Austin is acquiring a nearly 7-acre addition to the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, or BCP, the conservation area spanning roughly 50 square miles of western Austin and Travis County.
The overview
The BCP serves as a protected habitat for endangered species and thousands of acres of woods, shrublands and cave systems. The preserve now covers more than 33,000 acres across dozens of individual properties owned and managed by local governments, nonprofits and private partners.
One of those, the Bright Leaf Preserve off RR 2222, is now in line for expansion. City Council authorized a 6.89-acre acquisition off Oakwood Cove on Oct. 22 that will connect with the existing natural area.
The site is currently an inholding of the surrounding public lands, and the addition is aimed at fire prevention and ecological preservation.
"Acquisition of the properties will limit expansion of the wildland-urban interface, protect important floodplain and upland habitat, and simplify management of the city's conservation lands in the area," city staff reported.
The context
The city will pay $3.68 million to complete the Northwest Austin acquisition. A city appraisal of the property's fair market value supports a $3.66 million purchase price, plus closing costs, staff reported.
The move stems from a 2024 council directive to establish a dedicated land acquisition fund to address parkland needs, flood risks and water supply protection. Since its creation two years ago, that fund has supported acquisitions like a 49-acre park addition along Onion Creek and a 10-acre site along Bear Creek, both in South Austin.
The Balcones Canyonlands addition is funded through certificates of obligation, or non-voter-approved debt, authorized under the land acquisition fund.
The new public land is adjacent to the Bright Leaf Preserve. The area was donated through the Austin Community Foundation in 2021 with a requirement that it be managed as a public park and nature preserve open to guided access only. It's managed as part of the wider BCP by Austin Water's Wildlands Conservation Division.
