Civic groups and school students frequently visit Dixon Ranches for field days to learn about sustainable land management, watershed health, wildlife, native plants, and other subjects. Educators and organizations are invited to contact Director of Science and Communications Philip Boyd in west Texas or Education Program Coordinator Melissa Bookhout in north Texas to discuss opportunities for field experiences.
Here are highlights from just a few of the many field programs hosted on our lands:
Kids on the Land at Dixon Ranches
Our education partner Kids on the Land holds programs at our ranches each year. Their outdoor environmental programs teach children about the region where they live, connecting them to the land and a more sustainable future. For example, with support from the foundation, Kids on the Land partnered with Morningside Children’s Partnership to provide this program to third through fifth graders from the Edward J. Briscoe Elementary School, which is a neighborhood in Fort Worth that has suffered high unemployment, violence, substandard health care, and low educational outcomes for years. Check out the photo galleries of Kids on the Land events below, and read and watch video testimonials from participants on our news page about the event.
Audubon Conservation Treks at Alamito Creek Preserve
The Trinity River Audubon Center‘s Conservation Treks program visited the Dixon Water Foundation’s Alamito Creek Preserve in Presidio County in March 2015. They flagged salt cedars for removal and counted vermilion flycatchers, which show up in droves each spring in the cottonwoods along the creek. The students hailed from Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, and White Rock Montessori in Dallas.
Texas Wildlife Association LANDS at Bear Creek
The Applied Learning Academy learned about natural resources and land stewardship at our Bear Creek ranch in December 2014 as part of the Texas Wildlife Association’s Learning Across New Dimensions in Science program.
Native Plant Society of Texas at Alamito Creek Preserve
The Big Bend Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas visited the foundation’s Alamito Creek Preserve south of Marfa in October 2014. The group learned about collecting native plant seeds from botanist Michael Eason.
Kids on the Land at Bear Creek Unit in 2014
The non-profit Kids on the Land provides a unique environmental program designed to teach children about the region where they live, connecting them to the land and a more sustainable future. This gallery features their 2014 trip to Dixon Ranches Bear Creek Unit.
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Earth Day 2014 at the Josey Pavilion
Students from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Gainesville and the Era School in Era, Texas celebrated Earth Day at Leo Unit by learning about the soil, food web and recycling in the new Josey Pavilion.
Highland Soil & Water Conservation District Field Day
In April 2014, students from Marfa and Valentine school districts learned about plants, soil, and wildlife during a science program organized by the Highland Soil and Water Conservation District. The photos below were provided by Janice Poenisch/Highland SWCD # 210.
Marfa ISD Nature Writers at Mimms Unit
Students from Marfa ISD’s eight-grade nature writing class, taught by Claire Campbell, had a workshop at Mimms Unit in October 2013. These images are from the Marfa Shorthorns Facebook page.
All Saints Episcopal School with Texas Wildlife Association at Rock Creek Ranch
In May 2013 middle-school students from All Saints Episcopal School attended a Texas Wildlife Association Learning Across New Dimensions in Science field program at Rock Creek Ranch, a General Land Office property formerly leased and managed by the Dixon Water Foundation.
Andrews ISD at Alamito Creek Preserve
In 2011, eighth graders from Andrews ISD in west Texas learned about water conservation and other topics during a field program at the Alamito Creek Preserve south of Marfa.
