San Marcos wins grant for new public forest

The city purchased the 102-acre forest, which will open in a few years, for nearly $1.3 million

Jerald Pinson jpinson@statesman.com
A 15-minute drive from downtown San Marcos, the 102-acre Sink Creek Community Forest was purchased by the city in 2017 for $1.27 million. The city won a $423,500 U.S. Forest Service grant this summer to partially cover the cost of the purchase. Officials plan to open the park to the public in a few years. [HANDOUT]

SAN MARCOS — This summer has brought good news for green space in San Marcos. The city was awarded a $423,500 U.S. Forest Service grant to partially cover the cost of purchasing the Sink Creek Community Forest tract.

A quick 15-minute drive from downtown San Marcos, the 102-acre forest was initially purchased by the city in 2017 for nearly $1.3 million with the understanding that supplemental funding would later be obtained to help offset the cost.

The forested area is an important recharge zone for the Edwards Aquifer, which provides drinking water for more than 1.7 million people in Central Texas. As cities in the area continue to expand and more natural areas are developed, water that once would have been absorbed by soil now runs off impervious concrete and asphalt into streams and rivers, increasing pollution and decreasing the amount of water that makes it into the aquifer. Conserving land in sensitive areas is thus vitally important for maintaining a fresh, clean supply of water.

RELATED: Plans for treatment plant raise worries about impact on San Marcos River

Near the forest, the San Marcos Springs gush water from the Edwards Aquifer that creates the San Marcos River, which is home to several rare and endangered species, including the Texas blind salamander and the San Marcos gambusia, a small fish.

“It's very close to where the Edwards Aquifer recharge land is,” said Kelly Eby, a city of San Marcos urban forester who wrote the grant request. “That water directly goes to the headwaters of the San Marcos River. If it hadn't been protected, it could have really, critically impacted the San Marcos Springs.”

The forest is home to many native species of plants and animals as well. Savannah grasslands grade gently into tall stands of live oaks, under which grow persimmon, mesquite, juniper and a variety of smaller oak trees, all hemmed in by natural limestone cliffs. The property is close to conservation recovery areas for the federally endangered golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo and may provide an important forested corridor for these birds.

The grant was awarded as part of the Forest Service's community forest program. Started in 2012, the program grants money to communities and local governments throughout the country to purchase land that would best serve the public by being conserved. In the southeastern United States, land that helps filter water is of special interest.

The Forest Service program also focuses heavily on sustainable public use of the land. Officials plan to open the Sink Creek forest in the next years for public recreation, such as hiking, bird-watching and picnicking. Future plans include installing benches, educational signs and trails.