On May 4, 2019, the citizens of El Paso overwhelming voted to save 1,100 acres of open space located in the foothills of the Franklin Mountains to be "preserved in its natural state for all time". The city has a legal obligation to follow the will of the voters. However, the city has yet to develop a conservation plan on how to protect this area.
The land is currently owned by the city but held in trust by the water utility.The city has proposed seven options as a funding source. Choose one of these options or create your own as part of your proposal. The funding source will the baseline of your land management plan.
You will create a conservation and recreation management plan per the voter's interests and concerns. The plan must be professional and well researched. You will be given the opportunity to present your plan to the mayor and city council.
Points to consider:
• What is the best use of the general area in regard to the overall public's interests?
• How will you protect natural resources from urban sprawl?
• How will you protect biodiversity of the Chihuahuan desert?
• How will the land be used for recreation?
• What types of infrastructure are needed, if any?
Purpose of the Study
Develop a position or mission statement.
Property Description
The ______________ property is located ___. It is comprised of ___ acres of ____ (hint: ecosystem). It is connected to _________________ ___________________ State Park and residential homes in the _________________ region of El Paso.
Land Use History
What was the land historically used for? How do you know this? Interpretation of land use history change in 10-20 year incrementally using historical aerial photographs (one paragraph)
Current Land Uses
What is currently happening on the property? Trail building and maintenance? Wildlife habitat improvements? Biological Diversity? Research design and implementation? Public outreach and environmental education? Climate change issues? Boundary inspections and maintenance? Invasive species management?
Current Ownership and Restrictions
Who owned it in the past? Who owns the property now?
Choose one of the seven city proposed funding options or create your own.
What restrictions are on the property? (ie public access, hunting, development, etc)
Basemap
Create a map showing the property boundary, labels access roads, points of interest, include a scale bar.
Document the existing conditions of the park. You many notes and photos collected from the experiential trip on Tuesday.
Maps
Provide aerial and topographical maps of the land in its current state.
Soil Conservation
Describe soil type and test for pollution controls.
Watershed
Provide a map of the arryoos systems. Explain watershed issues, such as arroyos and aquifers.
Biological Diversity
List the plants and animals that define the landscape.
Identification and Resource Goals
Determine goals for various issues that impact Lost Dog Trails;
Public Land Goals
1. What do you want the land to look like?
2. What needs to be done in order to ensure protection of the conservation values?
3 What do you want to manage it for?
4. How does management/stewardship of this property fit into El Paso's long term open space goals?
Social Stakeholders Goals
How will stakeholders (citizens, schools, nonprofits, businesses, TPWD, TxDOT) be impacted?
After analyzing how the land is currently used, it is time to craft your recommendations. Your long-range plan must address long-term goals for recreation use and preservation of open spaces.
I. Preservation Plan
II. Recreation Plan
III. Environmental Monitoring of the Site
IV. Evaluation: Develop benchmarks to evaluate success throughout the life of the plan