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Published on July 12, 2024
Texan Conservation Efforts Bolstered by Revolutionary Ecological Value ToolSource: Unsplash/Casey Horner

In the ongoing effort to save Texas' vanishing longleaf pines, Jenny Sanders of the Texas Longleaf Team is combining forces with Texan by Nature, using a new formula to attract donors by quantifying the ecological advantages of conservation. Sanders, who comes from a robust lineage of Texas conservationists, has devoted her career to environmental protection, and it appears her hard work is now coming to fruition. According to a report by The Texas Tribune, a new report from Texan by Nature – spearheaded by president Joni Carswell – is supplying conservationists with a tailor-made tool to calculate the benefits of Texas ecosystems.

What this tool promises to turn out to is a deeper understanding of the economic benefits provided by ecological preservation efforts. Texan by Nature's report has broken down Texas into ten ecoregions, each with its measures of water quality, carbon capture, and more. In doing so, it allows conservationists to better pitch their efforts to potential funders. For Sanders, the only employee of her organization, this development could not have come at a better time. Facing a modest $250,000 annual budget, the Texas Longleaf Team has struggled to perform the extensive research required to satisfy corporate donors – until now. "We're really good at talking about the warm and fuzzy," Sanders told The Texas Tribune. But corporations "want specifics on benefits their money is producing through conservation work."

Texan by Nature's research has come up with an impressive return on investment figure of $2.8 billion based on the conservation efforts across Texas. To arrive at this number, they analyzed tax filings and the extent of work done by almost 200 nonprofit conservation organizations. The impact of the conservation work ranges from enhanced water quality to increased carbon capture, and even a boost to tourism. Edward Piñero, president of EcoMetrics, highlighted the difficulty of translating environmental benefits into financial spreadsheets, as reported by The Texas Tribune: "But if I'm planting trees or restoring wetlands, it's sometimes harder to get a handle on what the benefits are and, more importantly, what they're worth so that you can make financial decisions."

It's clear that Sanders and her team at the Texas Longleaf Team have begun to reap the rewards of this new approach. With Texan by Nature's data, they managed to secure $825,000 in federal funding and almost $1 million in private funds – a significant jump from their annual operating budget. This financial boon evidences that placing clear, concrete numbers on the perks of environmental conservation isn't just a possibility; it's a must to attract and secure funding. "How do you make it matter to a funder or potential partner? You break it down to the simplest metrics that they understand," Carswell explained in an interview with The Texas Tribune.

The data-driven approach isn't just about the money; it's about sustaining ecosystems for future generations. In the Coastal Bend region, for instance, conservationists are working on a massive project to restore a 1.5 million-acre watershed with efforts set to significantly benefit the local community through reduced healthcare expenses and increased recreational opportunities. This kind of practical approach to environmental stewardship demonstrates the direct impact of conservation on the welfare of Texans. It's a significant stride forward in marrying ecological health with economic savvy.