# Texan by Nature

Texan by Nature, originally formed in 2011 as Taking Care of Texas, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focusing on uniting business and conservation. Texan by Nature is headquartered at Austin, Texas.

## History

Texan by Nature was founded by former First Lady Laura Bush in 2011. Its stated mission is to, "align the broad interests of conservation groups with the resources of businesses, health care institutions, schools, the scientific community, and faith-based organizations [to] ... collectively create a positive impact for Texas’ economy, people, and land for generations to come".

## Programs
### Conservation Wrangler Program

Each year, Texan by Nature selects innovative projects from across Texas. These projects must be science based, with measurable outcomes and data.

### 2020 Conservation Wranglers

Exploration Green Conservancy -
Respect Big Bend
Trinity Park Conservancy - Trinity River Conservation Corps
Paso del Norte Trail
Texas Brigades
Texas Children in Nature
2019 Conservation Wranglers
Certified Water Program
Trinity River Paddling Trail
Rio Grande Valley Reef Restoration
Oyster Shell Recycling Program
Grassland Restoration Incentive Program
Texas Prairie Wetlands Program

#### 2018 Conservation Wranglers

Building Conservation Trust – Oyster Reef Restoration
Building Conservation Trust (the National Habitat Program of Coastal Conservation Association) and Coastal Conservation Association Texas restored oyster habitat in Sabine Lake.
Constructed wetlands
Tarrant Regional Water District, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, North Texas Municipal Water District, the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center, the Rosewood Corporation, and Alan Plummer Associates partnered to create over 4,000 acres of wetlands to showcase a sustainable approach for natural water filtration. The wetlands provide water supply to over 3.8 million people in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and provide habitat for local wildlife.
Cool schools
Dallas Independent School District partnered with the Texas Trees Foundation to reduce urban heat at Dallas elementary schools. Eighty trees are planted per school with the goal to maintain a tree canopy cover, create outdoor learning environments, provide STEM-based curriculum, and to enhance experiential learning.
Dark Skies Initiative
Working with the Permian Basin Petroleum Association and the Texas Oil & Gas Association, McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas published a "Recommended Lighting Practices" guide. They have also partnered with the Apache Corporation to produce a video.
The practices reduce light pollution, have greater cost efficiency, and improve visibility and increase worker safety in the oil field.
El Carmen Land & Conservation Co.
El Carmen Land and Conservation Company, owned by CEMEX USA and Mr. Josiah Austin, is working on desert restoration and habitat enhancement in the Trans-Pecos.
Texas Playa Conservation Initiative
The Texas Playa Conservation Initiative is working to restore the playas in the Panhandle.
Partners for this project include Texas Parks and Wildlife, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Ducks Unlimited.
2017 Conservation Wranglers
Lake Livingston Friends of Reservoirs]
Lower Rio Grande Valley Learning Landscapes Collaborative
2014 Conservation Wranglers
Texas State Bison Herd
Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center
Bracken Bat Cave

### TxN Project Certification

The Texan by Nature Project Certification provides Texan employers, organizations, and individuals with recognition of their conservation efforts.

### Symposia Series

South-Central Monarch Symposium
The South-Central Monarch Symposium took place May 31-June 1, 2017 at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Over 200 monarch conservation partners attended the event. Over 50 speakers presented their research, ranging from milkweed availability, distribution, and resources to private landowner perspectives.
The goals of the symposium included consolidating data on the monarch butterfly migration and identifying gaps in current scientific understanding and habitat management practices.
On July 18, 2018, Data and Project Manager Amy Snelgrove provided testimony of the findings from the symposium to the Texas House of Representatives' Committee on Culture Recreation & Tourism.
On August 10, 2018, the South-Central Monarch Conservation Community became live. This is a community to bring monarch researchers and conservation professionals together to recover the butterfly throughout Texas and Oklahoma.
Topics include:
* Communication & Outreach
* Funding
* Habitat Conservation
* Research
* Texas Monarch Consortium
A Natural Connection: Exploring Positive Outcomes in Health and Healing Through Nature
Texan by Nature co-hosted the symposium with Houston Methodist to discuss and identify gaps in the science between the mechanisms in nature that produce positive physiological and psychological health and healing benefits. Top researchers, physicians, and policymakers gathered to share their knowledge on the connections between health and nature and discussed their findings.
On May 2, 2018, a partnership between Texan by Nature, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Texas A&M University System was announced to form the Center for Health and Nature in Houston, Texas. Two research projects are currently being developed:
* Designing Systems to Prevent Physician & Nurse Burnout
* Heart Health and Nature
The Center for Health and Nature is planning for its 2019 Symposium for February 13, 2019.

### Conservation Wrangler Summit

Texan by Nature and Mrs. Bush hosted the first Conservation Wrangler Summit in 2018 to celebrate the best Conservation Wrangler projects. The now yearly event draws leaders from across Texas to share insights and efforts making impact in areas of conservation and sustainability.

