Wrapping Up Our Rescheduled 2020 Summit
Leave a CommentThe topic of our rescheduled 2020 Conservation Summit was “The Future of Conservation,” and in that spirt we hosted a virtual summit via livestream alongside some in-person speakers. For those of you who might have missed the panels, we have included videos of all three sessions below, the closing remarks, and some words of reflection from our CEO, Joni Carswell. Our next Conservation Summit is scheduled for November 3, 2021 at the Bush Center in Dallas.

A Message from Our CEO, Joni Carswell
The rescheduled 2020 Conservation Summit surpassed our high expectations thanks to our wonderful speakers, committed partners, and engaged attendees. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the future of conservation and what it means to each of us. As we shared at the summit, we’re lucky to live in a state prosperous in economy, natural resources, and people. We have the opportunity to work together to explore and show how bringing natural resources, people and economics together benefits each in a way that is much more than 1+1+1 = 3.
To Texan by Nature, the future or conservation is collaboration. It’s innovation. It’s economics. It’s a positive Return on Conservation. It’s private. It’s public. It’s using resources in imaginative ways. It’s new ways of looking at all of these. It’s true, deep partnership and commitment between everyone such that conservation is not a separate project, group, or conversation but part of our DNA. Conservation must be part of who we are — as citizens, family members, leaders, entrepreneurs, humans. It is partnership that yields innovation and returns that positively shape our resources, health, and economy.
I want to take a moment to extend our deepest appreciation to our speakers and sponsors for the rescheduled 2020 summit. It goes without saying that 2020 was a difficult year. Thank you to each of our partners for helping us continue our work in 2020 to accelerate conservation across the state of Texas. Thank you to our speakers and sponsors for your flexibility in rescheduling the summit. Thank you to each of you for the work you do to advance the future of conservation.
A special thanks to our sponsors and underwriters – H-E-B, Dell Technologies, Enbridge, Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, EOG Resources, Deedie Rose, Carolyn and David Miller, Cynthia and Don Stevenson, Lyda Hill Philanthropies and our silver and bronze sponsors as well.
Special thanks also to our speakers in sharing your expertise, vision and passion. You inspired all of us. Thank you to: Melinda Taylor and Louis Harveson from the Respect Big Bend Coalition, Karen Beadle, Vice President of ESG and Stakeholder Engagement from Marathon Petroleum, Sara Coles from Texas Children in Nature, Julia Murphy, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of San Antonio Jana Renner of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, Tres Hess and Dr. Ben Holland from Cactus Feeders, Natalie Wolff from Texas Brigades, Rick Archer, founding partner and CEO of Overland Partners, Garret Boone and Kathryn Trainor from Trinity Park Conservancy, Rick Buckley from Groundwork Dallas, Kim Marotta, Global Senior Director of Sustainability and Enterprise Risk Management for Molson Coors Beverage Company, Frank Weary of Exploration Green Conservancy and Sarah Ziomek from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
Sincerely,
Joni Carswell
CEO, Texan by Nature
Panel 1: Collaborative Conservation
Collaboration is widely proven to achieve better results — more innovative solutions, deeply engaged team members, higher loyalty and morale. Research shows that teams working collaboratively stick to the task 64 percent longer than those in solitary endeavors, report higher engagement levels, cite lower fatigue levels, and have a higher success rate. Collaborative conservation spanning business, landowners, communities, and natural resource organizations yield similar positive results. With our diversity of ecosystems, industry, and people, we have an opportunity to model a future that builds on collaborative efforts where we learn from one another, building upon new ideas and utilizing our expertise to the fullest. In this session you’ll hear from Melinda Taylor and Louis Harveson from the Respect Big Bend Coalition, Karen Beadle, Vice President of ESG and Stakeholder Engagement from Marathon Petroleum, Sara Coles from Texas Children in Nature, and Julia Murphy, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of San Antonio.
Panel 2: Developing Future Returns
The future of conservation certainly depends on the returns realized as our state grows. Home to seven of the 15 fastest growing cities in the U.S., Texas’ population has increased over 48% in the last decade alone. With this mass urbanization, less than 1% of Texans are landowners and there’s a diminished connection to nature and our natural resources. As Texas develops, it’s critical that conservation and business work together to create innovative spaces, practices, and leaders to care for our natural resources, prosperity, and health for generations to come. In this panel you’ll hear from Jana Renner of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, Tres Hess and Dr. Ben Holland from Cactus Feeders, Natalie Wolff from Texas Brigades, and Rick Archer, founding partner and CEO of Overland Partners.
Panel 3: Reimagining Resources & Closing Remarks
Texas is bountiful – enjoying the world’s 10th largest GDP, 29 million citizens, and 10 diverse ecoregions. Reimagining how we bring our plentiful resources together to deliver innovative places, resilient landscapes and natural resources, equitable access, and economic opportunities is a future that will benefit every Texan at work, at play, and at home. The focus of this panel is innovation, ways of collaborating and conserving that are pushing the envelope. You’ll hear from Garret Boone and Kathryn Trainor from Trinity Park Conservancy, Rick Buckley from Groundwork Dallas, Kim Marotta, Global Senior Director of Sustainability and Enterprise Risk Management for Molson Coors Beverage Company, Frank Weary or Exploration Green Conservancy and Sarah Ziomek from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The day ended with remarks by Neal Wilkins, CEO of the East Foundation and Texan by Nature board member, and a closing message from our founder, former First Lady, Laura Bush.