Texas Children in Nature was selected as a Texan by Nature Conservation Wrangler in 2020. During each Conservation Wrangler program cycle, Texan by Nature provides up to 6 projects with 12-18 months of tailored support in the form of program management, strategic planning, marketing messaging, metrics capture and analysis, professional content production, and partnership development – whatever is needed to accelerate the project. The information below includes results from the time the project was active in the Conservation Wrangler program. It may not reflect the most current program/project information. Please visit https://www.texaschildreninnature.org for the latest.

PROJECT SUMMARY:

The evidence is clear and growing, children who spend time in nature are healthier, happier, and smarter. Texas contains 10% of the entire U.S. K-12 population. An estimated 32% of that population is deemed overweight or obese. Further, these children, ages 8-18, accrue an average of over 50 hours of screen time per week. Illustrating a critical disconnect between young Texans and the outdoors. In 2010, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department created the Texas Children in Nature Network (TCiN), to address the lack of nature in children’s lives.

Spending time in nature is a necessity. Nature provides benefits to both personal health and wellbeing. Overwhelming research suggests, after exposure to nature, children are more physically active and focus

ed in school – creativity and inventiveness increases, groups tend to be more cooperative, stress levels drop, and resilience rises. Experiences in nature also contribute to the development of a conservation ethic and a better understanding of our natural resources.

TCiN achieves its mission of connecting children with nature by leading Regional Collaboratives, consisting of youth-focused organizations, that provide local, hands-on programming from 8 regions across the state. Regions impacted include Caprock, North Texas, Austin, San Antonio, Pineywoods, Houston, Coastal Bend, and the Rio Grande Valley with two more to come in El Paso and Waco.

Each Regional Collaborative has a leader that works to develop area partnerships to deliver tailored, community-based programming to encourage more families to spend time in nature. These Regional Collaboratives have played significant roles in two large initiatives: Outdoor Learning Environments (OLE! Texas) and the Cities Connection Children to Nature (CCCN).

OLE! Texas is a statewide initiative to promote outdoor learning environments in early childhood centers, working to enhance healthy and active learning in nature. CCCN is a national program, initiated and supported by Children in Nature Network and National League of Cities partnership. Through CCCN, Regional Collaboratives across the state are involved in implementing Green School Parks, which create nature preserves and allow for a diverse range of native species in school yards.

Through their Regional Collaboratives efforts, TCiN works with over 500 local and state partners in health, education, community development, and conservation fields. In 2019 alone, TCiN partners engaged over 4 million Texas families with nature-based initiatives. TCiN serves as a statewide networking hub, participating in statewide leadership teams, providing resources to encourage children and families to spend time in nature, and addressing pressing issues such as equity and access to the outdoors, community development, and public health policy.

TCiN focuses their efforts on seven strategic areas of interest: access, community, equity, education, health, leadership development, and marketing. These areas work together to form a framework of programming, aimed at developing a conservation ethic and nature-built resilience from a young age through linking Texas children to meaningful conservation programs.

PROJECT MISSION:

The mission of Texas Children in Nature is to ensure equitable access and connection to nature for all Texans.

PROJECT IMPACT:

• 4 M+ Texas families reached by TCiN partner programming in 2019
• Annually convene 500+ partners across Texas to amplify and accelerate children in nature-based initiatives
• 8 regional collaboratives, including Caprock, North Texas, Austin, San Antonio, Pineywoods, Houston, Coastal Bend, and the Rio Grande Valley provide local, hands-on programming

PARTNERS INCLUDE:

500+ state and local partners across Texas in health, education, community development, and conservation fields.

PROJECT NEEDS:

Texas Children in Nature was selected for Texan by Nature Conservation Wrangler based on the project’s positive impact to people, prosperity, and natural resources. Through the program, Texan by Nature is working with Texas Children in Nature to address the following needs:

• Funding to build TCiN’s capacity as the organization becomes an independent nonprofit
• Media visibility to increase awareness and support, build participation, and increase partner engagement
• Children in nature partners to increase statewide collaborative efforts, increase education and awareness, and expand reach

TEXAN BY NATURE’S VISION AND SUPPORT:

Texan by Nature is working with Texas Children in Nature to act as the central networking hub for children in nature initiatives across Texas. TxN is supporting TCiN in strategic planning, creating a partner network, impact measurement, and developing new fundraising techniques.

Contact Lauren Hart at lauren@texanbynature.org & 512-284-7482 or Sarah Coles at scoles@texaschildreninnature.org if you would like to support Texas Children in Nature, volunteer, provide resources or connections, are interested in partnering, or would like to learn more.

Texan by Nature’s Conservation Wrangler program is made possible due to support from program and project sponsors. Their dedication to conservation allows Texan by Nature to support selected projects in a myriad of ways, amplifying & accelerating their impact across the state of Texas.

This 2020 Conservation Wrangler project is proudly sponsored by: