2015 Annual Report
From Our State Director
At East Texas’ Roy E. Larsen
Sandyland Sanctuary, preserve
manager Shawn Benedict (left)
and preserve technician Zachary
Breitenstein help conserve one of
the last remaining longleaf pine
communities in Texas.
Budding environmentalists
share their findings at the
Francine Cohn Preserve.
© R.J. HINKLE
© JEROD FOSTER
As many of you already know, I maintain an active Twitter presence. One reason I find Twitter so fascinating is because it forces users
to be succinct and creative—every published message must make its point in 140 characters or less. Twitter doesn’t mess around.
For a few days in August, I noticed a popular hashtag making the rounds on Twitter--#StoryOfMyLifein4Words. The tweets tagged
with that phrase ran the gamut from truthful to apologetic, creative to mundane, thoughtful to unprintable. Sorting through them, I
realized how easy it would be to sum up 2015 at The Nature Conservancy:
“We crushed it, y’all.” #StoryOfMyLifein4Words
From working with trusted partners to save Bracken Bat Cave to leading the Conservancy’s push to expand its urban conservation
initiative to cities across North America, 2015 was nothing short of transformational for the Texas chapter. As you will read in these
pages, we continued to expand our work to protect Texas’ freshwater supplies, successfully advocating for San Antonio’s Edwards
Aquifer Protection Program. We also created new habitat for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler and saw exciting progress at
Half Moon Oyster Reef in Matagorda Bay—progress that could influence restoration efforts across the entire Gulf Coast.
Millions of Mexican free-tailed
bats emerge from Bracken Bat
Cave in the Texas Hill County.
© DEBORAH SMITH
Field biologist Jacqueline Ferrato and Dr. Rich
Kostecke, associate director of conservation—
research and planning, use a mist net to catch
and band birds at Powderhorn Ranch.
© CARLTON WARD
With the launch of our ambitious capital campaign, Our World, Our Texas, we have laid the groundwork this year for even more extraordinary conservation. This campaign reflects our commitment to bold at-scale conservation, as well as our faith in our members,
board and staff. It is our push to restore and protect the systems critical to the health and well-being of all Texans, such as major rivers
and aquifers, cities, oceans and forests. Texas is a living laboratory for some of the best science the Conservancy has to offer—and we
will use that science to fundamentally change the way people around the world manage the natural assets we need to thrive.
I hope you recognize the part you have played this year in helping us become a leading voice for conservation in Texas. Thank you!
Yours,
A junior angler prepares for
Kidfish at Independence
Creek Preserve.
Cowboys explore Powderhorn Ranch
while searching for a lost cow.
© CARLTON WARD
© JEROD FOSTER
2
Observant birdwatchers
participate in the annual
bird count at the Clive
Runnells Family Mad
Island Marsh Preserve.
© KARINE AIGNER
Laura Huffman
3
LAND
A wildflower tour at Clymer Meadow Preserve highlights
some of the most diverse remnants of Texas’ Blackland Prairie,
the most endangered large ecosystem in North America.
WAT E R
OCEANS
CITIES
© R.J. HINKLE
Millions of acres of land in
Texas need our protection.
Clymer protects two globally
imperiled prairie plant communities
and has been the site of more than a
dozen scientific investigations.
© R.J. HINKLE
We conserved 39,502 acres
over the course of the year
Sunset at Texas City.
© JACQUELINE FERRATO
4
Texas has 167 million acres of iconic vistas and working landscapes, but as our state’s population grows, many wild places
are being lost to development. The Texas chapter worked
hard in 2015 to stem that tide. We conserved 39,502 acres
over the course of the year, including a Hill Country parcel
near San Antonio that created a trifecta of conservation benefits for the entire region.
Together with Bat Conservation International and the city of San Antonio, we
secured 1,521 acres adjacent to Cibolo Bluffs Preserve and Bracken Bat Cave.
Bracken is the world’s largest bat colony, with millions of Mexican free-tailed
bats roosting there each year between March and October. The purchase of this
property—which was previously slated to become a 3,500-home subdivision
—ensures that Bracken will continue to thrive undisturbed. It also creates new
habitat for the federally endangered golden-cheeked warbler and helps protect
the highly sensitive Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. The land was incorporated
into the Cibolo Bluffs Preserve to create an uninterrupted expanse of nearly 5,000
protected acres.
