Protect Texas
Your Land
Your Legacy
Your Legacy and the Future of Texas
Boasting five of the fifteen fastest growing cities in the nation, the Colorado River watershed is experiencing some of the greatest expansion in Texas. The increased pressure across our state is spurring many landowners to seek conservation solutions to protect their land, legacy, and way of life.
Now is an important time in the history of Texas, and what you do with your land today will have lasting impacts for generations to come. Choosing to conserve your land is a significant financial and family decision. At Colorado River Land Trust, it would be our privilege to earn your trust and discuss with you the vision and conservation goals you have for your property.
“What was valuable to us was the ability to continue to farm the land, protect our water and keep the farm intact, and Colorado River Land Trust provided a way to accomplish our goals.”
Rick Castello, Family Member, Farm Operator
Benefits of Land Conservation
Financial and Estate Benefits
A donated conservation easement may be considered a charitable contribution by the IRS and result in a significant income tax deduction or estate and property tax reduction.
Private Property Rights
Placing a conservation easement on your land allows you to exercise one of the most powerful private property rights available by choosing and ensuring the future of your land.
The Next Generation
A conservation easement on your land today could be the key to ensuring continued family ownership of your land for future generations.
Protect Your Land Forever
Land conservation goes beyond our choices of today—it has lasting benefits for future generations. From farming and ranching to hunting and fishing to the beauty of wide-open spaces, conservation protects the natural resources, water, wildlife habitat, and landscapes we all depend on.
Conservation easements are a voluntary agreement available to private landowners that are tailored to each property and owner. The agreement protects the land forever based on the landowner’s vision and conservation goals for their property. Land always remains in private ownership and under the management and stewardship of the private owner. Landowners can benefit financially from these agreements and ensure that the land they love is protected forever.
A Family Legacy, Conserved.
The Vacek Family Farm
Just outside the town of Muldoon sits a historic piece of Texas — the Vacek Family Farm.
George and Mary Vacek founded their Fayette County farmstead in 1899, and the family has been actively farming it ever since.
The original farmhouse was built on the property in the 1930s and still stands at the center of the farm today. The Vaceks were known for growing cotton, peanuts, and hay and raising turkeys and cattle, but today, the family focuses on cattle ranching. Throughout its productive history, from the land the cattle graze to the creeks that feed into the Colorado River, the family saw the need to protect its special piece of Texas. In 2016 the farm was recognized as a Texas Historic Farm by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
The Vaceks determined the best way to ensure their family farm and its history were protected was through a conservation easement in partnership with Colorado River Land Trust. To the Vacek family, preserving the heritage and legacy of the property meant the farm needed to be permanently protected while ensuring its continued viability for agriculture and enjoyment by the entire family.
Our Commitment to You
The day we conserve a property is only the beginning of a long-term relationship with the landowners and the land to ensure its permanent conservation—because we believe it is our responsibility as Texans to protect our own backyard. It would be a privilege to earn your trust and discuss with you the conservation vision you have for your property.
Jeff Crosby
Executive Director
512.730.5160
jeff.crosby@coloradoriverlandtrust.org
Frequently Asked Questions
Land trusts are independent, nonprofit 501 (c)(3) charitable organizations who work with private landowners to help them protect the conservation values of their property. A land trust is a non-governmental organization that can work with landowners and communities to protect agricultural, recreation, cultural, historic, and scenic values.
Conservation easements are a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust. The agreement protects the land forever based on the landowner’s vision and goals for their property. A conservation easement does not transfer ownership of the land—it only describes the landowner’s commitments to protect the existing character of the property. Colorado River Land Trust is an accredited land trust and is qualified to hold conservation easements, but does not own or manage the property.
There are many benefits associated with conserving your land, including financial and tax incentives, ensuring private lands transition to the next generation, protecting important wildlife habitat, and more. Contact us to discuss your options and benefits.
Land trusts are private, nonprofit organizations. The government has no involvement with our work or conservation easements.
Private property owners maintain ownership and management of their land.
Our land trust offers professional and high quality services and conservation solutions tailored to the vision and goals landowners have for their property. We care about Texas and look forward to earning your trust.