Conservation
Wild Spirit Wild Places is Desert Door’s nonprofit arm. Established in 2021, the organization is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of wild lands across Texas and the U.S., through research, education and conservation practices. Today, the wide open spaces that are the hallmark of Texas are under threat from increased land development and fragmentation of generational ranches. Wild Spirit Wild Places exists to protect these dwindling rangelands by promoting conservation best practices and supporting land stewardship. Every land conservation project sponsored by Wild Spirit Wild Place provides opportunities for the public to actively participate.
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Desert Door also regularly releases limited editions of its Texas sotol, a portion of the proceeds from which directly fund the foundation’s future land conservation projects. For more information on Wild Spirit Wild Places, please visit wildspiritwildplaces.org and follow the organization on social media at @wildspiritwildplaces.
Conservation Series #3
POLLINATOR
Every year, WSWP spearheads a conservation project that promotes responsible stewardship in the great state of Texas. For this year’s project, we will be collaborating with the Xerces Society, the largest invertebrate conservation organization in the world and home to the largest pollinator conservation team of any nonprofit.
THE PROBLEM
Pollinators are the unsung and often unseen heroes of our global ecosystem. They are essential to the production of many of the nutrient rich fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and oils we eat. Bees aren’t the only pollinators; bats, birds, butterflies all do their part but bees are particularly heroic, pollinating roughly 70% of the plants that provide food for the planet. Alarmingly, bees are experiencing a steep decline and this poses a serious threat to global food production. In Texas, we are losing 40 percent of our honey bee population every year.
THE SOLUTION
The reasons for the sudden and rapid decline in the bee population are complex - pesticides, drought, habitat destruction and disease all play a part. The solution, though, could be very simple: plant more native plants. Plants provide the protein-rich pollen and high-energy nectar that are crucial for bees to thrive. Native plants are particularly important as their prevalence makes them a more reliable source of sustenance for local pollinators. Not to mention these plants are easier to maintain as they are adapted to the local soil and climate conditions.
GET INVOLVED
Check out the wealth of resources from the non-profit founded by Desert Door - Wild Spirit Wild Places. They have compiled plenty of ways to get involved from volunteer opportunities to educational events, and even a chance to plant your very own native plants.
FIELD GUIDE
Our newest Conservation Field Guide is a great resource to learn more about native bees, native plants and details how you can help to preserve our incredible pollinators. Plus meet Desert Door’s resident bee keeper - Director of Field Marketing, Bobbi Hitchon - and get an inside look at Desert Door’s apiary and other efforts to help local pollinators.