We also launched an ambitious forest thinning project at our Davis Mountains
Preserve, to improve the health of the region’s ponderosa pine forests and help the
preserve become more resilient to the impacts of climate change. The preserve’s
idyllic pine tree stands have faced a near-constant barrage of threats, including
extreme drought, destructive wildfires, extended cold snaps and infestations from
the Western pine bark beetle. We are selectively thinning 350 acres throughout
the upper elevations of the Davis Mountains, which will decrease insect outbreaks,
reduce drought stress and minimize wildfire intensity—issues that are even more
pressing as a changing climate results in less precipitation and more extreme
temperatures throughout the region. The multi-year initiative will also enhance
the canyons’ ability to shelter rare and unique flora and fauna, helping to improve
the health and resilience of one of the preserve’s most biologically diverse areas.
5
LAND
WAT E R
OCEANS
CITIES
Kayakers enjoy a cool East
Texas day on the water.
© R.J. HINKLE
Protecting water is one of the
biggest challenges we will ever face.
It also offers the biggest payoff.
Nearly 60 percent of Texas’ freshwater supply comes from underground
aquifers—and one of the most prolific artesian aquifers in the world is in
our own backyard. Throughout much of 2015, we advocated on behalf
of San Antonio’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, a crown jewel in
our Central Texas water protection efforts. More than 78 percent of San
Antonio voters supported Proposition 1, which reauthorized a 1/8-cent
sales tax to fund citywide aquifer protection. The initiative was approved
by the largest margin in city history and will create millions in water
conservation funding.
Soon after this victory, however, Mother Nature delivered a stunning blow. Over Memorial Day
weekend, unprecedented rainfall caused the Blanco River to overflow its banks and crest at
more than 40 feet, at least seven feet higher than the highest level ever recorded. The region
was devastated—flash floods swept away 350 homes and damaged another 1,400 properties.
Tragically, 13 people died.
Flooding also scarred much of the Central Texas landscape, uprooting an estimated 12,000
cypress, pecan and oak trees.
Nearly 60 percent of Texas’ freshwater
comes from underground aquifers
Barton Creek Habitat Preserve
protects the quality of Barton
Creek, one of Austin’s most
beloved waterways.
© WYNN MYERS
6
In the aftermath, thousands of volunteers—including many Conservancy employees—switched
into high gear. We partnered with C3 Presents in on-the-ground cleanup efforts and helped create workshops to educate landowners about land recovery strategies. The Blanco River is a vital
link in a network of rivers and aquifers in the Edwards Plateau and supports millions of Central
Texans across Austin, San Marcos, Wimberley, San Antonio and the surrounding countryside.
Restoring that link is no small task, but nature and people are resilient. We are committed to
helping both rebound healthier and stronger.
7
After being raised from eggs in a hatchery,
baby Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are released
at the Padre Island National Seashore.
LAND
© CARLTON WARD
WAT E R
OCEANS
CITIES
Healthy oceans are essential
to strong economies,
thriving communities and
a strong natural world.
Brown pelicans congregate during the early
morning at Shamrock Island Preserve.
© ERIKA NORTEMANN
Events such as 2008’s Hurricane Ike and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill
have forever altered the Gulf of Mexico and accentuated the need for largescale restoration in the Gulf of Mexico. Coastal resiliency is vital—communities
must learn to adapt as a changing climate brings rising sea levels and more
intense storms. Healthy oyster reefs are an integral part of that adaptation process— they serve as natural buffers against rising sea tides and hurricanes by
forming breakwaters that protect shorelines and wetlands from erosion. Those
breakwaters safeguard critical habitat for plants and animals.
That’s why we’ve focused much of our efforts on Half Moon Reef in Matagorda Bay, where the Conservancy has restored 54 acres of depleted oyster reef. Our surveys of the reef, completed last year,
indicate excellent colonization by oysters—scientists are documenting a 212 percent increase in oyster
growth since January 2014 and an 850 percent jump in marine and plant life on the reef. Our next step is
developing a survey to quantify the reef’s benefits to recreational fishing.
The success at Half Moon will provide a blueprint for upcoming oyster reef restoration work in Galveston
and Copano bays—projects that will create fully functional marine habitats and contribute to the renewed
health and heritage of the entire region.
Oyster reefs safeguard critical
habitats for plants and animals
Staff from The Nature Conservancy and Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi collect marine samples from Matagorda
Bay as part of the Half Moon Oyster Reef restoration project.
