Conserving the natural resources of the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands
through research, education, and outreach.
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John L. Nau III Donates $1M for West Texas Habitat Research |
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Thanks to a generous donation from a longtime supporting donor, the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross State University is enhancing West Texas habitat research efforts that will benefit native wildlife. John L. Nau III has committed $1 million over the next five years to support BRI’s Habitat Enhancement Project.
“BRI is committed to promoting meaningful habitat conservation in West Texas, but best management practices aren’t always apparent when you combat drought, invasive species, brush encroachment, changes in hydrology, and the other factors landowners typically face in the Trans-Pecos,” said Dr. Louis Harveson, who is the Dan Allen Hughes, Jr., BRI Endowed Director and professor of Wildlife Management at Sul Ross State University. “If we are to be successful in restoring rangelands to functioning systems, we must evaluate different and novel techniques. The Habitat Enhancement Project is designed to develop best management practices for a variety of natural resource conditions, and the generous gift from John Nau is an investment in using good science to combat the natural resource challenges that landowners face in the region.”
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West Texas Safari Club Donates $10,000 for Wildlife Research in the Trans-Pecos |
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A desert bighorn sheep stands atop a rocky perch in the Van Horn Mountains of Texas. Funding from the West Texas Chapter of Safari Club International will help us study bighorn and other wild ungulates in the region. Photo by Olivia Gray. |
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The West Texas Chapter of Safari Club International has made a $10,000 donation to support two wildlife research projects underway at the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University.
One project is examining the diets of desert bighorn sheep, mule deer and aoudad in shared habitats. The second study seeks to validate age estimates of wild ungulates, including pronghorn, desert bighorn sheep and mule deer.
“We’ve supported BRI projects in West Texas for several years now, and our members appreciate making investments in our own back yard,” said Brandon Bredemeyer, Board President of the West Texas Chapter of Safari Club International. “We hunt in West Texas, and we appreciate the work BRI does to conserve the species that are so important to us and to all who appreciate wildlife in Texas.”
The West Texas Chapter of Safari Club International raises money each year through charitable events and auctions. The next fundraising event is the West Texas Hunting Extravaganza, which will be held on Jan. 15, 2022, in Midland, Texas.
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You Can Help Conserve the Last Frontier |
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The Borderlands Research Institute couldn’t meet our mission of helping to conserve the natural resources of the Chihuahuan Desert borderlands through research, education, and outreach without the support of generous donors like John L. Nau III and the West Texas Chapter of the Safari Club. As you consider your year-end charity gift giving options, we hope you’ll consider a donation to support our work.
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Big Bend Artists for Conservation
Inspiring Conservation Through Art
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Over the next few months we will be featuring Mary Baxter and her work in our Big Bend Artists for Conservation series. Pictured above is her painting Near Mule Ears, Big Bend National Park - 22 x 40 - Oil on Canvas. |
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There is a unique nexus between the art world and the world of conservation. That’s why the Borderlands Research Institute is proud to present the “Big Bend Artists for Conservation” initiative to highlight the link between artists and conservation in the Big Bend region of Texas. By sharing their stories and their magnificent creations, we hope to inspire those who are working to conserve the borderlands region of Texas.
This month we’re shining the spotlight on artist Mary Baxter.
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Student Spotlight: Zoe Carroll |
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Zoe Carroll has been influenced to pursue a wildlife-related career for her entire life.
“My family did several cross-country camping trips when I was little, and we visited national parks across the United States,” said Carroll.
Her high school teacher in Virginia further fueled the fire.
“I had a really good ecology and environmental science teacher in high school. He really captured our imagination and helped us understand that everything is connected. It was a light bulb moment.”
When she enrolled in college at Virginia Tech, she started on an environmental science track.
“I knew right away that I wanted to get closer to wildlife, and when I realized you could get a degree in that, I switched majors. I was really glad I did.”
After earning a Wildlife Science degree in 2014, Carroll gained experience in a number of places along the Eastern Seaboard, including a national wildlife refuge, where she worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). That crystallized her career goal.
“My dream job would be a wildlife biologist for the USFWS. I had several mentors who encouraged me. I knew I needed to get a master’s degree, and that was my next move.”
She learned about the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross State University and applied to work on a scaled quail project. After her interview, to see the university, she flew from the green wooded environs to which she was accustomed, to the El Paso airport, then a long drive to Alpine.
“It was mind boggling, just all the empty wide-open desert space and just the fact that people own all of this land. As I drove in, I was thinking, ‘What did I get myself into?’ But everyone was so welcoming, and as soon as I got here, I knew I had made the right choice.”
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The Respect Big Bend coalition invites you to attend a Summit on Healthy Lands and Energy Development on Jan. 20, 2022. The event will be held from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Bush Convention Center in Midland, Texas.
Participants will explore ideas for reducing the negative impacts of all forms of energy development on the land through collaborative, voluntary projects that engage private landowners, community leaders, and energy companies.
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Borderlands Buzz: Mary Baxter |
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For more than three decades Mary Baxter has made a living as a successful artist, producing hundreds of works inspired by the desert landscapes of West Texas. The Borderlands Research Institute is shining a spotlight on Baxter’s creations as a featured artist in BRI’s “Big Bend Artists for Conservation” initiative. Listen in on our latest podcast to hear more.
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P.O. Box C-21, SRSU, Alpine, Texas 79832
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