By Jamie Martin
Rose-Marie Demourkas Towle, a noted artist residing in Brookshire, Texas, has opted to conserve her land through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), supported by the Inflation Reduction Act. This Act has directed substantial funding towards conservation initiatives aiming to curb greenhouse gas emissions and protect agricultural lands.
Rose-Marie’s 110-acre ranch is now part of the Arborland Grassland easement project, directly adjacent to the Katy Prairie Preserve. This area is vital to the Coastal Prairie Conservancy's efforts to maintain regional biodiversity and resist urban sprawl in the rapidly expanding Houston area.
The preserved ranch will continue to support cattle, along with providing habitat for nesting birds and resting geese.
Rose-Marie expressed her contentment with her decision, stating, “The opportunity to preserve the land through NRCS and the Coastal Prairie Conservancy made it an easy decision to abandon development and protect the land.” This quote highlights the project’s dual benefit of conserving nature and maintaining agricultural practices.
The designation of her ranch as a conservation easement was facilitated by its location in an area deemed a national priority for preventing non-grassland conversions, a strategy aimed at safeguarding soil carbon stores.
ACEP-ALE, part of this initiative, encourages the protection of working lands while restricting non-agricultural uses.
By choosing to preserve her ranch, Rose-Marie has not only protected a piece of Texas heritage but also contributed to a larger effort to maintain the ecological and agricultural integrity of the region. This action stands as a testament to the potential for individual landowners to impact environmental conservation positively.
Photo Credit: pexels-nataliya-vaitkevich
Categories: National