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Texas

How We Work

A balanced rock with a circular hole in the center reveals desert mesas and a small pond.
Conserving the Best of Texas TNC is working to protect Texas land, water, wildlife and way of life while tackling climate change. © Jerod Foster

The Nature Conservancy in Texas

In Texas, we’re already feeling the effects of the climate and biodiversity challenges facing our planet. Experts have identified more than 1,300 Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the state. As our cities grow, our freshwater supplies continue to be overallocated. Meanwhile, our coastline along the Gulf of Mexico loses more than an inch each year as climate change accelerates sea-level rise.

Nature is resilient, and we’re collaborating with partners to develop solutions and strategies to ensure Texas’ natural places, spaces and resources continue to thrive. From the West Texas desert, north to the Panhandle's high plains, through the Hill Country and eastward to our Pineywoods and Gulf prairie, we know what’s at risk if we don’t start making changes.

Protecting Nature for Tomorrow's Texas (1:52) We're working to protect the health of our state's lands, freshwater and oceans while innovating solutions to climate change.

Our Priorities

We’re developing scalable solutions to protect people and nature. The choices we make now will have resounding impacts far beyond our borders for centuries. To understand how we will achieve our ambitious goals, take a closer look at our pathways to solving some of today's most pressing environmental issues.

A person walks along a trail in a rocky valley.
LANDS TNC helped transfer 57,000 acres to expand Big Bend. © Christopher Zebo
Blue waters flow over large stone boulders.
FRESHWATER The Devils River at TNC's Dolan Falls Preserve. © Ian Shive
A small turtle moves toward ocean water on a beach.
COAST TNC has protected key habitat for the Kemp's ridley. © Carlton Ward Jr.
A woman uses a spade to dig a hole to plant a plant.
CLIMATE TNC is helping create climate-ready communities. © Tyler Holloway
A person walks along a trail in a rocky valley.
LANDS TNC helped transfer 57,000 acres to expand Big Bend. © Christopher Zebo

Our Priorities

Lands

There’s a whole lot of land to love in the Lone Star State—roughly 270,000 square miles. Yet nearly 95% of Texas land is privately owned. For conservation, this means collaborating with landowners, ranchers, businesses and other partners to protect key lands. With Texas losing land to development every day, preserving and stewarding open spaces is essential. Our path forward hinges on protecting, managing and restoring our lands to preserve the natural resources and industries on which we depend, like farming, ranching and timber production.

Blue waters flow over large stone boulders.
FRESHWATER The Devils River at TNC's Dolan Falls Preserve. © Ian Shive

Our Priorities

Freshwater

Fresh water flows to the taps of millions of Texas residents, running through our beloved spring-fed swimming holes and sustaining nearly 250,000 farms and ranches across the state. But in the next 50 years, the demand for water in Texas will soar as our population doubles. Conserving water—and changing how we use it—is the simplest and most cost-effective way to safeguard our water supplies. We're developing adaptable strategies to address water scarcity and freshwater conservation issues across Texas.

A small turtle moves toward ocean water on a beach.
COAST TNC has protected key habitat for the Kemp's ridley. © Carlton Ward Jr.

Our Priorities

Coast

The Texas Gulf is a powerhouse, supporting fisheries and tourism while providing numerous benefits—but all of this is in jeopardy. Today, only 20% to 50% of oyster reefs remain while more and more of our wetlands are lost each year to the detriment of nearly 400 bird species. The last decade has brought some of the most devastating environmental catastrophes to our coastal communities. But resilience doesn’t just start at our coasts. Our Texas rivers ultimately flow into Gulf bays and estuaries, and their management is essential.

A woman uses a spade to dig a hole to plant a plant.
CLIMATE TNC is helping create climate-ready communities. © Tyler Holloway

Our Priorities

Climate

Texans are feeling the effects of more frequent and intense hurricanes, rainstorms and flooding as well as more severe heatwaves, droughts and wildfires. Temperatures and sea levels are rising, and habitats are migrating or disappearing altogether. These extremes are affecting the health and vibrance of our communities, businesses, natural resources, economies and our very quality of life. We're partnering with communities, agencies and organizations to implement practical, scalable climate solutions.

Our Solutions

See how we're working across the Lone Star State to further our priorities and protect the best of Texas.

Lands

TNC is working with partners and landowners to develop a broad network of connected lands that will allow nature to adapt to a growing state and a changing climate.

Freshwater

From aquifers to rivers, we're preserving land near water supplies and advancing sustainable management and policy practices to improve water quantity and quality.

Coast

TNC is protecting coastal habitats that support species, restoring oyster reefs that boost Gulf ecology and economy and using nature to buffer coastal communities.

Climate

Through policy, planning, science, capacity building and on-the-ground conservation, we're leveraging nature to create healthier, more climate-ready communities.

Landscape view of rolling hills covered with scrub and trees.
The Nature Conservancy Protecting the best of Texas. © Kenny Braun