City officials signed a memorandum of understanding with Tarrant Regional Water District in an effort to acquire, create and care for Fort Worth’s green space Nov. 28.

The backstory

A city news release states that Fort Worth has more than 350 square miles of land that is “half-developed,” and it is losing natural open space at a rate of 50 acres a week to development. To help preserve the city’s green space, Fort Worth residents passed a $15 million bond to buy and conserve open space in 2021.

Mayor Mattie Parker announced the Good Natured Greenspace Initiative during the State of the City address Oct. 6. The initiative—which seeks to bring public and private partners together to shape and enhance green space investment in Fort Worth for the next 100 years—has five main objectives:
  • Preserving a minimum of 10,000 additional acres of open space and parkland over the next five years
  • Improving the city’s existing park system through additional city and community investment led by three partners: the city of Fort Worth, the Tarrant Regional Water District and a new nonprofit conservancy
  • Protecting water quality
  • Enhancing flood protection
  • Promoting physical and mental health through recreation and opportunities to connect with the natural environment
To date, Fort Worth and TRWD officials have worked independently to promote recreation, conservation, stormwater management and water quality, the news release states. TRWD’s efforts include:
  • Supplying raw water to more than 2.3 million people in 11 North Texas counties
  • Managing the 27-mile Fort Worth Floodway system
  • Maintaining the Trinity Trail System, which stretches throughout much of Fort Worth
According to the news release, the city’s efforts to help protect natural spaces and at-risk ecosystems include:
  • Operating nearly 300 parks and recreational areas that encompass more than 12,000 acres
  • Launching the Open Space Conservation Program
  • Conducting a green space preservation survey in 2022 where 96% of residents said that conserving natural areas in Fort Worth is “very important.” Nearly 99% stated that the city should establish a permanent program to conserve natural areas for future generations.
Zooming in

According to the news release, as part of the agreement, the city of Fort Worth and TRWD have each expressed their commitment to work together in furthering green space preservation efforts by exploring the creation of a private nonprofit conservancy and collaborating to implement mutually beneficial efforts. Furthermore, they have agreed to issue an annual green space report and hold at least one joint meeting of the respective governing bodies annually.


What they’re saying

“To make a truly significant impact on our preservation goals, we need strong partners like TRWD who share in the city’s commitment of preserving the open spaces and waterways for residents of today and generations to come,” Parker said.

“TRWD’s commitment and investment in this joint initiative will provide the public access to green and blue spaces,” TRWD board President Leah King said. “Together, we can build a legacy of environmental stewardship and community well-being that also helps to protect water quality, reduce flood risks and improves the quality of life for everyone we serve.”