Aransas County, Texas, is proud to announce the acquisition of the Copano Cove Ranch, also historically known as the Bailey Ranch, a significant conservation project funded entirely through the Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) Coastal Management Program under Contract #24-099-005-E379.

This acquisition was wholly funded through a grant from the GLO providing Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA) funding, made available to the State of Texas and awarded under the Texas Coastal Management Program.

On July 31, 2025, Aransas County officially closed on the 950-acre property located at 1751 FM 1781 in Rockport, Texas. This expansive tract of native prairie, marshes, and wetlands will now be preserved forever as protected natural habitat.

“This is a major win for Aransas County,” said County Judge Ray Garza. “Preserving this land protects vital habitat, expands public access, and creates opportunities for ecotourism and education that will benefit our community for generations. I’m grateful to all the partners who stayed committed to getting this across the finish line.”

The property is protected by a conservation easement held by the North American Land Trust (NALT). NALT has been actively protecting land in Texas for 20 years, with over 6,200 acres protected on the Texas Gulf Coast. The property boasts over 2,700 linear feet of Copano Bay shoreline, 200+ acres of estuarine and marine wetlands, and more than 100 acres of palustrine emergent wetlands, all now protected under a conservation easement held by the NALT. The land also serves as a critical natural drainage area for one of the most developed watersheds in Aransas County, providing invaluable flood mitigation and stormwater management benefits.

A Community-Driven Effort

The vision for this acquisition was born from the collaborative efforts of Aransas First Land Trust and the Aransas County Road & Bridge Department. Early champions of the project— Shelly Steckler, Maureen Crocker, and Dr. Earl Matthew of Aransas First—partnered with Katherine “Kat” Comeaux, Development Services Coordinator at Road & Bridge, to identify the

ranch as a prime candidate for acquisition. Together, they developed and submitted the successful grant application.

Janae Evans, the broker representing the seller, remarked:

“This was one of the most complex transactions in my 30+ year career in ranch/commercial real estate, but the conservation value of this particular property made the 21-month contract period worth the wait. This iconic property undoubtedly will become a unique destination for ecotourism, for generations to come.”

Evans continued:

“This is biodiversity on full display; the property is widely known for its magnificent wildlife and its natural vegetation, which is diminishing in our region. The seller’s dedication to conservation, ability to provide an expansive cache of due diligence materials, and their willingness to extend deadlines when required, allowed this transaction to come to fruition, in addition to a lot of hard work by dedicated folks on both sides of the transaction. I want to extend special recognition and gratitude to Judge Ray Garza who held the course through all stages, as well as Commissioner Bob Dupnik and the other county commissioners who were extremely supportive, along with the good folks at County Road & Bridge, especially Kat Comeaux without whom this transaction would not have happened.”

Partnerships That Made It Happen

This milestone acquisition represents a tradition of public-private partnership and environmental stewardship:

• Meghan Martinez, Project Manager/Natural Resources Specialist with the GLO’s Coastal Management Program, kept the project on track through all stages of due diligence and contract execution.
• Patty Kennedy, Southeast Program Director for NALT, provided expert insight into the intricacies of the conservation easement and its lasting protections.
• The sellers, EVC-CC Land Holdings and Rockport Property Entity, LLC, and their counsel were fully supportive of preserving the property’s ecological and public access values.
• John Bell of Wood, Boykin & Wolter in Corpus Christi represented Aransas County, offering essential legal guidance throughout the acquisition process.

Looking Forward

Aransas County is currently developing a land management plan for responsible public access and ecotourism opportunities that align with habitat preservation goals. The County envisions a future where this unique landscape educates the public, promotes sustainable recreation, and remains a sanctuary for wildlife.

The Copano Cove Conservation Area lies within the Mid‐coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes ecoregion, part of the Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes. According to The Nature Conservancy, “The 600-mile-long region abounds in superlatives: the longest barrier island system on Earth, the most important fish nursery in the gulf, the largest hypersaline lagoon

known to man. The numbers and types of birds seen here rival those found anywhere else in North America; the coastline provides critical stopover sites for millions of migrating birds. Nearly 1,000 species of wildflowers live here, and the area’s diversity of butterflies and reptiles in renowned.”

With this acquisition, Aransas County solidifies its role as a steward of the Texas coast, protecting a priceless resource for future generations.