Easing into Watershed Protection with Taxes and Bonds featuring Lon Shell, Frank Davis, and Phillip Covington

In this episode, Leslie Bobby of Southern Regional Extension Forestry talks to Frank Davis and Commissioner Lon Shell, important water management players in the Hill Country region of Texas, an area marked by considerable growth and development in recent years. 

They discuss how communities around San Antonio are using taxes and those around Austin are using bonds to ensure they have clean water for generations to come.

Frank Davis is the Chief Conservation Officer at Hill Country Conservancy, working with rural landowners and other public partners to finance and implement conservation projects benefiting water, wildlife and sustainable agricultural production. Lon Shell is a Hays County Commissioner overseeing county policy, departmental budgets, and tax rates. They discuss their success in implementing fair taxes and bonds, collaborating across sectors, and the bipartisan support for initiatives supporting clean water for future generations.  Phillip Covington is the Special Projects Manager for the City of San Antonio’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Program. He is responsible for the purchase of properties and conservation easements over the recharge and contributing zones of the Edwards Aquifer as well as for the annual monitoring of nearly 100 conservation easements. 

Produced by Lee Schneider. Music by Chuck Leavell.Executive Producer: Judy A. Takats.