LAND STEWARDSHIP RESOURCES
Land Stewardship Resources
LANDOWNERS
The Center for Land Stewardship and Stakeholder Engagement at BRI is committed to provide the needed tools, resources and information to area landowners and land managers to help them make the most informed decisions about stewarding the properties that they know and cherish.
Far West Texas is still big and untamed, and the clean air, water, dark skies and pristine wildlife habitat is attributed to the large intact working lands we all depend upon for our way of life.
If you have an interest in our West Native Seeds Program and the Habitat and Rangeland Research that helps guide conservation decisions, we can help.
Similarly, we can provide information on the Respect Big Bend process that elevated local stakeholder values of the region, and the associated tool that can help landowners and industry begin thinking about energy development scenarios.
We also provide valuable on-the-ground services through our Stewardship Services program, as well as conservation cost-share information and opportunities.
INDUSTRY
Far West Texas has emerged as one of the most energy-intensive places on the planet.
While the Permian Basin continues to be recognized as one of the most prolific oil and gas plays in the world, abundant sunshine and wind make the area attractive for wind and solar development as well.
The energy industry benefits the state by providing jobs to Texans, income to landowners and tax revenue to the government. However, development can impact land and water resources, as well as the social and cultural values of the communities of the region.
The Center for Land Stewardship and Stakeholder Engagement stands ready to provide values-based assistance and information to energy industry representatives as they are planning development in far West Texas
The partners and resources listed below are for energy professionals who wish to explore conservation options in the Big Bend region.
RESPECT BIG BEND
In 2019, the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) and partners established the Respect Big Bend Coalition. The Coalition aims to inspire, engage and empower community stakeholders to conserve the unique resources and protect the iconic communities of the Greater Big Bend Region of Texas, while developing energy responsibly. Identified groups for this project include landowners, mineral owners, energy industry and service providers, community members, conservation organizations, and regulators.
BRI and partners also established the Tri-County Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) consisting of a select assemblage of 17 stakeholder representatives from the Greater Big Bend Region. The SAG members are assisting in this process by working together to identify priorities and shape a shared vision of how the Greater Big Bend Region will look moving forward. Stakeholders include landowners, mineral owners, energy industry and service providers, community members, and conservation partners. Together, the SAG identified and agreed upon the shared values of the Big Bend Region within the Tri-County area. We expand on these values in the links below.
The Respect Big Bend Coalition was launched by the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, and is sponsored in part by the Permian Basin Area Foundation, The Meadows Foundation, and the Still Water Foundation. The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation is a Texas foundation that seeks innovative, sustainable solutions for human and environmental problems. The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation works as an engine of change in Texas, supporting high-impact projects at the nexus of environmental protection, social equity and economic vibrancy. Find out more about the project at RespectBigBend.org.
