Williamson County gets money for land preservation
The Williamson County Conservation Foundation received $725,000 in federal grants to buy 64 acres of preserve land.
The money -- part of $70.5 million awarded to 26 states by the U.S. Department of the Interior -- will buy land in Cobb Preserve. The property contains the Coffin Cave mold beetle and the Bone Cave harvestman, and will benefit the Georgetown salamander, the foundation says.
The land also covers part of Cobb Cave, which is one of the 30 longest caves in Texas.
"This significant federal funding allows the foundation to take a positive step toward conserving key endangered species while balancing the needs of economic growth faced by Williamson County as one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation," says Lisa Birkman, Williamson County commissioner and president of the foundation.
The Williamson County Conservation Foundation is a nonprofit group formed by the county commissioners to aid conservation of endangered species.
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