Grahame lives in Austin with his wife Julie and has two daughters, Gabbie and Jali, pictured above with the canine member of the family, Waylon. Texas Conservation Alliance is delighted to introduce our new executive director, Grahame Jones. Known to many in Texas’ conservation community, Grahame brings decades of wildlife advocacy to TCA. Grahame served twenty-seven years with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), retiring in 2020 as Director of Law Enforcement. Af

With other TCA leaders, Genie Fritz accepts the National Wildlife Federation’s 2011 Affiliate of the Year Award. With sadness and great respect, Texas Conservation Alliance says goodbye to its co-founder, Eugenia “Genie” Fritz, following her extraordinary 100-year life.  With her husband, legendary Texas conservationist Ned Fritz, Genie helped establish TCA, then known as Texas Committee on Natural Resources (TCONR), in 1971.  As the daughter of a diplomat, Genie grew up trav

View PDF Newsletter Remembering Richard Donovan By: Justin Lannen, Chairman of the Board Pictured Left and Below: Richard Donovan canoeing the Neches River, taken by Robert Sloan On February 19, the Texas conservation community lost one of its greatest advocates. Richard Donovan’s contributions to TCA and to environmental conservation were deep and lasting. I first met Richard not long after I was hired as TCA’s office manager in 1999, which was not long before Richard launch

On February 19, the Texas conservation community lost one of its greatest advocates. Richard Donovan’s contributions to TCA and to environme

By Camilla Price TCA's annual meeting on September 29-30, 2023, reflected on the past year and looked ahead to 2024 and beyond. Thank you to River Legacy Living Science Center in Arlington for hosting us and to everyone who attended! TCA guests, staff, and board members at the annual meeting Board chair, Justin Lannen, kicked off the meeting with a look at TCA’s mission to preserve Texas landscapes for future generations. “It’s a noble passion, and I’m so glad to share it wit

Check out TCA's Winter/Spring newsletter with updates from TCA leaders, honoring and remembering Mack Turner, information on State Parks, and a list of upcoming events! Volunteers at a TCA Event

With sadness and deep appreciation, TCA says goodbye to our long-time chairman, Mack Turner, who passed away December 11. Mack’s leadership has been invaluable in growing TCA, raising its level of influence, and putting it on sound footing as we reached the 50-year mark and began our second fifty years. Members of the TCA family have often referred to his “big heart” and to his remarkable dedication. Mack Turner, 1942 - 2022 When Mack took over the chair position in 2007,

Nearly six feet tall with wavy red hair and green eyes, Ned Fritz was a striking figure in the courtroom. His eyes twinkled on the trails of the East Texas forests he so passionately defended. More than being Texas’ greatest environmentalist, Ned was a wonderful person. David Gray, TCA board member, says of the group’s founder: “Ned had the courage to speak truth to power and to speak out against abusive policies and proposals. Yet he was always respectful, polite, and unders

At Baytown and Buffalo Bayou, Bachman and White Rock Lakes, and Ray Roberts Lake State Park, TCA’s summer interns organized their communities to restore wildlife habitat. These emerging conservation leaders removed over 1000 pounds of litter pollution from Texas waterways, planted thousands of native prairie plants, and advocated for migratory bird protections with city councils and county commissioners. Habitat restoration is essential. The United Nations ranks habitat loss

Long-time TCA board member Richard Donovan started out as mad as fire at TCA. He attended a meeting to protest a statement Ned Fritz had made about allowing fires in the national forest to keep burning, to allow natural processes to unfold. By the time the meeting was over, Richard had joined our organization, eventually becoming a leading supporter and vice chair of the board of directors. Richard’s name is synonymous with the Neches River in East Texas. Building on his popu

Become a TCA 50 founding member and help build a pipeline of emerging conservation leaders for our next 50 years! TCA is seeking 50 conservation champions to join the TCA 50 Support Circle. A special gift of $1,000 or above helps train and equip TCA troops in the trenches protecting Texas rivers, forests, and wildlife. Join the TCA 50 as a founding member today by donating at tcatexas.org/support-us . About TCA's internship program: TCA internships offer emerging conservation

Susan Petersen, TCA’s longest serving board member, says that volunteering for TCA is the source of constant surprises. Susan started her volunteer career in the 1970s when Ned Fritz sent her to a hearing on having wilderness areas in East Texas where she found herself in a group full of people hostile to the project. Susan Petersen Then he had her working with a state legislative aide to draw boundaries for a proposed state park (on land she’d never seen!) and testifying bef

Conservationist Ben Jones was on the front lines of a campaign that darkened the night sky across Texas. Ben Jones and Tim Brys in downtown Dallas The original article can be found here: " Bird rescuer Ben Jones is a 2021 Texan of the Year finalist ". Dallas Morning News Editorial. December 30, 2021. Texan of the Year finalists will be announced through December as we approach the naming of our 2021 Texan of the Year on Jan. 2. Find the full list at dallasnews.com/opinion/tex

TCA’s Vice Chair Richard LeTourneau has been fighting conservation battles since he was a teenager.  And he’s still fighting them.  To recognize his amazing body of work, Texas Conservation Alliance is proud to award Richard the Ned and Genie Lifetime Achievement Award.  This award is reserved for people close to TCA who have dedicated many years of service to protecting our state’s vital natural resources. Richard LeTourneau has taken on the chores that aren’t fun.  He’s ser

Rotational grazing involves dividing a ranch into “paddocks” (fenced areas) and moving the cattle herd from paddock to paddock as it is graz