Adrian F. van Dellen

The Krause Ranch is not a normal Hill Country landscape—it has bottomless holes, dinosaur tracks, high limestone river cliffs where golden eagles nest, and occasional visits by TPWD-authenticated pumas and black bears. Historian Thad Sitton offers a detailed description of the 1,670-acre property, its human history, its natural history, and Gary Krause—the man who has spent several decades clearing cedar to bring grass and good water back to the land. Krause resurrected the springs using native grasses with feet-deep roots that act as conduits bringing water down into the ground. Chapters cover descriptions of the land before settlement, the first settlers, the Aulds, and Krause’s commitment to returning the land to its original state. No wonder that the Texas Nature Conservancy is working with Krause so assiduously to preserve it. Coauthor Cynthia Nesser, a professional conservationist, provides a valuable set of resources for readers who will be moved to practice conservation in their own backyards. Over 200 photographs by Adrian Van Dellen capture the Krause ranchland in sweeping vistas around the seasons, examining everything from the rivers and water features such as Englishmen’s Well, rumored to be over 200 feet deep, to the minutiae of individual plants and animals. Special sections on Texas grasses, Texas cedar, water management in the riparian habitat, and wildlife provide factual grounding illustrated by specific examples from Krause’s ranchlands.

The Neches River winds through a large portion of Texas’ scarce public lands, and Neches River User Guide , a project of the Texas Conservation Alliance, offers outdoor enthusiasts a menu of ways to enjoy this wild Texas river. As users flip through this guide book, its user-friendly maps will reveal the towns, roads, entry points, bridges, public lands, parks, and other landmarks along nearly 360 miles of the river’s course. Each map details practical information about public access points, potential hazards, camping facilities, and GPS coordinates for points of interest. The guide also includes a brief description of the archeology and history of human habitation along the river, as well as photographs of plants and animals common in the bottomland hardwood ecosystem. A final note on conservation efforts, past and present, will help readers join in protecting the river for future generations.