Land Heritage Institute maintains, operates, and is developing 1200 acres which were ceded to it by the San Antonio Water System on behalf of the City of San Antonio. This acreage preserves some of the most versatile and historically important land in the South Texas region. According to LHI Vice-President Ramon Vasquez of the American Indians in Texas, “You can find evidence of every single culture that shaped Texas on this site.”

For more than 10,000 years, native peoples have returned to this Medina river area--an ecotone--as a place of life-sustaining resources. An ecotone is a transitional zone between two adjacent but different plant communities, such as a forest and grassland, and is key to understanding why this land has been so bountiful. This region is made up of three major zones: the uplands, the terrace and the flood plain. The uplands provided a home for small game such as rabbits and squirrels as well as larger animals such as deer and antelope. The terrace also had a variety of larger and small animals which were hunted by the inhabitants. However, more importantly, it was the source of a variety of root foods used extensively by the native groups.  The flood plain includes the river and the surrounding land. The river gravel bars were source of stone for tool-making; the river itself provided water for people and trees; the trees, such as pecan and hickory, provided food and fuel. 

This land is a sanctuary along the major north-south bird migratory route, making it an exceptional experience for birders and wildlife conservationists. The acreage holds archeological history yet to be excavated and studied; it stores a profusion of historical information pertaining to various cultures, including the Spanish, cattle ranching, antebellum farming and slavery, and tenant farming.

The land is covered with majestic cypress, pecan and live oak trees. One live oak measures twenty-eight feet in circumference and is possibly over 1,000 years old; this tree may rank among the top ten oldest oak trees in Texas.    

Land Heritage Institute is another jewel in San Antonio’s south side “Emerald Necklace,” complementing the Medina River Natural Area, the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, the Spanish Colonial missions, the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Improvements Project and the Mission Trail.