H.R. No. 2472
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Railway Ranch, located near Odessa in Midland,
Crane, and Upton Counties, has been selected as a 2009 recipient of
the Lone Star Land Steward Award; and
WHEREAS, Presented by the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, this accolade recognizes private landowners for
excellence in habitat management and wildlife conservation; the
Railway Ranch won the award as a representative of the Trans-Pecos
ecoregion; and
WHEREAS, Co-owned by Marvin and Estee Smith and their son and
daughter-in-law, Stan and Ann Smith, who also manage the property,
the Railway Ranch features a great diversity of vegetation and
wildlife, owing to the influence of the Trans-Pecos, High Plains,
and Edwards Plateau ecological areas; and
WHEREAS, The Smith family has been restoring rangelands and
improving wildlife habitat through brush management and water
development projects for more than 30 years; during that time, they
have treated 13,000 acres of creosote and tarbush and 1,600 acres of
mesquite, sunk 11 water wells, built 22 cement storage tanks, and
installed 25 miles of cross fencing; these efforts have helped to
support a traditional livestock operation, a nature tourism
enterprise, and a wildlife management program that focuses on mule
deer and whitetail deer, scaled and bobwhite quail, and turkeys;
and
WHEREAS, Longtime leaders in the sound management of natural
resources, the Smith family is committed to protecting the rich
array of flora and fauna at the Railway Ranch, and in so doing they
are helping to preserve the extraordinary natural heritage of the
Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor the Railway Ranch on its receipt of a 2009
Lone Star Land Steward Award and extend to the Smith family sincere
best wishes for continued success in all their endeavors; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the Smith family as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Craddick
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2472 was adopted by the House on May
28, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House