Board approves long-term lease to manage George Mitchell Nature Preserve

The Woodlands Township board on March 26 approved an amended and restated long-term lease with the land development company to manage the George Mitchell Nature Preserve, a roughly 2,000-acre open-space corridor that includes trails, floodplain and habitat areas.

Chris Nunes, presenting the item, told the board the lease formalizes the township’s stewardship role and allows continued trail maintenance, programming and habitat conservation while providing a path toward eventual fee-simple conveyance of certain tracts as development occurs. "This lease is very compliant with your strategic planning initiatives... the recommendation is to approve the amendment and restated lease agreement for the long-term lease of the George Mitchell Nature Preserve," he said.

Nunes noted the preserve’s heavy use at trailheads such as Flint Ridge and that the township already funds many improvements; he said the lease term is 50 years and would preserve open-space and nature-based recreation while permitting programming, maintenance and potential future conveyances. The board moved and approved the lease amendment as presented.