receive a Sentinel Landscape designation, which cov- ers nine other military sites nationwide. Local military leaders voiced support for the Sentinel Landscape designation. Army Brig. Gen. Russell Driggers, commander of JBSA and the 502nd Air Base Wing, said he appreciated those work- ing to ensure Camp Bullis remains a reliable military training ground. “Thanks to the designation and the e orts of our partners, more resources will be available to willing landowners to help ensure military training opera- tions can continue unimpeded,” Driggers said. Partnering with landowners, developers Oppenheimer said Sentinel Landscape partners aim to identify the amount of money invested in agri- cultural productivity and natural resource conserva- tion in the designated area as well as acreage enrolled in programs that help property owners with land stewardship e orts. Oppenheimer said this could include better ani- mal grazing practices and soil health and in ltra- tion; reducing erosion; and conservation easements, which are voluntary, legal pacts that permanently limit uses on a certain amount of land. Camp Bullis’ partners secured $5.1 million from one such funding source, the Defense Department’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integra- tion program, which helps local landowners with mutually bene cial land management practices and the implementation of conservation easements, Oppenheimer said. Separately, community partner Texas A&M Natu- ral Resources Institute secured $8.5 million through the Agriculture Department’s Regional Conservation Partnership program, which Oppenheimer said will further help local landowners with conservation. “Farmers and ranchers make good neighbors to a military installation, helping safeguard the best train- ing environments for our men and women in uni- form,” said Roel Lopez, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute director. Gilbert Gonzalez, CEO of the San Antonio Board of Realtors, said the Sentinel Landscape’s focus on compatible land use around Camp Bullis will boost voluntary landowner cooperation toward e cient development. “The Sentinel Landscape program is designed to complement residential real estate development and create natural amenities such as parks and open spaces that enhance the overall real estate value of the landscape,” Gonzalez said. Being water wise Oppenheimer said to counter byproducts of increasing land development around Camp Bullis, protecting groundwater sources and water supplies, and addressing drainage runo and ood risks in and around the training facility is vital. Shaun Donovan, environmental sciences manager with the San Antonio River Authority, said Camp Bullis is prone to ash ooding due to the post’s proximity to the Salado Creek and Cibolo Creek watersheds, and it sits on the edge of the Edwards Aquifer contributing zone, where rainfall penetrates the land surface. The river authority is collecting public input to
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sentinel landscape goals
Conservation and preservation Camp Bullis is part of the Greater Joint Base San Antonio operations and supports training of military members who serve at any of San Antonio’s bases, including the north side’s JBSARandolph. The 27,990-acre military site houses state-of-the- art training and simulation equipment, ring ranges surrounded by open skies not clouded by light pollu- tion, and an abundance of land for training maneu- vers that are not a ected by noise pollution. On Feb. 1, 2022, the federal government designated Camp Bullis and nearly 1 million acres around it a Sentinel Landscape. Securing this designation enables stakeholders— such as private landowners and conservation organi- zations—to leverage federal and state monies to fund initiatives to help meet ve overarching goals, said Oppenheimer, who is coordinating communications and the e orts of 57 private- and public-sector groups that support conservation e orts and Camp Bullis. Those goals include promoting responsible devel- opment and land stewardship; maintaining and improving agricultural productivity such as farm- ing; addressing climate-related challenges such as drought, ash ooding and wild re risks; preserving and enhancing habitats to aid in the recovery of native and threatened wildlife species, including the gold- en-cheeked warbler; and supporting and expanding recreation opportunities such as parks and trails. All the stakeholders aim to work together to conserve natural resources within the area and reduce risks that are the byproducts of develop- ment, such as light pollution and drainage runo , Oppenheimer said. Such e orts will bene t surrounding properties, communities and ecosystems and strengthen military readiness at Camp Bullis, which is important because JBSA’s military activities contribute $31 billion yearly to Texas’ economy, Oppenheimer said. “If we want to have any success here to enhance natural resources through conservation, that means working with private landowners in a way that sup- ports their goals, values and needs,” he said. “We also have an opportunity to engage developers and promote thoughtful practices that help us to steward natural resources.” Earning the designation In early 2019, the Alamo Area Council of Govern- ments, a San Antonio-based voluntary association of local governments and organizations, began spear- heading a consortium to help safeguard Camp Bullis’ military mission. The group’s goal was to secure the Sentinel Land- scape designation with community stakeholder sup- port, which would in turn open the door to federal programs and nancial support. AACOG Executive Director Diane Rath said when the group discovered the Sentinel Landscape pro- gram, o cials realized it could be valuable in rein- forcing Camp Bullis’ military activities. “This is a unique program as it has support from the military, conservationists and developers because it is voluntary and nonregulatory,” Rath said. Camp Bullis was the rst Texas defense facility to
Camp Bullis is one of 10 military installations that are designated a Sentinel Landscape. Each site shares nine common goals but prioritizes what is needed for their individual locations.
Protect vital military test and training missions
COURTESY DAVID TERRY JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO
• Provide noise and safety bu ers • Protect military training routes and special-use airspace • Encourage compatible land use
Conserve habitat and natural resources
JARRETT WHITENER COMMUNITY IMPACT
• Preserve open space and wildlands • Improve water quality • Strengthen populations and create wildlife corridors
Strengthen the economies of farms, ranches and forests
COURTESY TEXAS AGRICULTURAL LAND TRUST
• Improve forest health • Protect prime soils • Provide assistance for land and water resource management
CAMP BULLIS 5 PRIORITIES: Promote responsible development and care of land Maintain and improve agricultural productivity Address climate-related issues, such as drought and ash ooding Enhance habitats and recovery of native and threatened wildlife species Support or expand public recreation opportunities
SOURCES: HILL COUNTRY ALLIANCE, JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, SENTINEL LANDSCAPES PARTNERSHIP COMMUNITY IMPACT
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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