I-20 Wildlife Preserve and Jenna Welch Nature Study Center

Education: PRESERVE IS A 100-ACRE LIVING LABORATORY WHERE STUDENTS AND FACULTY CAN ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN A HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO REVEAL THE MYSTERIES OF THIS UNIQUE PLAYA HABITAT. OUR CURRICULUM IS A MODEL OF EXPERT FIELDWORK AND SPURS THE SCIENTIFIC CURIOSITY OF STUDENTS K-12 WHO WILL MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENCES.

Playa Wetlands Research Institute/CONSERVATION JOB CORPS PROGRAM: The preserve continues to provide biology professors with a place to instruct their students in the field. UTPB professor, David Hembry brings his class for specific instruction on identification, classification, and taking field notes. Additionally, he has oversight of 1 student doing pollinator research at the preserve. THE CONSERVATION JOB CORPS PROGRAM ALLOWS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH AN INTEREST IN MEDICINE, BIOLOGY AND LIFE SCIENCES AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN CONSERVATION, RESTORATION, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH BEFORE ENTERING COLLEGE. THE PROGRAM BLENDS LIFE SKILLS LESSONS, SUCH AS LEARNING TO USE TOOLS, WITH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, AND HANDS-ON EXPLORATION AND OBSERVATION. STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE SEVERAL TEXAS ECOSYSTEMS, AS WELL AS MEET WITH EXPERTS, SCIENTISTS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS ON THEIR FIELD TRIPS ACROSS THE STATE.

Conservation and Land Management: OUR HOLISTIC LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICE WORKS TO CONSERVE THE VIBRANT NATURE OF THE URBAN PLAYA ENVIRONMENT AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTDOOR AND WILDLIFE EDUCATION. CAREFUL REMOVAL OF INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES OPENS THE WATERSHED TO A GREATER BIODIVIERSITY OF AQUATIC AND AVIAN WILDLIFE, FORTIFIES THE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF NATIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS, AND MAINTAINS THE WILD SPACE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY.