Over 90 acres of land was acquired by Fort Worth officials as part of the city’s goal to save open space from development and expand parks.
City Council members approved a $6 million purchase for just over 90 acres of land located off Mary’s Creek in far west Fort Worth during their Dec. 9 meeting.
Of the total acreage, 20 acres of land will go into the city’s open space conservation program. The land is home to significant post oak tree canopy and sits on a “very important watershed,” green space manager Allison Docker said in an email to the Report.
The land is “identified as an iconic natural feature by residents, and it’s very important to protect it to reduce potential flooding,” she said.
The purchase is part of an interlocal project involving the water utility and the Tarrant Regional Water District to build a new wastewater treatment plant, Mary’s Creek Water Reclamation Facility, according to city documents.
About 51 acres will be designated as parkland. The remaining 21 acres will be sold to the water district for them to construct the wastewater treatment plant.
Also acquired was 16 acres of open space in east Fort Worth, expanding the Tandy Hills Natural Area.
City officials spent $2.6 million on the tracts of land surrounding the natural area between 1900 and 2001 Ben Ave.
Of the 16 acres, 11 will be designated open space so as to minimize damage to sensitive areas of the park by expanding access away from those spots. The purchase was prompted by damage to wildflowers and natural prairie during the spring when more people visit the park, according to city documents.
Some of the acreage may be used to create a visitor center to guide people directly onto trails and more parking.
A visitor center would respond to requests from the community, said Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area president and co-founder Don Young.
“It’s a very big deal, something we’ve been asking for for about 20 years,” he said.
Like Young, open space advocates are relieved the city is adding more protections to Fort Worth’s natural areas.
The land is home to native trees and species, making it a popular destination for hikers and experts to study, West Meadowbrook resident Carol Peters said.
“This is the city wrapping its arms around a precious part of our prairie land that is rapidly disappearing,” Peters said. “We truly appreciate it.”
The 50 acres of prairie land known as Broadcast Hill, in 2020 marked the first acquisition of open space at the Tandy Hills Natural Area, according to previous Report coverage.
The former location of Luminarias restaurant, Broadcast Hill has long been a popular destination for its scenic views of downtown Fort Worth, Peters said.
“It’s going to be lovely to have this part of the Tandy Hills Natural Area preserved and protected,” she said.
The Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area tried securing the funds to acquire the additional 16 acres for several years, Young said.
East Fort Worth needed the expansion “as a buffer” to protect the community from development such as multifamily housing or industrial sites, Young added.
“That would be a big threat to the park,” he said.
Purchased with funds from the 2022 bond program, the Tandy Hills Natural Area and Mary’s Creek acquisitions were identified as high priority areas and support the city’s open space conservation goals.
Through the land conservation program, Fort Worth officials aim to preserve the local ecosystem, protect flood-prone areas and water quality, increase accessibility to open space and provide recreational opportunities to improve community health.
Both acquisitions align with the newly adopted parks and open space master plan, GREENprint, and Mayor Mattie Parker’s green space initiative Good Natured.
The master plan lists several goals for Fort Worth’s parks and open spaces, including preserving the city’s high-quality natural areas.
Parker’s initiative began in 2023 with the goal of preserving 10,000 acres of green space across Fort Worth by 2028 while enhancing the city’s parks system.
More parkland acquisitions
Three parks will see the following expansions after a nearly $50,000 purchase approved by council members Dec. 8:
- 3 acres at Cobb Park
- .16 acres at Glenwood Park
- .5 acres at Marine Creek Linear Park North
The purchase will also create Utica Park, a new green space at 6050 Meandering Road.
Funds for the park expansions are budgeted in the park and recreation department’s dedications fees for acquiring tax-foreclosed properties.
Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org.
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Great Job Nicole Lopez & the Team @ Fort Worth Report for sharing this story.
