Description
Preserve Access Update—October 2020
Friends and supporters:
We're paying close attention to ongoing guidance from public health experts. At this time, Davis Mountains Preserve remains closed to the public until further notice. However, the Madera Canyon Trail is open from sunrise to sunset—check the "Visit" tab for more details.
The wild and remote Davis Mountains are among Texas’ most awe-inspiring natural areas, evoking the rugged cowboy heritage of the Lone Star State. But wide, open spaces like these are becoming fewer and further between; Texas land is fragmenting faster than any other state, our population continues to climb and development is increasing its pace. With the Davis Mountains forming one of only three of the state’s unique sky islands—a cooler, wetter landscape surrounded by arid lowland desert—conserving this Texas treasure for people and wildlife is now more important than ever.
To help protect this unique ecosystem, The Nature Conservancy established the 33,075-acre Davis Mountains Preserve. Subsequent land acquisitions combined with conservation easements on adjoining property have allowed the Conservancy to protect 102,675 acres of the Davis Mountains.
WHY THIS PLACE MATTERS
Formed by volcanoes and sculpted by wind and water, the Davis Mountains rise more than 8,300 feet above sea level out of the expansive Chihuahuan Desert. While the Trans-Pecos, the area west of the Pecos River, is true desert habitat, the Davis Mountains are temperate and forested—an anomaly in an arid land. However, as Texas continues to grow and develop, the region’s natural resources are being stretched to their limits, impacting everything from biodiversity and habitat preservation to freshwater supplies.
The Davis Mountains Preserve is home to canyon watersheds that feed Little Aguja, Limpia, Madera, and Cherry Creeks—water sources that support diverse wildlife and are crucial habitat for rare aquatic species. The sky island also contains plants and animals unable to survive in the harsh, arid desert below and provides refuge for sensitive species like the Rivoli’s hummingbird. Additionally, the preserve provides important wildlife corridors with minimal human presence, a requirement for large mammals such as black bear. Finally, large, intact landscapes promote dark skies, critical to ongoing astronomical research at the nearby University of Texas McDonald Observatory and beloved by Texans as one of the state’s most cherished natural features.
WHAT TNC IS DOING
While the preserve itself encompasses 33,075 acres, over the last two decades, the Conservancy has protected more than 110,000 acres of the Davis Mountains region through land purchases, conservation easements and partnerships with local landowners. In close collaboration with government agencies, universities and other partners, we’re conducting research aimed at protecting the fragile species that call our preserve home. Dedicated volunteers also work with staff to steward preserve land and water, engage the community and connect people to this iconic West Texas landscape.