### Texan by Nature 20 (TxN20)

In 2019 Texan by Nature partnered with Texas Monthly to rank the top 20 companies in Texas working to push conservation forward. Over 2,000 Texas-based companies were evaluated by a 14 point grading system resulting in the top 20 businesses committed to conservation efforts.
“The TxN 20 is an effort to recognize innovation and best practices in conservation coming from Texas-based businesses," Texan by Nature CEO and President, Joni Carswell.

#### TxN 20 2019 Honorees

* American Campus Communities
* Apache
* Austin Convention Center
* Cactus Feeders
* CEMEX
* Cirrus Logic
* Comerica
* Darling Ingredients
* Dell
* DFW Airport
* Farmer Brothers
* Harvest Seasonal Kitchen
* H-E-B
* King Land & Water
* NRG Energy
* Parkland Health & Hospital System
* Phillips 66
* Southwest Airlines
* Texas Health Resources
* Union Pacific

### Deep in the Heart

Texan by Nature is a primary sponsor of this wild life documentary that showcases Texas conservation and ecological issues through the eyes of wildlife. Deep in the Heart is a project led by Ben Masters of Fin and Fur Films.

## Conservation Partners

Description of Conservation Partners
List of Conservation Partners
* America's Wetland Foundation
* Armand Bayou Nature Center
* Audubon Texas
* Bat Conservation International
* Borderlands Research Institute/Sul Ross State University
* Botanical Research Institute of Texas
* Caesar Klegberg Wildlife Research Institute
* Cibolo Nature Center and Farm
* Coastal Conservation Association
* Dixon Water Foundation
* EarthX
* East Foundation
* Environmental Defense Fund
* Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo
* Galveston Bay Foundation
* Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance
* Harte Research Institute/Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
* Headwaters at the Comal
* Hill County Alliance
* Hill Country Conservancy
* Houston Wilderness
* I-20 Wildlife Preserve
* John Bunker Sands Wetland Center
* Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
* Land Trust Alliance
* Monarch Joint Venture
* National Butterfly Center
* National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
* National Ranching Heritage Center
* Native Plant Society of Texas
* Prescribed Burn Alliance of Texas
* San Antonio Botanical Garden
* Sand County Foundation
* South Texans' Property Rights Association
* South Texas Natives – CKWRI
* Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute
* Texas Agricultural Land Trust
* Texas AgriLife Extension Services
* Texas Bighorn Society
* Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center
* Texas Brigades
* Texas Children in Nature
* Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
* Texas Conservation Alliance
* Texas A&M Forest Service
* Texas Land Conservancy
* Texas Land Trust Council
* Texas Master Naturalist
* Texas Native Seeds – CKWRI
* Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
* Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation
* Texas Water Resources Institute
* Texas Wildlife Association
* The Frontera Land Alliance
* The Nature Conservancy
* The Witte Museum
* Tom Lea Institute
* Trinity Park Conservancy
* Trinity Waters
* U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
* Wildlife Habitat Federation

## Board Members

2020
Laura Bush, Founder
Neal Wilkins, PH.D., Chairman
Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson, Vice Chairman
Tamara Trial, Secretary
Regan Gammon, Treasurer
Katharine Armstron
Marc Boom
Tina Buford
Joe Crafton
Ray Ingle
Elaine Magruder
Adair Margo
Carolyn Miller
Greg Schildwachter, PH.D.

## Leadership

In 2017 Joni Carswell was hired to lead Texan by Nature replacing interim director Matt Wagner.

## Sources

* ↑ "Texan by Nature - Who we Are". Texan by Nature. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
* ↑ Ponzio, Audrey (1 April 2020). "Texan by Nature Announces 2020 Conservation Wranglers". Business Wire. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
* ↑ "Home - Building Conservation Trust". Building Conservation Trust. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
* ↑ "Constructed Wetlands – Texan By Nature". Texan By Nature. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
* ↑ "Texas Trees Foundation | Cool Schools". Texas Trees Foundation. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
* ↑ "Recommended Lighting Practices" (PDF). The McDonald Observatory. February 21, 2018.
* ↑ McDonald Observatory (2018-07-09), Protecting the West Texas Dark Skies, retrieved 2018-09-19
* ↑ "Dark Skies Initiative | McDonald Observatory". mcdonaldobservatory.org. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
* ↑ "South-Central Monarch Symposium – Texan By Nature". Texan By Nature. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
* ↑ "Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism House Agriculture & Livestock Committee - Interim Charge #3" (PDF). Texas Legislature Online. July 18, 2018.
* ↑ "South Central Monarch Conservation Community on Rallyhood". Rallyhood Inc. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
* ↑ "Groundbreaking Center for Health & Nature Announced". Retrieved 2018-09-19.
* ↑ "CHN Brief | Designing Systems to Prevent Physician & Nurse Burnout" (PDF). Center for Health and Nature. August 9, 2018.
* ↑ "CHN Brief | Heart Health and Nature (H2N)" (PDF). Center for Health and Nature. August 9, 2018.
* ↑ Texan by Nature, TxN (14 November 2019). "Texan by Nature 20". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 14 November 2019.