City Of Fort Worth: Council Adds More Property To Nature Center

Press release from City of Fort Worth:

November 11, 2021

The City Council this week agreed to acquire 29.511 acres of undeveloped land at 8900 Jacksboro Highway to provide additional natural prairie parkland at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge.

The property, purchased for $3.1 million, will be integrated into the facility as outlined in the Nature Center Master Plan approved by the City Council in 2003. Land use recommendations in the Master Plan recommend acquiring property along Jacksboro Highway.

“The Fort Worth Nature Center is one of the largest urban nature parks in the country at more than 3,600 acres and 21 miles of hiking trails,” said Haily Summerford, executive director of Friends of the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge. “Purchasing this land will not only prevent development from occurring adjacent to one of the bison pastures, but also conserve wildlife habitat within the city limits in one of the fastest growing cities in the country."

“The Friends are extremely grateful to Dennis Shingleton and Councilmember Leonard Firestone for their support and leadership of this land acquisition and City Manager David Cooke for the Open Space Conservation Program that helped make this purchase possible,” Summerford said.

Funding for the acquisition will come from the Open Space Conservation Program. The acquisition helps preserve the important habitat, ecosystem services and recreational opportunities provided by the Nature Center.

Photo: The newly acquired property fronts Jacksboro Highway and protects the Nature Center from future development.

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This press release was produced by City of Fort Worth. The views expressed here are the author’s own.