Coalition Building Part 3
Strengths and weaknesses of the environmental movement in Texas
I’m working on some longer pieces for On Texas Nature in the coming weeks, but as so often happens with longer pieces, they have to gestate in my brain for a few weeks before I end up typing them out. Hold tight, some good writing is coming! Until then I’m going to explore a bit more on how the Texas conservation movement can continue to build momentum into a bigger movement.
Coalition building is a topic that will be ever evolving here throughout the time I’m writing On Texas Nature. I’ve written about it twice so far here: Coalition Building Part 1 & Coalition Building Part 2. Let’s consider this entry some additional introspection on some items I’ve noticed over the last few months when it came to Fairfield Lake State Park—and even beyond this on other conservation topics.
There wasn’t an organized effort to save the state park.
Aside from the Save Fairfield Lake State Park Facebook group, there weren’t any groups doing the heavy work to save the state park. Usually when something major like this happens around an open space, a coalition forms to fight to protect it, such as a non-profit. In this case, I would have expected the Friends of Fairfield Lake State Park group to have done something but I saw nothing. Friends groups are common at various state parks throughout the state, and other states in the US, as a means to raise money for trail maintenance or other activities that perhaps state park funding doesn’t entirely cover. They often put on educational events for park guests and generally round out where the state falls short on money and personnel (unfortunately). I saw no action from this group during these last few months. All talk was on the Facebook group and even there it was disorganized outside of a couple of people, including myself, trying to post relevant information. I think we all did the best we could and I look back now and wonder if I should have done more, putting together scripts for people to write and call their legislators, or generally doing more organizing. I certainly wish I’d even made the trip to Austin both times to submit testimony in person to the committees. I applaud everyone who was able to make it to those committees, especially since they were on short notice and during a work day. Even so, I watched as dozens to hundreds of people showed up to other committees to voice concerns for other bills and was disappointed that the people of Texas couldn’t show up to save a state park. (Yes, I’m scolding myself here…don’t worry!)
Targeted campaigns work—especially when the right people are consistent.
This session of the Texas lege I watched as a certain person sent daily emails to various Texas legislators regarding their opinion on book banning. It’s a play that was picked up from other states and other similar, active groups around the country—this particular play was disingenuous at its heart but it was effective. I couldn’t help but think we should be doing that (but in an honest manner, of course!). Citizens and conservation groups should be constantly advocating for environmental legislation or issues during the legislative session as well as hyper-locally at the county and city level. I’m constantly griping about how the portion of the county I live in doesn’t have much green space and that’s my call to start emailing county officials and attending any county commissioner’s court events. The goal here is to be the gadfly, the person who constantly drops in information and annoys our elected officials on matters of importance in the conservation realm. If you don’t think other groups with vested interests in development, etc., aren’t doing this, well…we have a lot to learn. I know it can be a lot, these meetings and events may not be around where you live, you may have to work around time off from work or family activities in the evening. It’s why a lot of items get passed without anyone knowing about them. Let this be your call to regularly email your representatives, in an active lege session or not, and keep them up to date on items of importance in Texas conservation.
Outside groups matter.
Now, I don’t sign up for many, if any, newsletters from environmental organizations so I may have missed some things, but I do see some of these groups on places like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. I know the topics they are posting about. Environment Texas went heavy at the beginning in sharing how to get involved to save the state park, and the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club sent someone to testify in both committee hearings for the state park. However, I saw no dedicated effort from any other organization to their members in getting them to email legislators, sign petitions, or submit comments for the house bill that was put forth to save the state park. So, imagine my dismay when I’ve received two calls for action from the Native Plant Society of Texas, one from my local chapter for a local pipeline near me and another from the state NPSOT for HB 2239, which lumps Ashe junipers in with dead and diseased trees that don’t require a permit for removal and would basically allow developers carte blanche in clearing land in central Texas. Ashe junipers are very important for the federally endangered golden-cheeked warbler—and this whole subject is one I should probably write on in the near future as well. Silence for saving a state park. It certainly would have been nice to have seen some action from NPSOT on the state park loss, or Texas Conservation Alliance.
It’s a slow process and dedication to the process matters.
Beyond the state park issue, constantly highlighting all of these issues between friends and family, and beyond to legislators is important. Working in the importance of certain issues with those closest to you goes a long way. I certainly know that it can take a long time for attitudes to change and behaviors to be swayed, but keeping that information pipeline open is vital. I know that every time I email Ted Cruz about an environmental issue I’m talking to a brick wall, but maybe one of the staffers who reads my email will be open to hearing what I have to say. At least I’m on record there for standing up for something important. Doing the work alone is well, lonely, so recruit others to help you out and find a few likeminded folks so you can support each other along the way.
I know it’s a lot. It’s not just saving a state park, it’s making sure our wetlands are protected, our air quality isn’t harming our health, and that we are protecting plant and animal species from extinction.
If I missed something in the last few months and some group was actually sending coordinated information out, please let me know! Also, if you have ideas on how to ramp up interest in protecting our state (or any state’s) environmental resources in an effective way that will be taken seriously in today’s rough political climate, I’m open to ideas and suggestions! I would love Texans to start taking more pride in our natural resources and to know more about what the state has to offer.
A few notes:
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Misti writes regularly at Oceanic Wilderness and can be found on Instagram at @oceanicwilderness. She hosts two podcasts, Orange Blaze: A Florida Trail Podcast, and The Garden Path Podcast.
Hats off to you! And thanks for your efforts. I regularly contact my reps but like you it seems to be mostly for me.
Sierra Club has organized activism and I think the state org has a full time person.
Don’t forget Audubon which is very activist.