Habitat Conservation

Led by Cameron Weber, the Habitat Conservation Program helps to restore the ecological heartbeat of the Middle Rio Grande Valley, transforming degraded lands into vibrant, interconnected habitats that support wildlife and sustain communities. Integral to this work is a simple but powerful belief: healthy ecosystems are essential for both wildlife and people. Through a wide range of on-the-ground projects, we’re creating richly layered landscapes that provide food, shelter, and resilience.

The Habitat Conservation Program operates at the intersection of conservation, community, and regenerative land management. Initiatives include:

• Restoring open space – reviving former agricultural lands into diverse native wildlife habitat.
• Building healthy soils through strategic planting of native vegetation.
• Controlling erosion and reducing the spread of invasive plant species.
• Growing native plants and seeds for use at restoration sites.
• Harvesting wildland seed from resilient local plant populations.
• Engaging volunteers in hands-on restoration, education, and stewardship

All of this happens in urban, suburban, and rural settings, where the pressure on natural resources is high – but so is the potential for positive impact.

The Habitat Conservation Program is more than restoration – it’s a dynamic, community-responsive model of conservation. We collaborate closely with local residents, volunteers, and civic leaders to ensure local needs, ecological priorities, and long-term sustainability are reflected in our work. We believe conservation should be visible, tangible, and participatory – and that it must evolve alongside the people and places it serves.

The restored habitats of the Middle Rio Grande are often described as a “string of pearls” – precious, linked spaces that provide critical stopover habitat for migratory birds and year-round refuge for resident wildlife. Rio Grande Return has been instrumental in adding new pearls to this necklace of green. With every project, we’re helping to stitch together stronger ecological fabric that benefits wildlife, supports climate resilience, and reconnects communities with the natural world around them. As our work continues, the Habitat Conservation Program also advocates for forward-thinking policies and projects that expand this vision, ensuring that the lands we depend on will thrive for generations to come.