Dr Peter Cragg Panther Creek Pet Clinic 4775 W. Panther Creek Drive Suite A-135 The Woodlands, Texas 77381 Ted Hollingsworth, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744. Dear Mr. Hollingsworth, I am writing this letter to protest: The plan that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has to trade the Devils River State Natural Area, plus 8 million dollars in cash for a smaller tract of land further down the Devils River know as the Devils River Ranch. There are some major problems that I see with this land swap Part III - Alternative Issues: I would suggest, as an alternative to this planned swap, that the state use its limited funds to: 1) Acquire (or develop) a put in near the Hwy 163 crossing. (If the owners of Bakers Crossing are willing to sell a portion, that would make a great acquisition). 2) Acquire (through purchase, lease or agreement) certain river accessible sites that can be used by river users for lunch spots and/or primitive campsites. This would help eliminate many of the "trespass" issues related to running the Devils. 3) Acquire a take out - either in the vicinity of the current Blue Sage take out, or possibly a portion of the DRR. (Paddlers don't need 17,000 acres of property for campsites, put ins or take outs - they need much smaller tracts of land). Measured in several acres. We would also suggest that the state should modify its policy at the DRSNA: Allow paddlers to have the combination to the gate to the river access area and allow paddlers to drive there to launch or take out their craft. Allow paddlers to leave their vehicles in a safe area, out of the floodway, and considerably closer to the river than the current parking area that is 1.5 miles from the river. That way, paddlers could use the DRSNA as a put in or a take out. It would also be helpful if the state would either*put in composting toilets at the designated primitive campsites, or mandate that river users carry out all solid human waste.* The state should encourage zero impact camping. To help eliminate altercations between river users and landowners, it might also be necessary for the state to instigate a river permit system for running the Devils, which would require certain equipment (like fire pans and portable toilets) in a manner similar to the system the National Park System employs in Big Bend National Park. Fantastic Idea! *Why would the TPWD want to TRADE this excellent piece of property for a property that is 2,000 acres smaller plus pay 8 million dollars for* *it.* -- We must not change the Word of God, it must change us! Peter Cragg, DVM HopePointe Church, (Anglican Mission in the Americas) Panther Creek Pet Clinic Troop 889, Former Scoutmaster Red Cross Instructor - Basic Flat Water Kayaking Instructor - Basic Kayaking, Essentials of River Kayaking Instructor - Rolling a Kayak, with Touring or White Water Kayaks INTJ -- We must not change the Word of God, it must change us! Peter Cragg, DVM HopePointe Church, (Anglican Mission in the Americas) Panther Creek Pet Clinic Troop 889, Former Scoutmaster Red Cross Instructor - Basic Flat Water Kayaking Instructor - Basic Kayaking, Essentials of River Kayaking Instructor - Rolling a Kayak, with Touring or White Water Kayaks INTJ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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