FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2017
Media contact: Lydia Saldaña
817.851.5729
lsaldana@tpwf.org
Thanks to funding provided by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation, 17 state parks across Texas will soon be providing enhanced visitor experiences or improved habitat to benefit wildlife. Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) is raising dollars to match the funding for the competitive grants, which will provide a total of more than $50,000 for projects across the state.
The winning grants will fund efforts ranging from enhancing night sky viewing opportunities at Atlanta State Park in East Texas, to creating habitat for birds, bees and butterflies at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park to providing better equine facilities at Monahans Sandhills State Park in West Texas. All the projects are aimed at providing a higher quality visit for state park visitors. Engaging volunteer labor to provide a non-monetary match for the requested funds is one criteria of the competitive grant.
“As we enter the second year grant cycle, I’ve had the chance to see some of the improvements funded through this initiative,” said Adelaide Leavens, president of Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation in Fort Worth. “They are the products of some highly creative thinking by staff and volunteers, most certainly resulting in increased opportunities to experience our beautiful state parks. I am amazed and inspired by the ingenuity of staff who squeeze every inch of value out of the grant funds while encouraging the dedicated volunteers who bring the projects to life.”
- STATE PARK
- Atlanta
- Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley
- Caddo Lake
- Daingerfield
- Devils River
- Dinosaur Valley
- Hueco Tanks
- Inks Lake
- Kickapoo Cavern
- Meridian
- Mission Tejas
- Monahans Sandhills
- Mother Neff
- Resaca de la Palma
- Sheldon Lake
- South Llano River
- Village Creek
- COUNTY
- Cass
- Hidalgo
- Harrison
- Morris
- Val Verde
- Somervell
- El Paso
- Burnet
- Kinney
- Bosque
- Houston
- Ward
- Coryell
- Cameron
- Harris
- Kimble
- Hardin
- PROJECT
- Telescope and accessories
- Habitat improvement
- Ecology kits for interpretive programs
- Restore CCC Picnic Island
- Enhanced bird/butterfly viewing
- Texas Aquatic Science Trunk
- Trail restoration
- Provide free loaner tackle
- Nature viewing area near campground
- Bird blind, night lighting for dock
- Enhance interpretive programming
- Improve equine facilities
- Enhance birdwatching programs
- Link trails to enhance birding
- Pollinator plants/enhanced education
- Enhance night sky viewing
- Improve trails/enhance bird habitat
- AMOUNT
- $2,328
- $4,850
- $2,583
- $4,750
- $3,000
- $2,500
- $2,511
- $2,500
- $1,100
- $2,500
- $4,240
- $5,000
- $5,000
- $2,000
- $2,000
- $2,057
- $1,600
Another round of competitive grants will be offered in 2018. TPWF is raising funds to match the grants.
“We’re pleased to see how much is being accomplished with these relatively modest grants,” said TPWF executive director Anne Brown. “We’re currently raising funds to leverage these funds dollar for dollar so that we can double the impact of this generous donation and fund more projects in the future.”
Donations can be made online.
A .pdf version of this press release is available.
All TPWF news releases available online: tpwf.org/media/press-releases
Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) raises private funds to advance Texas’ proud outdoor traditions and conserve our state’s wildlife, habitat, recreational areas, and natural resources. Since 1991, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has raised more than $150 million in private philanthropy to ensure that all Texans, today and in the future, can enjoy the wild things and wild places of Texas.
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