Amanda Van Dusen received Trailblazer Award while Plains named Conservation Champion
HOUSTON, November 14, 2023 – Bayou Land Conservancy’s (BLC) Land Lover Gala “Wild About Conservation” at La Tranquila Ranch in Tomball on Nov. 12 raised more than $125,000 supporting the conservancy’s mission to preserve land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. Over 200 land preservation enthusiasts attended the fundraiser, which honored Amanda Van Dusen with the Trailblazer Award and Plains with the Conservation Champion Award.
Bayou Land Conservancy is the local land trust protecting the drinking water of millions in the Houston region. Each year, the Land Lover Gala brings together supporters across greater Houston. Co-workers, clients, board members, friends and nature lovers gather to recognize the hard work of BLC partners and celebrate the positive community impact of land conservation.
Special keynote speaker was Suzanne Simpson, Land Acquisition Manager for Galveston Bay Foundation and an ecologist working to conserve the iconic natural landscapes of Texas. She spoke about the Houston region’s international standing as a biodiversity “hot spot” and the importance of using innovative practices to ensure a healthy community for all.
Simpson is also an author of “Wild Houston: Explore the Amazing Nature in and around the Bayou City,” a new book which spotlights the extensive natural assets in and around the city.
Serving as Honorary Event Chairs for the Land Lover Gala was Dr. Ann Snyder. Dr. Snyder is the Chair of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors and a well-known leader in the community. Kim Castro, meteorologist for KHOU-TV, Ch. 11, was the emcee for the evening.
“Our 2023 Land Lover Gala was by all accounts a huge success,” says Bayou Land Conservancy Executive Director Jill Boullion. “We are grateful to all of those who came out to raise money, honor our Trailblazer and Conservation Champion awardees and mix and mingle with like-minded conservation supporters. Suzanne gave a powerful keynote address, sharing her enthusiasm for the natural environment.”
Van Dusen, who lives in The Woodlands, was recognized for her work supporting Bayou Land Conservancy’s community engagement programs, especially the Spring Creek Nature Trail Docent program that helps people learn about the 15-mile natural surface trail that hosts more than 60,000 users each year.
Plains was honored for its exceptional support of Bayou Land Conservancy’s land conservation mission, especially the Arrowwood Preserve in the Tomball area. Accepting the award on behalf of Plains was Patrick Hodgins, Vice President, Health, Safety & Environment. He lives in Gleannloch Farms in the Tomball area.
Notable guests who attended “Wild About Conservation” include:
- Tom Ramsey, Commissioner, Harris County Precinct 3
- Chris Harris, Mayor Pro-Tem, City of Katy
- Bruce Hillegeist, Tomball Chamber of Commerce President
- Tina Petersen, Executive Director, Harris County Flood Control District
- Lisa Lin, Director of Sustainability, Harris County
This year’s Host Committee included: Mary and David Bauer, Tracy and Matthew Berg, Kelly and Nathan Dietrich, Jordana and Ken Fatur, Alison and Matt Genotte, Monica and Justin Hicks, Maegan and Michael Jimenez, Alex Noll and Alan Woodlock, Lisa Lin and Sam Poe, Sonya and Michael Nelson, Michelle and Glen Roscoe, Jenny and Brian Steelman and Melanie and Carson Stokes.
For more information about Bayou Land Conservancy, visit www.bayoulandconservancy.org.
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- Photo by: spryART photography (www.spryART.com)
Photo credit: Phil de Blanc
About Bayou Land Conservancy
Bayou Land Conservancy’s mission is to preserve land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. Since 1996, we have been a land and water conservation leader throughout greater Houston. Bayou Land Conservancy is the only local land trust preserving land from Huntsville to Houston, and we have preserved over 14,000 acres. Funding from “Wild About Conservation” goes directly to our efforts to preserve more land that we have identified for conservation.
About Plains
Plains is a publicly-traded master limited partnership that owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure and provides logistics services for crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGL) and natural gas. We own an extensive network of pipeline transportation, terminalling, storage and gathering assets in key crude oil and NGL producing basins and transportation corridors and at major market hubs in the United States and Canada. On average, PAA handles more than 6 million barrels per day of crude oil and NGL in its Transportation segment. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with its Canadian operations based out of Calgary, Alberta.