Austin, TX, Aug. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- –Texan by Nature launches the second release of their Return on Conservation™ Report, analyzing conservation investments and financial return value across the state

–$981 million in conservation investment yielded over $5.1 billion in Return on Conservation™ value in FY 2023

–National investment landscape analyzed, showing $12B in investment in FY 2023

–Businesses encouraged to utilize local conservation projects in operational budgets to meet sustainability goals

–Conservation groups encouraged to utilize data to demonstrate the full economic value of their work 

AUSTIN, TEXAS August 25, 2026– Texan by Nature (TxN) today announced the latest release of the Return on Conservation™ Report (ROC™ Report), providing an updated and expanded analysis confirming that conservation investments in Texas provide substantial financial benefits. The release shows that $981 million in conservation investments conservatively yielded over $5.1 billion in Return on Conservation™ value in FY 2023, delivering at least a 5:1 and up to 47:1 return per dollar invested. At the national level, $12.4 billion was invested in conservation, representing 0.5% of total national nonprofit investment. 

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, tourism, job creation, and more.

The ROC™ Report is designed to support 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 $2.7 trillion GDP, this would yield $13B in investment and tens of billions in return to Texas GDP,” said Joni Carswell, President and CEO at Texan by Nature. “We hope this report gives industry leaders the data to invest in conservation with confidence and conservation groups the tools to demonstrate the full value of their work. We’re proving the model in Texas, but the opportunity extends beyond our state lines as shown by the added national analysis in this release.”

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 2023 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. Alongside the report, TxN released the ROC™ Casemaker — a tool that translates project-specific data into a ROC™ value, helping leaders make the case and inform investment decisions on individual projects.

View the full report here and submit data, feedback, and inquiries to the ROC™ Report website.

###

About Texan by Nature
Texan by Nature (TxN) exists to advance conservation that is beneficial to people, prosperity, and natural resources. TxN brings conservation and business together, acting as an accelerator for conservation groups and a strategic partner for business. TxN achieves our mission through programs, including Conservation Wrangler, TxN Certification, Return on Conservation™, custom initiatives through our membership program, the annual Conservation Summit, and statewide leadership such as the Texas Water Action Collaborative. Learn more in our 2025 annual report and at TexanbyNature.org. 

Contact Info

Karina Araujo
karina@texanbynature.org
+1 512-284-7482