TPWD Acquired Land at Newcomb Point - Copano Bay

[Neumie]

Searching around on Aransas CAD map I noticed TPWD purchased a bunch of land on Copano Bay at Newcomb's Point/Bend. It happened last June. I could only find a small tidbit on the internet, but nothing hinting what they intend to do with the land yet; Link

[TexasJim]

Josh: How do you find out about TPWD plans? I can't even get anyone there to tell me when or IF the Rockport TPWD office will ever re-open! Glad they bought the land, but can mere mortals access it? Thanks for the info. Texas Jim

[Neumie]

Josh: How do you find out about TPWD plans? I can't even get anyone there to tell me when or IF the Rockport TPWD office will ever re-open! Glad they bought the land, but can mere mortals access it? Thanks for the info. Texas Jim

In this case it was a byproduct of looking for additional access points and doing a quick Google search to see if there was any information regarding the purchase. It was purchased with some of the leftover funds from the Powderhorn Ranch purchase near Port O'Conner. There obviously wasn't the same PR release behind the larger Powderhorn Ranch. Doubtful it's open for the public at the moment.

If you want to see what's on TPWD's future plans you're probably going to have to read through the Commission meeting transcripts: Link

[Neumie]

Excerpt from the January 2018 transcript regarding potential future use if the land were acquired.

This tract has been identified as a high priority for conservation for some time. It's 214 acres; but it's some of the very last undeveloped property on Lamar Peninsula, and I'm told it may be the largest unprotected tract that is actively used by the Whooping cranes season after season.

The property has almost a mile of frontage on Highway 35, which means it's already a popular destination for people hoping to get a look at the Whooping crane and other coastal birds. It would be a great location for a bird observation deck, boardwalk trail, that kind of minimal recreational development.

The property is adjacent to land currently protected by a conservation easement held by the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program. The reason we have the opportunity to acquire this property is because, as most of you know, we acquired a large Restore Act Grant a couple of years ago for the primary purpose of buying land on Matagorda Peninsula. We've completed that purchase. We have funds left over. You've authorized the acquisition of property, the Sartwelle tract at the Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Research Center. Even upon completing that acquisition, there will be some funds left over that would be sufficient to acquire this property.

It's only about a mile from Goose Island State Park. Nonetheless, we would prefer not to have the responsibility for monitoring and managing the property. Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program has expressed an interest in that management. The Restore Council has indicated that they have no problem with us leasing or entering into a long-term agreement with Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries to monitor, to do any low-development -- low-impact recreational development to manage that property.

If this were to follow through, and the main reason and top priority of the property is protection of the environment for the migrating, federally endangered Whooping Cranes, then I suspect access for fishing will be extremely limited , at best. The best we could hope for from a fishing access stand point would follow the fishing season of ANWR; April 15th through Oct 15.

[karstopo]

Interesting. I see in the transcript that they mention that TP&W bought land on the Matagorda peninsula. Anyone know anything about that? There's the big undivided 6,000 plus tract with the multitude of owners around the old Army air base and the large Cullen family tract above that. Did TP7W buy the Cullen land? What else is there on the Matagorda Peninsula?

[Neumie]

Interesting. I see in the transcript that they mention that TP&W bought land on the Matagorda peninsula. Anyone know anything about that? There's the big undivided 6,000 plus tract with the multitude of owners around the old Army air base and the large Cullen family tract above that. Did TP7W buy the Cullen land? What else is there on the Matagorda Peninsula?

This? Link

[karstopo]

Forgot the peninsula runs above the river.

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

Interesting. I see in the transcript that they mention that TP&W bought land on the Matagorda peninsula. Anyone know anything about that? There's the big undivided 6,000 plus tract with the multitude of owners around the old Army air base and the large Cullen family tract above that. Did TP7W buy the Cullen land? What else is there on the Matagorda Peninsula?

This? Link

I hope they don't restrict beach access to that area of the peninsula since about 97% of my saltwater fishing is done there. I guess it would force me to explore new areas but I sure like fishing a place that I know always produces for me.

This part of that link makes me cringe a little:

"The peninsula is part of a suite of coastal land conservation projects submitted to the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees and the RESTORE Act Gulf Council for potential acquisition with oil spill settlement funds"

And

Acquisition of this property for conservation has long been identified as a goal of TPWD and the coastal conservation community.

Don't get me wrong, I do support conservation, but sometimes I think these "agencies" can get a little too extreme with limiting or altogether eliminating public access. I hope it's not the case this time.
Then again I also see how some people treat our resources and it makes me sick. And that area in particular is really abused. People leave tons of trash and abandoned/burned refuse all along that beach. If we want to keep our resources for our use, we have to show that we can use them responsibly and keep them clean. Sometimes it even means cleaning up behind someone else who left their trash behind or reporting someone who is abusing a resource. I've taken several trash bags full of garbage that didn't belong to me from that beach. I have also seen where people drive all through the salt grasses and vegetation there which leads to loss of plant/animal life and erosion. These are the things that will cause a conservation agency to close access and who can argue it when they present the evidence.
I have a ton of great memories from that area and hope to have many more. It was the first place any of my kids fished saltwater and we've had a blast doing it ever since. Maybe my concerns are unwarranted but I would sure hate see it all end.

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[Neumie]

Looks like an additional 6,200 acres of SPI just got purchased last week: LINK

Important Quote:

All existing access to the Gulf beach frontage will remain open for the public to enjoy opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping and more.

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

Important Quote:

All existing access to the Gulf beach frontage will remain open for the public to enjoy opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping and more.

[/quote]

Good to know,
Thanks!



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[TexasJim]

Wouldn't it be great if the Restore Act Gulf Council and TPWD would take some of that "oil spill fund money" and replace the Lighthouse Lakes Trail Markers that were destroyed in Hurricane Harvey? TexasJim