17,351-acre Texas ranch bought for $37.7m helped create major wildlife area

In 2014, a coalition of conservation groups in Texas completed the purchase of 17,351 acres of coastal land in Calhoun County. Known as Powderhorn Ranch, the property was one of the largest remaining areas of unspoiled coastal prairie in the state. The land was bought for $37.7 million, while the wider conservation project was planned at $50 million, including habitat restoration, management and a long-term endowment.According to Texas Tribune, a major part of the money came from funds linked to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) committed $34.5 million from its Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. The fund was created using money paid by BP and Transocean after the 2010 oil spill.