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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Sisters Morgan O'Connor, Kelly Schaar, and Bridey |
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Greeson, owners of the Dunn O'Connor River Ranch in Goliad County, |
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have been presented with the 2021 Lone Star Land Steward Award for |
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the Coastal Prairies Ecoregion by the Texas Parks and Wildlife |
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Department; and |
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WHEREAS, For the past quarter century, TPWD has recognized |
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private landowners for exemplary contributions to land, water, and |
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wildlife stewardship; its awards program raises awareness of sound |
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natural resource and habitat management practices and highlights |
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the important role private landowners play in the conservation of |
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the state's unique natural and cultural resources; and |
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WHEREAS, The 6,900-acre Dunn O'Connor River Ranch has been in |
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the sisters' family since 1836; through their collaboration with |
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the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal and state |
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agencies, they have maintained a successful grazing program for |
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their cattle that also benefits native wildlife; the sisters' |
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mother, Marie O'Connor Sorenson, began participating in the Coastal |
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Prairie Conservation Initiative in 2003, and the ranch has since |
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added watering facilities to improve livestock grazing |
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distribution as well as numerous cross fences to enable rotational |
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grazing; the ranch additionally conducts prescribed burning on |
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pastures to enhance secondary plant succession and to maintain |
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grassland species while discouraging invasive brush; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, many research initiatives have taken |
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place at the ranch, including those involving monarch butterflies, |
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bobwhite quail, mottled ducks, and red imported fire ants; the |
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ranch has also worked closely with state and federal partners to |
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become one of several release sites for the highly endangered |
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Attwater's prairie chicken; since 2007, hundreds of the birds bred |
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and hatched in captivity have been released on the ranch, and thanks |
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to conservation efforts, the population of the species is the |
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highest it has been since 1993; and |
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WHEREAS, The natural beauty and diverse ecologies of the Lone |
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Star State depend greatly on the care and oversight demonstrated by |
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its landowners, and these conscientious and hardworking Texans are |
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helping to preserve precious resources for future generations; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby congratulate Morgan |
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O'Connor, Kelly Schaar, and Bridey Greeson of the Dunn O'Connor |
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River Ranch on their receipt of a Lone Star Land Steward Award from |
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the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and extend to them sincere |
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best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. O'Connor, Ms. Schaar, and Ms. Greeson as an |
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expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |