ALPINE, TX – Residents of West Texas are invited to attend a free webinar on June 16 from 12:00-1:00 pm to learn more about the recently completed report issued by the Respect Big Bend coalition. Finding Common Ground: A Conservation Vision for the Big Bend Region will feature a discussion laying out the results of the Respect Big Bend project.

Billy Tarrant, Associate Director of Stewardship Services at Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University will provide a summary of the project and associated recommendations that can help mitigate possible energy sprawl through a cooperative landscape planning process.

“We are excited to present the results of this important stakeholder-driven effort,” said Tarrant. “The reports associated with the Respect Big Bend effort represent more than two years of intensive work that takes into account the many viewpoints of those who live and work here. Thanks to their input, we have identified a process that will help provide the needed resources for industry, landowners and communities to make informed decisions about energy development for many years to come.”

The goal of the June 16 webinar is to educate the local community about recent energy projections, and how best to develop strategies to conserve the unique resources and communities of the region. The webinar is sponsored in part by the Respect Big Bend coalition, The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, Permian Basin Area Foundation, The Meadows Foundation, Still Water Foundation, and the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University.

Attend the webinar on June 16 here: bri.sulross.edu/events

More information about the Respect Big Bend coalition: respectbigbend.org

For more than a decade, the Borderlands Research Institute has encouraged effective land stewardship of the Chihuahuan Desert. Housed at Sul Ross State University, the Borderlands Research Institute builds on a long-lasting partnership with private landowners, the university’s Range and Wildlife Program, and cooperating state, federal, and non-governmental organizations. Through research, education, and outreach, the Borderlands Research Institute is helping to conserve the last frontier of Texas and the Southwest.