The Land
The twelve hundred an twenty-three acres which had been purchased for the Foundation included six miles of frontage on the San Marcos River, which was the southwest boundary. US Highway 90 marked the northeast boundary.
There were eighteen types of soil in various stages of depeltion and erosion includued in this acreage, which was once an old cotton plantation. Many acres had been abandoned and others were being farmed unprofitably.
From the beginning, management realized that because soil constitutes the very basis of sustaining life, soil and water conservation were vital.
Work began immediately on plannin, fencing, and terracing the rolling land. Knowing that this area of the state was subject to occasional heavy rains, and the resultant heavy run-off, sodding was provided where needed to minimize the loss of soil and water.
The importance of protecting land was spotlighted by experiments which had shown that on an unprotected slope of two percent or more, forty tons of soil per acre were lost annually to erosion.
The Luling Foundation has proved that if a constructive terracing program could be carried out throughout the agricultural regions of Texas, in addition to conserving soil and moisture, it would go a long way toward equalizing the flow of streams and help prevent floods and the silt build up in rivers, reservoirs, and harbors.
