The Austin Peay State University Southeastern Grasslands Initiative and The University of Texas at Austin Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center will advance their missions of landscape conservation and ecological restoration through a partnership formalized last week.
Photo, from left to right: John Hart Asher, LBJWC Senior Environmental Designer; Cooper Breeden, SGI Plant Conservation Coordinator; Gregg Elliott, SGI Director of Communications; Zach Irick, SGI Southern Appalachian Grasslands Ecologist and Partner, Cumberland Piedmont Inventorying and Monitoring Network; Dwayne Estes, SGI Director; Theo Witsell, SGI Chief Ecologist; Clark Mitchell, Band Foundation; Alan Weakley, SGI Chief Botanist; Brittney Viers, Grasslands RCPP/SGI Coordinating Biologist; Shannon Harris, LBJWC Director of Development.
The two organizations officially signed a 5-year Memorandum of Understanding on November 18, 2019 that will establish a presence for SGI in Eastern and Central Texas.
The agreement recognizes that coordination between SGI and the Wildflower Center can advance the conservation of southeastern U.S. grasslands.
Outcomes of the partnership are expected to include:
• A member of the Wildflower Center’s staff joining SGI’s Steering Committee and/or future board as well as SGI’s Scientific Advisory Committee.
• A staff position or positions to be based out of the Wildflower Center to jointly represent SGI and the Center.
• The development of mutually beneficial proposals and grant applications.
• Shared production of educational and outreach materials and activities.
• Community-based grassland conservation teams based out of various cities in Central and Eastern Texas.
Gorgeous limestone savannas in Austin, Texas now heavily invaded with Ashe’s Juniper (Juniperus ashei).
"SGI’s work is critically important,” said Patrick Newman, Executive Director of the Wildflower Center. “By aligning with one another, we hope to strengthen our common goals of conserving North America’s native plants and grassland ecosystems.”
Dwayne Estes, Director of the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative, responded by saying that “The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center does an outstanding job of educating the public and implementing urban ecological restoration, both of which are critically important for the current age in which we live. Their ongoing field research and strengths in volunteer/educational programs will also serve our collaborations in more traditional conservation efforts. Everyone at SGI looks forward to working with the Wildflower Center through a variety of events, promotions, and projects.”
SGI’s senior leadership team visits with Lady Bird Johnson’s Shannon Harris out “in the field” at Commons Ford Prairie, Austin, Texas.