10/15/2026
One landowner. One road. 30,000+ acres protected. 🌾
On November 17 in Austin, Audubon Texas and friends will gather for the annual Texas Women in Conservation Salon to celebrate 3 amazing women.
Today, we're introducing one of the three 2026 Texas Women in Conservation honorees, Pamela Reese, and her story shows what's possible when one person decides to act.
It started with a scenic road. When the Hamilton Pool Road corridor in the Texas Hill Country needed defending, Pam joined fellow landowners and advocates to protect it. That effort helped give rise to the Hill Country Alliance, where Pam provided early funding, office space, and leadership as its first Board President. Today it's a leading voice for the region's land, water, wildlife, dark skies, and rural heritage.
Then she brought the work home. Pam and her husband, Mike, placed their Hill Country ranch under a conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy. They didn't stop there. They encouraged other landowners to consider voluntary protection, and Pam helped connect neighbors along the Pedernales River, working with HCA and J. David Bamberger.
The result of two decades of this shared work: more than 30,000 acres protected along the Pedernales River.
Pam's story shows that philanthropy matters most when paired with participation, and that relationships can turn one act of stewardship into conservation at a landscape scale.
That's the spirit behind Audubon's Texas Women in Conservation Program. It recognizes outstanding women leaders in the conservation movement across Texas.
Who is the Pam in your community? Nominations are open for the 2027 Texas Women in Conservation Terry Hershey Award, which celebrates women with exceptional leadership in conservation, environmental stewardship, and community engagement across Texas. Nominations close January 18, 2027. Help us honor the next generation of women shaping Texas conservation.
Submit your nomination today: https://bit.ly/4Ba0p8S
