A 650-acre tract on Lake Palestine in Henderson County is set to become a Texas state park after the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation purchased the property for $10 million on Thursday, Oct. 1. The foundation plans to make further investments in the land before transferring it to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, a move expected in late 2027 when additional money from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund becomes available. The property sits roughly halfway between Chandler and Moore Station, about 18 miles west of Tyler and 20 miles east of Athens. It includes shoreline, native pine forest, ponds and pecan orchards. The foundation says the land provides habitat for white-tailed deer, bobcats, waterfowl and other birds, and contains one of the area’s last large blocks of habitat. Plans for the future park include hiking and biking trails, campsites, day-use areas and lakefront access. Possible activities include boating, swimming, fishing and wildlife viewing. Habitat restoration is also expected as the property is prepared for public use; no opening date was announced. The site has been owned by the Pollard family since 1940 and was part of its Texas Pecan Nursery operation. Sam Pollard, the nursery’s president, said the family wanted to preserve the land for others to enjoy. “This land is part of my soul,” he said. “It means a lot to me that we can leave a legacy for people to enjoy.” Texas State Parks Director Rodney Franklin said the state is losing more than 700 acres of rural land to development each day. He also noted that less than 5% of Texas land is publicly accessible, underscoring the value of adding outdoor space as the state’s population grows. “This is a great example of what public-private partnership can accomplish for conservation in Texas,” said Anne Brown, executive director of the foundation, which acquired the land ahead of its planned transfer to state ownership.