Land of the Noose: Yegua Knobbs (Old West Periodical, Spring 1969, by G. K. Martin)

Land of the Noose: Yegua Knobbs (Old West Periodical, Spring 1969, by G. K. Martin)

Read what life was like living around the Knobbs in the 1800’s in this copy of Old West Magazine.

The author, George King Martin, recounts growing up with murders, outlaws and vigilante justice, plaguing insects, powerful body odor, and the dangers of drinking too much mustang grape wine or busthead whiskey. He also recalls a few details about the local landscape such as settlers getting their drinking water from the cold clear spring at the base of the largest Knobb and women gathering indigo weed from along Yegua creek to make bluing dye for their clothes. What a neat glimpse into the past!

An audacious and timely conservation challenge

By Andrew Bowman, Land Trust Alliance

We should all applaud President Biden's executive order calling for conservation of 30% of the U.S. land base by 2030. This bold "30x30" vision is firmly rooted in science, given that protected land is key to a healthy and secure future for all Americans. It provides pure drinking water, healthy food, clean air, habitat for wildlife, and places for people to reflect, recreate, hunt and fish. Conserved land also provides protection from natural disasters, such as floods and droughts, and absorbs and keeps carbon from the Earth's atmosphere.

Yegua Knobbs Preserve Enrolled in Safe Harbor Agreement to Enhance Habitat for Endangered Huston Toad

Pines and Prairies Land Trust recently enrolled Yegua Knobbs Preserve (YKP) in the Houston Toad Safe Harbor Agreement with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). YKP is an incredibly special property. It has many rare and unique features that makes it such a special place deserving of added protections. These unique aspects are important parts of our natural heritage, our history and the things that make Texas...Texas. And it’s PPLT’s mission to protect land in perpetuity. As such, we also take responsibility for benefitting our area’s natural resources, offering opportunities for the public to learn about and enjoy these special places and create a legacy that will continue to benefit people and the Texas landscape. A Safe Harbor Agreement is one tool we can use and the timing of it coincides with our dedication to restore and protect the unique habitats at YKP, including the fact that this property is also potential habitat for the critically endangered Houston toad.

What Conservation Easements Mean to Our Community

Fresh air, clean water, beautiful views and treasured wildlife…these are things we need to lead healthy and happy lives. They make up our natural heritage that is uniquely…Texas. Luckily there are tools available to protect these values, and in a state with over 95% of land privately owned, conservation easements are one of the best tools available. Conservation easements are voluntary agreements that private landowners make with a land trust or other qualifying 501(c)(3) land conservation organization.

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Our Commitments to Our Community

Pines and Prairies Land Trust is an organization with a mission to serve South Central Texas- its natural spaces and its community. We primarily focus on land conservation and nature education but these imperative objectives become secondary when the magnitude of injustice in our community and nation is so prominently displayed, as the freedoms and rights of people of color are so clearly violated.