© JEROD FOSTER
8
Meanwhile, Dr. Jorge Brenner, associate director of marine science, continues to lead the Conservancy’s
Gulf Coast research. He contributed to a 26-species assessment related to migratory marine animals, led
critical research on coastal and coral reef resilience, and worked with Texas Parks and Wildlife to study
and test trapping methods for lionfish.
9
LAND
Lady Bird Lake with downtown
Austin in the distance.
© JIM NIX
WAT E R
OCEANS
CITIES
Our cities will thrive when
we think big and act big.
Today, we are in the midst of a historic migration—the migration of people into
cities. By 2050, there will be 9 billion people on Earth, and nearly 70 percent
will live in cities. As the world urbanizes, the middle class grows and the climate changes, natural systems will be vital in helping cities become sustainable
and resilient during these historic changes. That is why the Conservancy has
made cities a top organizational priority. We launched our North America Cities
initiative to develop the next generation of urban strategies, to protect natural
resources, demonstrate the value of nature, and engage communities in conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends.
Texas was a prime model for this initiative; since 2000, we have worked alongside city officials to ensure water funds in Austin and San Antonio have the most impact. We have helped local governments
invest more than half a billion dollars in water protection funds and protect more than 100,000 acres
above the Edwards Aquifer, including 21 percent of the aquifer’s recharge zone, its most sensitive area.
The 2015 passage of the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program in San Antonio will create another $100
million in conservation funding to protect the land atop this vital water supply.
We also encouraged San Antonio voters to support the city’s push to expand green space. Nearly 80
percent of people voted to renew a 1/8-cent sales tax to expand and maintain the city’s Howard W.
Peak Greenway Trail system, which stretches 46 miles throughout the city. As a result, San Antonio
will raise $80 million in funding and create an additional 40 miles of linear park space alongside its
most popular creeks.
We have helped local governments invest more
than half a billion dollars in water protection funds
Nicknamed the Bayou City,
Houston has 2,500 miles
of waterways meandering
through the city.
© J. LABRADOR
10
Moving forward, we will work to replicate that sort of citywide support and appreciation for natural
assets in Dallas and Houston. Working with a NatureNet Science Fellow based at the Kinder Urban
Research Institute at Rice University, we plan to invest in a community-wide gap analysis to identify
challenges and the availability of local resources. We will use that information to develop a toolkit
to help these cities find and create long-term, sustainable solutions to tackle the issues facing them:
water sustainability, clean air and greater resiliency in the face of a changing climate.
11
2015 Donor List
$1,000,000 +
Anonymous
A greater yellowlegs at Mad Island Marsh Preserve.
© KARINE AIGNER
A delicate find in the middle of
the rugged Davis Mountains.
An elusive spot-tailed earless lizard.
© JACQUELINE FERRATO
© IAN SHIVE
A ruby-throated hummingbird
takes flight.
© KENT MASON
Conservation Highlights
• Vertebrate zoologist Mike Duran has been leading a push to get citizen scientists
on the hunt for the spot-tailed earless lizard. Working with volunteers, he surveyed
12 different areas and found the lizard in six of them. The most notable finds were
in Jim Wells and Nueces counties, where Duran’s documentation was the first
recorded sighting of the species in more than three decades. The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service could ultimately use his field results to determine whether to add
the spot-tailed earless lizard to its list of endangered species.
• In May, Conservancy auditors gave Texas’ prescribed fire program an A+, noting
the team’s strong on-the-ground performance, high level of communication and
excellent coordination, preparation and desire to go “above and beyond” local
responsibilities.
• Our science team is conducting scenario planning to adapt our work in the face of
a changing climate. Initial discussions have focused on creating adaptability plans
for the Davis Mountains, East Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast.
• For the 17th consecutive year, the 22nd Annual Matagorda County–Mad Island
Marsh Christmas Bird Count ranked as the top bird count in the country. More than
100 birders observed 234 species and identified six new species for this particular
bird count: the brown booby, buff-breasted sandpiper, pomarine jaeger, black tern,
blue-winged warbler and black-throated blue warbler.
• According to Dr. Rich Kostecke, associate director of conservation—research and
planning, 93 percent of Texas’ regularly occurring bird species have been found
on one or more of our preserves. Several of our preserves have earned the designation of ”Important Bird Areas” by the internationally recognized Important Bird
Area Program.
• The second annual Love Creek Christmas Bird Count featured 60 volunteers surveying nearly 20,000 acres of Conservancy-owned land, Lost Maples State Natural
Area and private ranches. They identified 101 species—a major success for a Hill
Country count.
