“The Nature Conservancy: Its History, Work and Priorities in Texas”

Texas is one of the most biologically diverse states in the U.S. However, many of these species and the natural systems they rely on are under greater and greater stress from a variety of sources (e.g., climate change, disruption of natural ecological processes, habitat alteration and loss). These same natural systems are also important for sustaining human well-being. If we are not proactive on important conservation issues such as dwindling freshwater supplies, the economic, ecological, and social/cultural losses will be steep. Clearly, we need to start viewing conservation as a necessity, not just a luxury. The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters upon which all life depends. Our goal is to address the most pressing conservation/natural resource challenges at sufficient scale to protect nature for people today and future generations. Rich Kostecke will provide examples of how The Nature Conservancy has gone about this work in Texas over the last 50 years.

Richard M. Kostecke, Associate Director of Conservation (Research and Planning)
Richard earned his B.S. in Biology from the University of Kansas in 1995. He received his M.S. degree in Zoology from North Dakota State University in December 1998. His doctorate was earned in 2002 in the Wildlife Science program at Texas Tech University. Richard’s first job after completing his Ph.D. was as Publications Specialist/Project Scientist with The Nature Conservancy’s Fort Hood Program in central Texas, a cooperative effort with the Army to research, monitor, and manage endangered species and their habitats on Fort Hood seeking to balance the needs of both endangered species and the military training mission. In 2011, Richard assumed his current state-wide role as Associate Director of Conservation.

Richard is a Missouri native, but has now called Texas home for the past 14 years. To a large extent, his work is not only a vocation, but an avocation. Richard spends much of his free time traveling; exploring the outdoors; and studying and photographing birds and other critters.