. Eventually, in 20 years or so, I expect Travis County to be built out and development to come up to the edges of the preserve. None of the backing so far has come from property taxes in other parts of the county or city, though the city has used bond money to buy acreage, said John Kuhl, who manages the plan for the county.