HONOREE SIZE & INDUSTRY: Small  – Agriculture

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Plateau Land & Wildlife Management (Plateau) and Braun & Gresham, PLLC (Braun & Gresham) are within a family of companies that has been proudly serving landowners in Texas for over 20 years. Plateau’s dedicated team of wildlife biologists, property tax consultants, and professional field technicians specializes in assisting rural landowners in increasing land value by conserving, restoring and/or improving their property’s native wildlife and habitats through science-based solutions. Plateau’s customized wildlife management plans can convert a landowners property to wildlife management valuation from ag or timber valuation to increase the enjoyment of their land, and help the landowners achieve their ultimate land vision, whether with or without livestock. 

Braun & Gresham provides a wide range of legal services to meet the needs of landowners, whether ranchers, farmers, non-profits, businesses, or individual clients. Since 1998, Braun & Gresham has been dedicated to finding the right solutions for every challenge faced by landowners, as well as uncovering advantageous opportunities. For clients who want to protect and add value to their land, Braun & Gresham applies their expertise in innovative ways, using conservation easements, conservation development, mitigation banks, and other similar approaches in real estate, tax, estate planning, regulatory law, and lobbying. 

To date, Plateau has worked with 4,304 landowners, across 138 counties and every major river basin in Texas to help come up with solutions for 1,081,880 acres. They recognize that nature plays a deep and fundamental role in the quality of human life in the rural landscape. Plateau and Braun & Gresham work with landowners to ensure good land stewardship.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS STRATEGY

Conservation is ingrained in the spirit and language of Plateau’s Mission, Vision, and Values. They assist “owners of rural land to increase value by conserving, restoring and/or improving their property’s native wildlife and habitat…” Their business relies entirely on the willingness of private landowners to engage in conservation-related activities as conservation-related services account for 90% of their revenue. Plateau is an example of a successful for-profit model in land and wildlife conservation, which is primarily served by nonprofits, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and government agencies. Their company strives to help landowners conserve their land for future generations, and is known for its excellence in achieving the conservation goals of their clients.  

EMPLOYEE LEADERSHIP

Plateau’s and Braun & Gresham’s employees are drawn to the companies because of their interest in natural resources, rural land, and the connection between them. Conservation defines their company culture and brings them together professionally, socially, and personally. Employees that are integral to the companies success include:

• Beyrl Armstrong – Family of Company Founder | “As a landowner, I try to live as lightly on the land as possible; enjoying being an integral part of a functioning ecosystem that is improved by my thoughtful activity.”
• David Braun – Family of Company Founder | “My first connection to the land was through my grandmother’s rice farm. It was the amazing diversity of wildlife using the Texas landscape that inspired me then and still does to this day.”
• Plateau’s Ecological Services Team
• Shane Kiefer – Director of Ecological Services, Plateau
• Cassie Gresham – Attorney and Counselor, Braun & Gresham Principal
• Kathryn Tancig – Conservation Easement Attorney, Braun & Gresham 

Employees are supported and encouraged to volunteer with nonprofits and NGOs to support their conservation missions. In 2019, their employees provided time and support to Texas Wildlife Association, The Wildlife Society, Texas Master Naturalists – state and local chapters, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, Hill Country Alliance, Texas Land Conservancy, Hill Country Conservancy, Natural Resources Conservation Service –  State Technical Advisory Committee, Texas Outdoor Partners, Texas Coalition for State Parks, Texas Real Estate Advocacy and Defense Coalition, Hays County Parks Department, and Native Plant Society of Texas local chapters.

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

Ecological Research on Private Lands

The Texas Ecological Laboratory Program (Texas Eco Lab), a joint effort of Plateau and Braun & Gresham, opened 13,000 acres of private land for ecological research in 2019, and since its formation in 2004 has provided funding and access to over 60,600 acres for researchers across 16 universities.

Land that loses agricultural (ag) valuation can reestablish agricultural use through making the property available for ecological research, thereby turning it into an “Eco Lab”. Plateau and Braun & Gresham are uniquely able to set up qualifying “Eco Labs” through their many relationships with colleges and universities. Through this program landowners can substantially reduce their property taxes within six years, while fostering meaningful university studies. At year seven, properties can transition to a wildlife management plan as an alternative to grazing or farming typically required for properties to qualify for favorable ag tax rates.

The Texas Eco Lab program has partnered with the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas State University, University of Houston, Rice University, Trinity University, Mississippi State, Hofstra University, St. Mary’s University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, The University of Texas at Tyler, Baylor University, University of California – Merced, Mesa Community College, Mesa, AZ, University of Montana, Sam Houston State University, and Penn State.

Read this success story from a Texas Eco Lab on Stuart Kensinger’s 500 acres of ranchland in Kerr County here.

Wildlife Management

In 2019, Plateau prepared over 600 wildlife management plans covering more than 120,000 acres. These wildlife management plans positively impacted 274 bird species and countless other taxa associated with those same habitats. 65 properties covering 20,000 acres were confirmed with endangered species (Golden-cheeked Warbler) presence. Additionally, 50,000 additional gallons of rainwater were collected in 2019 for direct wildlife use through the implementation of the wildlife management plans with over 250,000 gallons total collected in 2019 between new and existing systems. Throughout 2019, 3,200 landowners were directly engaged. Of these landowners, 1,500 were customers, with the remainder engaged through free seminars and resources.

To date, Plateau has impacted over 1 million acres of Texas land directly through wildlife management planning with thousands of landowners since 1997. Part of that effort involves regular education and outreach which annually impacts over 3,000 landowners. In 2019, Plateau had a total impact through education and outreach on over 400,000 acres. Their outreach programs often involve nonprofit partners looking to connect with private landowners. In 2019, partnering with Hill Country Alliance and the South Llano Watershed Alliance, Plateau provided education to 150 landowners with information about government conservation programs in the summer of 2019 through a series of free seminars.

Braun & Gresham has also supported a robust and growing conservation practice since the firm was founded in 2000. Their attorneys assist landowners with the creation of conservation easements, establishing Wildlife Management Property Associations, and real estate conservation developments. 

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Plateau and Braun & Gresham hope to continue serving as a conduit for expertise and information to help those new rural landowners work toward better land stewardship to reduce the impacts of habitat fragmentation and intensive land use. 

Plateau and Braun & Gresham believe that with the recent passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, there will be more funding available for the protection of private lands in Texas. Conservation is growing in popularity, especially as it becomes more important to preserve open space in the fast paced and developing world. They are working with legislators and local entities to support conservation efforts to preserve open space for all Texans to enjoy and share with future generations. Conservation developments and easements are a practical and attractive way to preserve open space while monetizing the value of family and developer assets.  By being at the forefront of these efforts, Plateau and Braun & Gresham will continue to shape the conservation community and future of Texas. 

TEXAN-LED CONSERVATION

The high percent of private land ownership, independent spirit, and creative incentives, makes Texas a model for private land conservation. Plateau and Braun & Gresham operate almost entirely within that framework, making Texas their natural home base for expanding the same private land conservation model to other states. The companies are Texan-led and are committed to ensuring their home is available for future generations to have the same experiences and connection to the outdoors and its recreational opportunities.