Location: Houston, Texas
Communities along the Texas Gulf Coast are forced to pay billions of dollars in repairs due to damaging storm systems every year. In 2011, the Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) purchased a defunct golf course property in the area to transform into Exploration Green (EG): an innovative stormwater detention center, recreational area, and habitat preservation and restoration site. EG provides stormwater detention for 500 million gallons of water, protection for over 2,000 homes and businesses, and 39 acres of wetland habitat that supports 1,000 native plant and wildlife species. The Exploration Green Conservancy is a 501(c)(3), volunteer-driven organization dedicated to preserving Exploration Green for the people and biodiversity that it protects. Partnerships between CLCWA, Exploration Green Conservancy, and 30 additional partners in business and conservation have contributed to EG gaining 95 percent of their funding locally, and over 900 community volunteers. EG increased property values for the community by 120 million dollars, provided 6 miles of paved trails for outdoor activity and healthy habits, and saved 300 million dollars in flood damage for every 500-year rain event.
Exploration Green was selected as a 2020 Conservation Wrangler. View the project page here.
A Rocha USA
CENTRAL, Texas
Acton Nature Center
Acton, Texas
American Forests
SOUTH, Texas
American Solar Grazing Association
STATEWIDE, Texas
Armand Bayou Nature Center
COASTAL, Texas
Audubon Texas
STATEWIDE, Texas
Austin Outside
Austin, Texas
Austin Youth River Watch
Austin, Texas
Bandera Corridor Conservation Bank
CENTRAL, Texas
Bat Conservation International
STATEWIDE, Texas
Bayou Land Conservancy
Houston, Texas
Bexar Audubon Society
CENTRAL, Texas
Big Bend Conservation Alliance
WEST, Texas
Big Thicket Biosphere Reserve
EAST, Texas
Big Thicket Natural Heritage Trust
Kountze, Texas
Black Women Who
STATEWIDE, Texas
Blackland Prairie Raptor Center
Dallas, Texas
Botanical Research Institute of Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Caddo Lake Institute
EAST, Texas
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute
SOUTH, Texas
Cibolo Nature Center and Farm
CENTRAL, Texas
Citizens’ Environmental Coalition
Houston, Texas
Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program
COASTAL, Texas
Coastal Conservation Association – Texas
STATEWIDE, Texas
Coastal Prairie Conservancy
Houston, Texas
Colorado River Alliance
CENTRAL, Texas
Comal County Conservation Alliance
CENTRAL, Texas
Commissary is Very Necessary
Dallas, Texas
Conservation History Association of Texas
Austin, Texas
Dallas Zoo
Dallas, Texas
DarkSky Texas
Driftwood, Texas
Defenders of Wildlife
STATEWIDE, Texas
Dixon Water Foundation
STATEWIDE, Texas
Ducks Unlimited
STATEWIDE, Texas
EarthX
STATEWIDE, Texas
East Foundation
SOUTH, Texas
ELSO Inc.
Sugar Land, Texas
Environmental Defense Fund – Texas
STATEWIDE, Texas
Exploration Green Conservancy
Houston, Texas
Explore Austin
Austin, Texas
Families in Nature
STATEWIDE, Texas
Fellowship of the Outdoors
Dallas, Texas
Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo
Fort Worth, Texas
Friends of Lake Livingston
Livingston, Texas
Friends of RGV Reef
COASTAL, Texas
Friends of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge
Fort Worth, Texas
Galveston Bay Foundation
Houston, Texas
Gardening Volunteers of South Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Great Springs Project
Austin, Texas
Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance
San Antonio, Texas
Green Hope Project
El Paso, Texas
Greenspace Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Headwaters at the Comal
New Braunfels, Texas
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
McKinney, Texas
Hill Country Alliance
CENTRAL, Texas
Hill Country Conservancy
CENTRAL, Texas
Hives for Heroes
STATEWIDE, Texas
Holistic Management International
STATEWIDE, Texas
Houston Parks Board
Houston, Texas
Houston Wilderness
Houston, Texas
Houston Zoo
Houston, Texas
I-20 Wildlife Preserve
Midland, Texas
Intellect U Well, Inc.
Houston, Texas
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center
Dallas, Texas
Keep Texas Beautiful
STATEWIDE, Texas
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Austin, Texas
Land Trust Alliance
STATEWIDE, Texas
Latino Outdoors
CENTRAL, Texas
LGBT+ Outdoors
STATEWIDE, Texas
Memorial Park Conservancy
Houston, Texas
Mission Heritage Partners
San Antonio, Texas
Monarch Joint Venture
STATEWIDE, Texas
National Butterfly Center
Mission, Texas
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
STATEWIDE, Texas
National Ranching Heritage Center
Lubbock, Texas
National Wildlife Federation
STATEWIDE, Texas
Native Plant Society of Texas
STATEWIDE, Texas
Native Prairies Association of Texas
STATEWIDE, Texas
North Plains Groundwater Conservation District
Dumas, Texas
Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture
STATEWIDE, Texas
Pease Park Conservancy
Austin, Texas
Pheasants & Quail Forever
STATEWIDE, Texas
Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy
San Antonio, Texas
Pines & Prairies Land Trust
Bastrop, Texas
Port Aransas Conservancy
Port Aransas, Texas
Prescribed Burn Alliance of Texas
STATEWIDE, Texas
Quail Coalition
STATEWIDE, Texas
Rio Grande International Study Center
Laredo, Texas
San Antonio Botanical Garden
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio Zoo
San Antonio, Texas
Sand County Foundation
STATEWIDE, Texas
Sandhills Area Recreation Association
PANHANDLE, Texas
Scenic Texas
STATEWIDE, Texas
Soil Regen
STATEWIDE, Texas
South Texans’ Property Rights Association
SOUTH, Texas
South Texas Natives – CKWRI
SOUTH, Texas
Texans United for Environmental Justice & Conservation (TUEJC)
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas A&M Forest Service
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas A&M Texas Water Resources Institute
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT)
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Bighorn Society
WEST, Texas
Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center
Goldthwaite, Texas
Texas Brigades
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Children in Nature Network
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Conservation Alliance
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Hemp Coalition
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Land Conservancy
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Land Trust Council
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Longleaf Team
EAST, Texas
Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network
COASTAL, Texas
Texas Master Naturalist
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Native Cats
Dallas, Texas
Texas Native Seeds – CKWRI
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD)
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation (TPWF)
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Private Landowners Conservation Association
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Trees Foundation
Dallas, Texas
Texas Water Foundation
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Water Trade
STATEWIDE, Texas
Texas Wildlife Association (TWA)
STATEWIDE, Texas
The Frontera Land Alliance
El Paso, Texas
The Longleaf Alliance
EAST, Texas
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
STATEWIDE, Texas
The Trail Conservancy
Austin, Texas
The Witte Museum
San Antonio, Texas
Tom Lea Institute
El Paso, Texas
Travis Audubon
Austin, Texas
TREAD Coalition
STATEWIDE, Texas
Trinity Coalition
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Trinity Park Conservancy
Dallas, Texas
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
STATEWIDE, Texas
Upper Trinity Conservation Trust
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
USDA NRCS
STATEWIDE, Texas
Water Is Alive
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
WHF
STATEWIDE, Texas
Wild Spirit Wild Places
STATEWIDE, Texas
Wildcat Bluff Nature Center
Amarillo, Texas