West Texas Joins North American Grassland Conservation Effort
BRI and Sul Ross to host gathering for 2026 Central Grasslands Roadmap Initiative Summit
Key Points:
- Sul Ross State University is hosting a Regional Summit Node for the 2026 Central Grasslands Roadmap Initiative (CGRI) Summit, connecting West Texas conservation stakeholders to a continent-wide grassland conservation effort.
- The 2026 CGRI Summit will bring together researchers, conservationists, agencies, students, and community leaders to discuss the future of North America’s grasslands and identify conservation priorities.
- Ideas and recommendations generated at the Sul Ross Regional Summit Node may help inform future conservation planning, strengthen partnerships, and support collaboration across the central grasslands of North America.
Sul Ross State University, along with Borderlands Research Institute (BRI), has been selected as an official Regional Summit Node for the 2026 Central Grasslands Roadmap Initiative (CGRI) Summit, joining a network of locations across North America that will connect local conservation discussions to a continent-wide effort focused on the future of grasslands.
The Summit, scheduled for Nov. 10-12, 2026, will bring together conservation professionals, landowners, researchers, agency personnel, students, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders through a hybrid format (virtual and onsite), centered in Chihuahua City, Mexico. Participants attending the Sul Ross node in Alpine, TX, will engage in live Summit programming while also taking part in local discussions focused on challenges and solutions relevant to the Borderlands region.
Regional summit nodes serve as more than satellite viewing locations as they are designed to foster dialogue and collaboration. Nodes provide participants with opportunities to share perspectives and identify conservation priorities, all part of broader discussions taking place across the Central Grasslands biome.
As a leading conservation research institution in the Borderlands region, BRI and Sul Ross will provide a venue where local stakeholders can connect with others on conservation of grassland ecosystems. Participants will be able to explore ways to strengthen conservation efforts both locally and across the North American continent.
Ideas and recommendations generated during discussions at the Sul Ross node will become part of the broader summit initiative. Following the event, participating nodes will submit summaries highlighting key discussion themes, conservation challenges, and opportunities for action identified by attendees.
The Central Grasslands Roadmap Initiative is a collaborative partnership focused on conserving one of North America’s most imperiled ecosystems through cross-boundary collaboration. By connecting stakeholders across the region, the initiative seeks to find practical solutions that support healthy grasslands and the people, wildlife, and economies that depend on them.
To learn more: https://bri.sulross.edu/event/central-grasslands-roadmap-initiative/
Since 2007, 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 natural resource program, cooperating state, federal, and non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders. Through research, education and outreach, the Borderlands Research Institute is helping to conserve the last frontier of Texas and the Southwest.
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