Dallas-Fort Worth environmental group support makes great holiday gift

by Julie Thibodeaux of Green Source DFW

Instead of taking for yourself, try giving back.

Deep Ellum Urban Garden

If you want to support the environmental community this holiday season, there are many nonprofits that offer education programs and enhance local ecology and wildlife. In addition to well-known organizations like Audubon Texas and the Nature Conservancy of Texas, here’s a list of some worthy organizations that benefit the Dallas-Fort Worth community, the environment, and wildlife. Of course, if you have a favorite organization give to them. If you do not, consider one of the organizations for a contribution or a gift.

Blackland Prairie Raptor Center -- This rehabilitation and conservation education organization aims to educate and promote conservation of birds of prey with its outreach programs. The group’s educators and animal ambassadors provide close-up encounters with hawks, owls, and falcons at nature centers, festivals, and schools. The facility is located at Brockdale Park in Lucas.

DFW Wildlife Coalition -- This organization based in Richardson offers residents solutions for dealing with injured or orphaned wildlife through a volunteer-manned hotline and provides referrals to local wildlife rehabilitators.

Deep Ellum Urban Garden -- The Deep Ellum Community Association purchased a plot located at the intersection of Canton and Good Latimer. Their goal is to provide a place for residents to grow food for themselves, foster the community spirit, and create a productive and beautiful commons. Donate to Deep Ellum Urban Garden.

Friends of Tandy Hills -- The grassroots Fort Worth-based nonprofit is dedicated to preserving, promoting and protecting the Tandy Hills Natural Area, a 160-acre prairie preserve, south of downtown Fort Worth. The organization founded Prairie Fest, held at the park each April. Currently the center is raising funds for restoration efforts, trail building, and a visitors center.

Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary -- Located in McKinney, the property includes a 289-acre wildlife refuge, 6.5 miles of nature trails, ropes course, exhibits, education programs and museum store. Currently, you can vote at www.refresheverything.com/heardmuseum for the museum to win a $50,000 grant from Pepsi to fund field trip scholarships for disadvantaged and low-income children.

Molly Hollar Wildscape -- The native plant garden spans four acres in Veteran’s Park in Arlington providing an outdoor classroom for school children and adults. Maintained by volunteers, it was founded by the Arlington Conservation Council and the Arlington Organic Garden Club in 1994.

Real School Gardens -- The nonprofit based in Fort Worth partners with high-poverty elementary schools in North Texas to create learning gardens to inspire and connect children to nature. The organization supports the design and installation of school gardens and trains teachers to use them. Currently, donations made to REAL School Gardens will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Rainwater Charitable Foundation.

Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center -- The nonprofit wildlife facility, located in Hutchins, provides care and rehabilitation to injured, sick, and orphaned birds with the goal of returning them to their natural environment. In addition to cash donations, the organization also has a wish list on its website.

Texas Land Conservancy -- The Texas Land Conservancy is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of land in Texas. The organization helps landowners find an alternative to selling their land to a developer that allows ownership to remain in their hands, while the conservancy takes responsibility of conserving the land.

Texas Trees Foundation -- Texas Trees Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to greening North Texas through tree planting, education, outreach, and advocacy. The nonprofit’s outreach extends to Collin, Dallas, Denton, Kaufman, Rockwall, and Tarrant counties. Its goal is to plant 3 million trees in North Texas in 10 years.