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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Sisters Morgan O'Connor, Kelly Schaar, and Bridey |
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| 6 | 7 | | Greeson, owners of the Dunn O'Connor River Ranch in Goliad County, |
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| 7 | 8 | | have been presented with the 2021 Lone Star Land Steward Award for |
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| 8 | 9 | | the Coastal Prairies Ecoregion by the Texas Parks and Wildlife |
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| 9 | 10 | | Department; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, For the past quarter century, TPWD has recognized |
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| 11 | 12 | | private landowners for exemplary contributions to land, water, and |
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| 12 | 13 | | wildlife stewardship; its awards program raises awareness of sound |
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| 13 | 14 | | natural resource and habitat management practices and highlights |
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| 14 | 15 | | the important role private landowners play in the conservation of |
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| 15 | 16 | | the state's unique natural and cultural resources; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, The 6,900-acre Dunn O'Connor River Ranch has been in |
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| 17 | 18 | | the sisters' family since 1836; through their collaboration with |
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| 18 | 19 | | the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal and state |
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| 19 | 20 | | agencies, they have maintained a successful grazing program for |
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| 20 | 21 | | their cattle that also benefits native wildlife; the sisters' |
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| 21 | 22 | | mother, Marie O'Connor Sorenson, began participating in the Coastal |
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| 22 | 23 | | Prairie Conservation Initiative in 2003, and the ranch has since |
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| 23 | 24 | | added watering facilities to improve livestock grazing |
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| 24 | 25 | | distribution as well as numerous cross fences to enable rotational |
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| 25 | 26 | | grazing; the ranch additionally conducts prescribed burning on |
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| 26 | 27 | | pastures to enhance secondary plant succession and to maintain |
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| 27 | 28 | | grassland species while discouraging invasive brush; and |
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| 28 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Over the years, many research initiatives have taken |
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| 29 | 30 | | place at the ranch, including those involving monarch butterflies, |
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| 30 | 31 | | bobwhite quail, mottled ducks, and red imported fire ants; the |
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| 31 | 32 | | ranch has also worked closely with state and federal partners to |
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| 32 | 33 | | become one of several release sites for the highly endangered |
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| 33 | 34 | | Attwater's prairie chicken; since 2007, hundreds of the birds bred |
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| 34 | 35 | | and hatched in captivity have been released on the ranch, and thanks |
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| 35 | 36 | | to conservation efforts, the population of the species is the |
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| 36 | 37 | | highest it has been since 1993; and |
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| 37 | 38 | | WHEREAS, The natural beauty and diverse ecologies of the Lone |
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| 38 | 39 | | Star State depend greatly on the care and oversight demonstrated by |
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| 39 | 40 | | its landowners, and these conscientious and hardworking Texans are |
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| 40 | 41 | | helping to preserve precious resources for future generations; now, |
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| 41 | 42 | | therefore, be it |
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| 42 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 43 | 44 | | Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby congratulate Morgan |
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| 44 | 45 | | O'Connor, Kelly Schaar, and Bridey Greeson of the Dunn O'Connor |
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| 45 | 46 | | River Ranch on their receipt of a Lone Star Land Steward Award from |
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| 46 | 47 | | the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and extend to them sincere |
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| 47 | 48 | | best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 49 | 50 | | prepared for Ms. O'Connor, Ms. Schaar, and Ms. Greeson as an |
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| 50 | 51 | | expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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