Wetlands Reserve Program Preserves Landowners’ Passion for Conservation in Navarro County

Trading cattle for waterfowl may not be typical on most Texas ranches, but that’s what you will find on two ranches 50 miles south of Dallas near Chatfield, Texas, in Navarro County.

Barry Austin and his wife, Peggy, own the 3,100-acre Pettigrew Ranch that borders the Trinity River. Austin said he changed his entire operation to exclude cattle and develop wetlands so “we don’t fight the river anymore, and we have a high-quality recreation area that is exactly our goal for this land.”

Heavy rains and flooding of the Trinity River would breach levees on the Pettigrew Ranch, wiping out fences each year and impeding agricultural production.

Austin enrolled 2,000 acres into the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) to develop a wetland wildlife habitat ecosystem. WRP is administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and provides technical and financial assistance to landowners wanting to restore, enhance, and protect wetlands.

“WRP saves us money and we do not have to fight the river, so we eliminated the cattle operation,” Austin said. “The new conservation practices helped us get ready for other wildlife habitat we wanted to establish here. It makes a cleaner environment for hunting and fishing.”

By using WRP, Barry and Peggy have created a wetland habitat they refer to as a mini refuge for local wildlife.

“The biggest benefit I see from WRP has to be the wildlife – it’s just flourishing on the ranch,” Austin said. “The other huge benefit is the quality of the water running off of the land and going directly back into the river much clearer because of the filtering (through the wetland).”

The Pettigrew Ranch WRP is not unique in Navarro County. Paul Dube, who owns the Thorn Ridge Wildlife Ranch, also near Chatfield, enrolled 200 acres into WRP. Dube’s focus is on conservation education and recreation.

“When I saw the WRP program, it seemed to be a perfect fit for what I wanted to accomplish with a property of this nature,” Dube said. “WRP delivered a great combination of recreation, water quality, wildlife, and a chance to improve land that had been abused for over a century.”

Since changing to a predominant wetland habitat, Dube noticed a significant increase in waterfowl and song birds on the ranch, as well as seeing bald eagles taking fish from the two larger lakes on the ranch.

“The key benefits we found are the natural aspects of the land, and seeing the diversity in waterfowl and other birds such as bald eagles,” commented Dube. “We also have provided natural food and cover for wildlife, along with bluebird boxes and hardwood trees. With WRP, we’ve planted 38,000 trees and most have survived, so NRCS was phenomenal in this process.”

While WRP provides excellent wildlife habitat, Dube noted another benefit from the program -- improved water quality on the ranch. The wetland and associated vegetation filter water, pulling out nutrients and sediment, which improves quality.

“We have made a commitment to improving water quality on this land,” Dube said. “We have tried to eliminate any pesticides and herbicides early in the filtering process before it flows back into the wetlands.”

In Navarro County, six WRP easements were created from 1995 to 2003 totaling approximately 3,800 acres; five permanent easements and one 30-year easement. NRCS conservation practices used to restore wetland functions and values include wetland enhancement, wetland restoration, and wetland wildlife habitat management. Additional practices may include conservation practices such as dikes, range planting, forest site preparation, tree and shrub establishment, water control structures, critical area planting, fence, pest management, and use exclusion.

“The WRP easements in Navarro County provide habitat for wetland dependent species, increase water quality, and reduce flooding and soil erosion while providing personal enjoyment for everyone,” said Kristy Oates, NRCS district conservationist for Navarro County. “Wetlands provide valuable benefits for humans, animals and the environment.”

“The technical expertise and sources of information from NRCS are amazing,” stated Dube. “When I get on the NRCS website I see the practices and how to do them correctly, so it truly helps the entire process.”

WRP is a voluntary conservation program established in the 1990 Farm Bill. The program offers options for permanent easements, 30-year easements, or restoration cost-share agreements to protect, restore, and enhance the original hydrology, native vegetation, and natural wetland functions and values of lands enrolled in the program.

For more information about NRCS technical assistance, contact your local NRCS office. For more information about WRP, visit the NRCS Web site at http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp.html.

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WRP enabled Barry Austin to plant Alamo switchgrass on hundreds of acres, but the wild hogs love it too. Austin created what he calls pig alleys (center) to eliminate and help control the pig population on the ranch.	Standing on one of the dams cost-shared through WRP, Barry Austin is near a wetland structure used for seasonal recreation on the ranch.
Several wetland structures were developed on the Pettigrew Ranch using WRP financial assistance from NRCS.	The area to the left attracts waterfowl during the migration season on the Pettigrew Ranch. Austin refers to this area as a “duck magnet.”
‘Alamo’ switchgrass as far as the eye can see covers Thorn Ridge Wildlife Ranch. Another 38,000 trees, including ash and oak, have enabled this ranch to educate many visitors about wetlands and conservation.	This portion of an 18-acre lake is one of two on the Thorn Ridge Wildlife Ranch that filters water from four ponds and back into the wetlands ultimately headed back to the Trinity River.
While touring Thorn Ridge Wildlife Ranch in Chatfield, Texas, owner Paul Dube (left) and Kristy Oates (right), NRCS district conservationist in Navarro County, talk about conservation practices on the ranch.

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