Return on Conservation™ Report Reveals Texas Conservation Investments Yield 4:1 Financial Returns

• Texan by Nature launches a first-of-its-kind, Return on Conservation™ Report, analyzing conservation investments and financial return value across the state
• $639 million in conservation investment yield over $2.8 billion in Return on Conservation™ value in FY 2019
• Businesses encouraged to utilize local conservation in operational budgets to meet sustainability goals
• Conservation groups encouraged to utilize data to demonstrate the full economic value of their work

Texan by Nature (TxN) today announced the results of The Return on Conservation™ Report (ROC™ Report), a groundbreaking analysis confirming that conservation investments in Texas provide substantial financial benefits. The report shows that $639 million in conservation investments conservatively yielded over $2.8 billion in Return on Conservation™ value in FY 2019, delivering at least a 4:1 and up to 40:1 return per dollar invested.

TxN, a non-profit organization connecting businesses to conservation, aims to bridge the gap hindering conservation investments by providing the data needed to make a compelling business case to funders.

TxN makes the case that conservation is not only a moral imperative but also a smart business strategy. TxN defines Return on Conservation™ value as “the total return realized by investing in conservation, encompassing all variables– financial, human, and natural resources.” Beyond protecting acres and saving gallons of water, local conservation efforts provide ecosystem services that result in cleaner air, healthier habitats, more abundant water supplies, stable supply chains, and healthier communities. The ROC™ Report evaluates ecosystem service variables such as biodiversity, carbon sequestration uplift, tourism, job creation, and more.

The Return on Conservation™ Report is designed to equip both conservation and industry leaders. Business executives can leverage the data to make strategic funding decisions in alignment with their sustainability goals, ultimately boosting investment in local conservation efforts. Similarly, conservation groups can utilize the data to articulate the value of their work more effectively, facilitating clearer communication of the full impact of their projects and initiatives.

“Conservation is good business. If we invested just .5% of our current GDP, this would yield $10B in investment and $43.9B in return to Texas GDP,” said Joni Carswell, President and CEO at Texan by Nature. “We hope this report catalyzes dialogue and action, encouraging industries to embed conservation investments into their operational strategies and helping conservation groups communicate the true value of their work, thereby building a prosperous future for our communities and natural resources.”

The ROC™ Report compiles the best available data to estimate the statewide impact of conservation. Although more data is needed, TxN believes the presented return values are conservative. To determine these figures, TxN conducted extensive research, utilizing both publicly available and submitted data to calculate 2019 conservation investments. By aggregating relevant ecosystem service and conservation value datasets, TxN determined economic values by ecoregion for various conservation efforts in Texas. Investment data was meticulously refined to avoid double counting, and return ratios were calculated by comparing investment data to ecosystem values.

TxN encourages leaders in conservation and industry to use this report to build and evaluate the business case for local conservation investments, identify opportunities, and report impacts. View the full report here and submit information, thoughts, and inquiries to the ROC™ Report website.

About Texan by Nature

Texan by Nature (TxN) unites conservation and business leaders who believe Texas’ prosperity is dependent on the conservation of its natural resources. TxN, founded by former First Lady Laura Bush, acts as an accelerator for conservation groups and a strategic partner for business. TxN supports 160+ conservation organizations and has accelerated projects and programs that have impacted 7M+ people, 20M acres, and all of Texas’ 254 counties. Get involved and learn more at www.texanbynature.org and follow us on Facebook @TexanbyNature, and Instagram @texanbynature for the latest.

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