Our History

PPLT Timeline 2001-2008

What follows are some of the highlights of PPLT's successes, activities and events.

2001

Feb--Founding. Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, Board handbook established.
Oct--Received Tax Exempt Status from IRS

2002

Feb--Workshop 1: Conservation Easements for Land Use Professionals
Mar--National Wildlife Federation awards $7000 grant to build breeding ponds for the endangered Houston toad (Bufo houstonensis) and develop and publish 5000 copies of Conservation Resources for Landowners brochure
June--Workshop 2: Origins of the Lost Pines/Restoring Native Prairies; published and mailed out first Newsletter
Oct--Four Board members attend Land Trust Alliance Rally in Austin; PPLT conducts bike ride between Bastrop and Buescher State Parks for 15 Rally attendees
Nov--Lost Pines National Bank donates house to be moved ($4000 value); Aqua Water Corporation donates $1000 and Hobby Foundation donates $15,000 unrestricted grants
Dec--Office space secured in Bastrop; computer, furniture, and office supplies donated by Bastrop County Environmental Network

2003

Mar--Held first Board Strategic Planning Retreat; second Newsletter published.
Apr--PPLT unsuccessfully applies for Section 6 land acquisition grant from USFWS
May--First staff person hired (Executive Director); grants awarded to build or enhance six breeding ponds for the Houston toad on private lands in Bastrop and Lee Counties by National Wildlife Federation ($7000) and US Fish and Wildlife Service Private Stewardship Grants Program ($4350).
Jun--Sign first conservation easement-670-acre Billig Farm in Paige, Texas
Oct--PPLT chosen to purchase and manage properties in Bastrop and Lee Counties with funds ($1,750,000) generated by a legal settlement between the Aluminum Company of America and citizen and federal entities; grant awarded by Texas Forest Service to produce Tree Planting Guide ($4000); two Board members and ED attend Land Trust Alliance (LTA) Rally in Sacramento
Dec--Workshop 3: Conservation Easements for Utilities

2004

Feb--Purchase first fee-simple wildlife tract, 302-acreYegua Knobbs Preserve (YKP) in Bastrop and Lee Counties
Mar--PPLT unsuccessfully applies for Section 6 land acquisition grant from USFWS
Apr--First Yegua Knobbs Preserve Field Day
June--Second annual Board retreat
Oct--ED attends LTA Rally in Providence; second YKP Field Day
Dec--Acquire second fee simple wildlife tract, 60-acre Colorado River Refuge ((CRR) in Bastrop County

2005

Jan--Sign second conservation easement-215-acre Kestner Double D Ranch (Caldwell County); local cable TV station films Colorado River Refuge
Feb--First Major Donor Campaign begun to support Colorado River Refuge grants; PPLT wins first annual Excellence Award from the Texas Land Trust Council
Apr--PPLT's third Section 6 land acquisition grant submitted to USFWS;
May--Tom's of Maine grant awarded for Colorado River Refuge ($5000)
Jun--Published 4000 Tree Planting Guides with assistance of TFS.; LTA magazine and website publish our Excellence Award coverage; annual Board Retreat.
July--LTA provides facilitated "Organizational Assessment"
Aug--PPLT wins $68,000 grant from the Texas Recreational Trails Fund for development of the CRR
Oct--PPLT is first Texas land trust to win Allen P. Morgan Award for Membership Development; attend national LTA Rally to accept prize
Dec--Participated in national meeting with Department of Defense to kick off military plans to purchase conservation easements from large landowners adjacent to training bases

2006

Jan--Purchased 210 acre forest tract in Houston Toad habitat
Apr-Begin three-year contract with Texas State University to study the toads; YKP Field Day and Bird Census
June--First volunteer high school office intern; convene meeting with partners toward purchasing development rights on 425-acre ranch by the National Guard's Camp Swift; annual Board retreat
July - Dec--Major trail construction and landscaping undertaken at CRR
Oct--PPLT receives grants from Magnolia Foundation and Weatherspoon Foundation
Nov--YKP Field Day and Bird Census

2007

Jan--Wheelchair ramp completed at CRR; massive flooding destroys trailheads and trail bridge at CRR
Feb--Submitted final proposal to the National Guard for purchasing conservation easement on ranch adjacent to Camp Swift
Mar--Submitted large request to Meadows Foundation for capacity building; first release of rescued owls by Wildlife Rescue at Yegua Knobbs Preserve
Apr--First National Bank of Bastrop donates beautiful exhibit of PPLT photographs in their express lobby; received LCRA Creekside Conservation grant to fix erosion at CRR
May--YKP Field Day and Bird Census
June--PPLT presentation to national meeting of Department of Defense personnel about purchase of conservation easements; annual Board retreat
July--Begin series of meetings with Bastrop County Engineer to design "conservation subdivision" guidelines
Sept--Contract with video company to produce outreach video
Oct--Begin building endowments for easement stewardship and maintenance; botanists visiting YKP discover many rare wetland plants in the bog; relationship begun with Bastrop County Juvenile Probation Department for cleanups and trailwork at CRR; Texas Master Naturalists complete a year of data compilation from CRR; YKP Field Day and Bird Census
Nov--US Representation Lloyd Doggett visits CRR; PPLT signs third conservation easement on 160-acre wildlife tract in Lee County; Weatherspoon Foundation makes grant to PPLT
Dec--PPLT signs fourth conservation easement on 193-acre ranch in Fayette County which includes 17 acres of intact native blackland prairie

2008

Jan--Local environmental group disbands, bequeaths remaining funds to PPLT; LCRA facilitates PPLT strategic planning workshop
Feb--Increased interactions with Bastrop County Engineer on conservation subdivisions; trailhead kiosks completed at CRR which is chosen for a Texas Land Trust Council field trip during the annual conference; PPLT Executive Director takes position on TLTC Board
Mar--210-acre South Shore Woods sold but remains protected by a conservation easement; PPLT Board meets with investment strategist; nature lessons at CRR for the Boys and Girls Club and homeschool groups begin
Apr--155 people attend Grand Opening of CRR; PPLT participates in first Houston Toad Reovery Team meeting in six years; YKP Field Day and Bird Census
May--anonymous donor makes unrestricted gift for CRR; movie production company uses CRR for upcoming major motion picture; US Fish and Wildlife Service issues Habitat Conservation Permit fot he Houston Toad for Bastrop County after eight years
June--Received final payments from Texas Recreational Trails Fund; submitted final report for National Park Service grant; YKP receives additional scientific attention from botanists; Wildlife Rescue releases additional rehabilitated raptors and mammals