• In July, nearly 150 rural landowners attended a Conservancy-sponsored workshop
at Big Thicket National Preserve. Coordinated in partnership with the National Park
Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife, the workshop featured sessions on the role
of fire in conservation, prescribed burning and cost-sharing opportunities related
to longleaf pine restoration and management.
• Two Conservancy staffers contributed to a Texas Tribune series called Disappearing
Rio Grande, produced by journalist Colin McDonald. John Karges, associate director
of field science, discussed our work on the Devils River, which is part of the Rio
Grande drainage basin. Max Pons, preserve manager at the Lennox Foundation
Southmost Preserve, highlighted the importance of utilizing water from the Rio
Grande to support Southmost’s community of sabal palm trees.
• More than 400 people from a half-dozen communities attended the Conservancy’s annual KidFish competition at Independence Creek Preserve; almost half were
children ranging from 2-18. It was a perfect way to introduce a new generation to
the beauty of nature and the importance of conservation.
• In 2009, the Conservancy acquired an 87,000-acre complex of ranches within the
pristine Devils River watershed, in an effort to create permanent conservation easements on ecologically important tracts of land. We’re thrilled to report that we’ve
transferred 84,000 of those protected acres to conservation-minded buyers.
• For the second year in a row, our month-long Austin City Limits Music Festival
sweepstakes broke Conservancy records. The digital membership drive garnered
more than 14,300 email addresses, shattering our previous record of 9,034.
12
Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc*
Genevieve L. Duncan*
Karen and Tim Hixon*
Carolyn and Jack Long*+
Bettye and Bill Nowlin+
$100,000 - $999,999
Anonymous
The Brown Foundation, Inc.
Mark A. Chapman Foundation
Chevron
Entergy Corporation
Houston Endowment Inc.
Horizon Foundation
The Burdine Johnson Foundation
Luci Baines Johnson and Ian Turpin+
Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and
Helen C. Kleberg Foundation
Frank Klein
Kronkosky Charitable Foundation
The Lennox Foundation
Ana and David Martin+
Mary Kay Inc.
The Meadows Foundation
MFI Foundation*
New Venture Fund
RBC Wealth Management*
Rebecca Rooney*+
Bill Seals*
Shield-Ayres Foundation*
T.L.L. Temple Foundation
$10,000 - $24,999
Sharon and David Adelman
Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd.
Adriane and Gordon Arnold
Peggy and Bob Beckham
Charlotte and Dan Blanks
Elizabeth Boeckman and
Boeckman Family Foundation
Jane and Pat Bolin
Horace C. Cabe Foundation
BNSF Railway Company
Cecilia and Garrett Boone
Cameron Corporation
Central Market
Marjorie and Fred Currey
Peggy S. Dear
David B. Deniger and Mara Batlin
Enbridge
Lucy Hairston
Norbert H. Hardner Foundation
April L. Hatfield and Jonathan B. Maxwell
The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation
David Honeycutt
HRH Foundation
Joan and Herb Kelleher Charitable Foundation
Jan and Orion Knox
Rebecca and John Luman
Marathon Oil Company
Robert N. McCurdy II
Sally R. McIntosh
Amy Shelton McNutt Charitable Trust
Cameron Mitchell
Ronald C. Morrison
Murphy-Payne Charitable Trust
Newman Family Charitable Trust
OXY USA Inc.
$25,000 – $99,999
Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation
Audi Central Houston
Austin Community Foundation
Margy and Bob Ayres
Thomas Barbour and Paula Hern
Michelle Beale and Richard H. Anderson
C3 Presents
Phyllis Caswell
Communities Foundation of Texas
ConocoPhillips
Coypu Foundation Trust
Malcolm C. Damuth Foundation
James A. Buddy Davidson Foundation
Dixon Water Foundation
Anne and Charles Duncan
Durham Family Foundation
EarthShare of Texas
Sally and William Freeman
GBM International, Inc.
