Austin, TX

Austin is a model nature-friendly community because of an impressive, multifaceted set of governmental and nongovernmental programs designed to protect natural resources, open space, and wildlife habitat. The city has overseen one of the most ambitious and successful land acquisition programs in the country, driven by the Endangered Species Act and water quality issues. The Balcones Canyonlands Preserve and other large-scale land acquisitions insulate sensitive lands from intense development pressures. Annual progress reports document the ongoing stabilization of endangered species populations in west Austin. The city’s work has paid off in tens of thousands of acres being protected from future development, in development being limited on many more acres through environmental standards, and in increasing public awareness of the ecological importance of being a nature-friendly community. Further, the city’s programs are supported by a wide-ranging network of nonprofit groups focused on environmental issues.

The city has many key elements of a successful program—especially acquisition, regulations, and mapping—along with some noteworthy endeavors such as the Smart Growth map and the State of the Environment report. But coordination is loose and sporadic, with responsibility spread among many agencies with relatively weak regulatory tools. Surprisingly little attention is being given to the creation of overall environmental protection goals and policies. Yet this lack of coordination and long-term comprehensive planning should not minimize the many noteworthy programs underway, both inside and outside the city government. Many of these programs can serve as models for other communities.

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