Texas Conservation Alliance (TCA), founded in 1971, protects Texas rivers, forests, wildlife, and our natural heritage. TCA combines grassroots outreach, policy advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation to safeguard Texas’ future for both people and wildlife. TCA is the State Affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation.
Who We Are
Our diverse membership includes conservationists, sportsmen, business owners, landowners, city and state officials, executives, professionals, and students. By collaborating with local communities, organizations, municipalities, and state and federal representatives, we take effective and cost-efficient action to protect Texas' natural resources.🌿🐾
View a list of TCA Staff and our Board of Directors
TCA has over 55 Member Groups and Organizations across the state.
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Advocacy & Policy: Reservoirs (Marvin Nichols, Lake Ringgold, Lavaca River Dam), National Forest Management, Municipal Water Recycling, Native Prairie Restoration, Wildlife, Oyster Recovery, Recovering America's Wildlife Act, and more.
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Texas Conservation Action Team (TXCAT):Native Plant Propagation, Community Volunteer Events, Lights Out for Wildlife, and more.
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NWF Garden for Wildlife: Certify Your Wildlife Habitat.
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Resources: Contact Us, Subscribe to our e-Newsletter, Internships, Careers, FAQs, and more.
55 Years of Success!
Click here to read about TCA's achievements. <needs link>
Our Story
Ned Fritz is widely acknowledged as Texas’ premiere conservationist and was honored nationally for his accomplishments. With Genie’s help, Ned founded Texas Conservation Alliance, then called Texas Conservation of Natural Resources (TCONR). They went on to found other groups like the Texas Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, the Texas League of Conservation Voters, Texas Land Conservancy, Audubon Dallas, the Texas Consumers Association, a national network to end clearcutting on national forests, and other organizations. His efforts led to creation of five wilderness areas in East Texas, the Big Thicket National Preserve, the Great Trinity Forest, and numerous national wildlife refuges and state and local parks, protecting a total of more than half a million acres of public land.
Ned formed a coalition that stopped the Trinity Barge Canal. His work with land trusts led to protection of more than 100,000 acres in private preserves. Ned’s landmark endangered species lawsuit ended clearcutting on 200,000 acres of Texas’ national forest land and set management guidelines for Red-cockaded woodpecker habitat throughout the Southeast. His legislative and litigative efforts led to widespread reform of how the country’s national forests are managed, improved water quality standards, and provided extensive case law that gives protection to consumers.
TCA has built upon the work of Ned and Genie with public support to establish numerous wildlife refuges, state and federal parks, wilderness areas, and other wildlife areas, resulting in more than 250,000 Texas acres under public protection. TCA’s efforts prevented damming Texas rivers with five unnecessary reservoirs that together would have permanently flooded 150,000 acres of bottomland habitat including forests and prairie. TCA’s forest work ended clearcutting on 200,000 acres of national forests in Texas and led to better management of all our country’s national forests. TCA has played key roles in coalitions that stopped a private toll road through the Big Thicket National Preserve, prevented canal dredging through Caddo Lake and up the Trinity River to Dallas, obtained increased funding for Texas state parks, promoted water conservation, and secured higher water quality standards for Texas rivers and creeks. TCA provides program support for our more than 55 member organizations and trains community groups to address pressing, local environmental issues. TCA has recruited thousands of Texans to active conservation and advocacy, and has served as a pipeline for many advocates into conservation leadership roles including through our robust, TCA Careers In Conservation Internship Program.
Texas Conservation Alliance is committed to inclusion, diversity, and equity as core tenets of the organization, where everyone is respected and valued regardless of race, creed, ancestry, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or national origin.