George and Mary Josephine
Hamman Foundation
H-E-B
Melanie and Charlie Jones
LILAC Fund of the Austin Community
Foundation
Kathrine McGovern/McGovern Foundation
The MeadWestvaco Foundation*
The John and Florence Newman Foundation
Peierls Foundation
Phillips 66
Ed Rachal Foundation
Shell Oil Company
Ann and Don Short
Julie and Dennis Stacy
Allison and Troy Thacker
Alice L. Walton
Warburg Pincus LLC
Whole Foods Market
Winkler Family Foundation
C. Howard Pieper Foundation
Kelly M. Ranson
Pam and Mike Reese
The Rosewood Foundation and
The Rosewood Corporation
Christopher and Margaret Runk
Nancy and Clive Runnells Foundation
Wayne Sanders
Ann and Matt Schooler
Jennifer Leogier and Jamie Schultz
Anne Schweppe Ashmun & Jane Schweppe
Lyn and Pete Selig
Southwestern Energy
Sandra and Clay Spears
Stemmons Foundation
Texas Aromatics L.P.
Lara and Don Thomas
Triten Corp.
Trull Foundation
Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation
Melissa and Oliver Tuckerman
Valero Energy Corporation
Janet Weaver
Pam and Rom Welborn
Trisha Wilson
Wichita Falls Community Foundation
Recognizing donors from FY15 & donors ($100K+) from FY14.
Wildlife Conservation Society
Climate Adaptation Fund
* indicates multi-year pledge.
+ indicates gift to TNC international programs.
13
2015 Financial Report
Brice Glidewell,
north central Texas
project director,
enjoys a wildflower
tour at Clymer
Meadow.
+18
%
FINANCIAL summary for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014
20152014
Dues and Contributions (includes membership) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,060,838 $10,188,476
Government Grants* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ($1,178,250) $6,661,726
Private Contracts & Mitigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,729,781 $139,194
Investment Income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,108,275 $3,003,919
Other income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,154,058 $742,475
Land Sales and Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20,753,458 $196,150
Support from/(to) other TNC Mgmt. Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ($3,962,698)($3,062,344)
Total Support and Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $41,665,462 $17,869,596
+247
%
EXPENSES & PURCHASES OF LAND & EASEMENTS
Conservation Activities and Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,785,047 $14,120,361
Purchases of Conservation Land and Easements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $33,200,997 $2,876,722
Total Conservation Program Expenses & Purchases of Conservation Land and Easements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $58,986,044 $16,997,083
General and Administrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,232,384 $1,333,603
Fundraising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,263,287 $1,822,558
Total Administrative and Fundraising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,495,671 $3,156,161
Total Expenses & Purchases of Conservation Land and Easements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $64,481,715 $20,153,244
Net Result: Support & Revenue Less Expenses & Purchasesof Conservation Land & Easements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ($22,816,253)($2,283,648)
© R.J. HINKLE
A cluster of monarch
butterflies stop to rest
at Dolan Falls Preserve.
A burst of natural color at Clymer Meadow.
© RICH KOSTECKE
© R.J. HINKLE
Corbin Neill, preserve manager at Independence
Creek Preserve, climbs to the top of a mesa,
which offers a stunning view of the preserve.
© ERIKA NORTEMANN
ASSET, LIABILITY & NET ASSET SUMMARY
Conservation Land & Easements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $259,585,451 $243,718,832
Investments Held for Conservation Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,610,108 $9,545,205
Endowment Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20,690,922 $20,383,567
Property & Equipment (net of depreciation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,824,594 $2,928,425
Current Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$956,015 $860,296
Other Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,673 $39,373
Total Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $295,726,762 $277,475,698
Internal Notes Payable ( LPF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,215,029 $12,054,880
Deferred Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,520,157 $1,850,442
Other Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ($3,861)($40,317)
Total Net Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $273,995,437 $263,610,693
Total Liabilities & Net Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $295,726,762 $277,475,698
Fundraising expenses as percentage of total expenses & purchases of conservation land and easements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7%9%
Conservation expenses as percentage of total expenses & purchases of conservation land and easements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82%84%
Administration expenses as percentage of total expenses & purchases of conservation land and easements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10%7%
Aaron Tjelmeland, upper coast project director and
preserve manager for Texas City Prairie Preserve,
tosses out a net to collect samples of marine life.
+4
%
* Government Grants is negative due to a revenue adjustment to private contracts/mitigation.
14
© JEROD FOSTER
A variety of land management techniques are used to protect and restore
Sandylands’ longleaf pine trees.
© R.J. HINKLE
Sunset at Powderhorn Ranch. © JACQUELINE FERRATO
15
The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve
the lands and waters on which all life depends.
Nature.org/Texas
natureconservancytexas
@nature_tx
Cover: The rustic beauty of the Davis Mountains Preserve. © JAMIE WENTZ