East Foundation

We promote the advancement of land stewardship through ranching, science, and education.

08/20/2026

We’re excited to introduce Jerry, our newest educator! He earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in sociology from Texas A&M International University. Before joining us, Jerry worked as a wildlife educator at Casa Reptile, where he led programs about native and exotic reptiles for schools, organizations, and community events. He also previously volunteered at our weeklong Behind the Gates Field Days event, helping teach students about wildlife and land stewardship through hands-on activities.

We’re glad to have Jerry on our team as he continues to inspire curiosity about nature throughout South Texas.

08/18/2026

We were recently featured in Garden & Gun Magazine!

Read "Saving the Ghost Cats of Texas" to learn more about American ocelots, along with the research and plans aiming to help bring the species back from the brink in Texas. Link in the comments.

08/14/2026

Meghan Riley, a graduate student at Texas A&M University, won the Director’s Choice Award at this year's Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Watch Meghan’s full presentation, "Population Modeling Informs Texas Ocelot Breeding and Reintroduction," at the link in the comments to learn more about her research. Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management

08/12/2026

Hayden Huff, a graduate student at Texas A&M University, won the People's Choice Award at this year's Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Watch Hayden's full presentation, "Low Effort, High-Resolution: Remote Cameras as an Emerging Tool for Monitoring Small Mammal Communities," at the link in the comments to learn more about his research. Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management

08/07/2026

The New World screwworm poses a serious threat to livestock and wildlife. We have been preparing, and now we’re taking action.

Our response plan is built on four core pillars: monitoring, surveillance, prevention, and treatment. From keeping a close eye on our operations to partnering with government agencies for a regional view of risk, our team is working to stay ahead of this pest before it becomes a crisis. Watch the full video at the link in the comments.

08/04/2026

Matt Lagow is a Texas native, born in Fort Worth and raised in Burleson, Texas. Matt is a Master Electrician, and before joining us at the Foundation, he owned an electrical contracting business in Colorado for 20 years. Prior to that, he was a commercial and industrial electrician in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for 10 years.

As Facilities and Grounds Foreman, Matt manages, expands, and improves our facilities in Hebbronville and on the ranches. In his first year at the Foundation, he's renovated one of our research bunkhouses to significantly increase housing capacity and is working on several other improvements to provide additional housing to meet our growing commitments at the San Antonio Viejo ranch. In his free time, Matt enjoys fishing and hunting big game—hobbies he's shared with his daughters for many years, including several backpacking trips into Colorado for elk and mule deer hunts. He also enjoys traveling with his wife and exploring new places.

08/01/2026

Are you passionate about land stewardship (outdoors, nature, ranching, environment) and ready to build real-world leadership skills? Applications are open for our Land Stewardship Ambassadors (LSA) program! In partnership with the Witte Museum, LSA is a 10-session course for students in Bexar, Cameron, and Webb counties covering conservation history, wildlife management, watersheds, and the role of policy in natural resources. Complete the program and earn a $400 stipend. Learn more and apply at the link in the comments!

07/28/2026

🐾 With an estimated fewer than 120 wild ocelots remaining in Texas, 2026 marks an important milestone for their recovery: the completion of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI) Ocelot Conservation Facility.

Built through years of partnership with Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, and other partners, and made possible by funding from anonymous donors, the facility will breed ocelots for release to the wild, supporting both a new population at our San Antonio Viejo ranch and existing populations along the coast.

Read more about the facility and what it means for ocelot recovery in Texas. Link in the comments. Ocelot Images © Fin and Fur Films

07/21/2026

If you look closely at the brush country, you might notice a shrub or small tree with a bright green trunk and stems. That's Texas Palo Verde (𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘯𝘢). It's one of the toughest and most drought-tolerant native plants in South Texas, and it belongs to the pea family, just like many of the region's other thorny brush species. During drought, it can even drop its leaves and photosynthesize through its green trunk and stems, a clear example of how well-adapted this plant is to South Texas conditions.

Whether you're working on rangeland or planting a native garden at home, Texas Palo Verde is a plant worth knowing and planting. Stay tuned for a post about retama soon, so you can learn to tell the two apart.

07/16/2026

We’re excited to share that our Education Outcomes Manager, Masi Mejia, was recently featured in The Wildlife Professional (The Wildlife Society).

Check out the link in the comments to read more about Masi’s background and journey. Her story shows that a love for the outdoors can begin anywhere and take you anywhere.

Address

200 Concord Plaza Drive, Suite 410
San Antonio, TX
78216

Telephone

(210) 447-0126

Website

https://www.eastfoundation.net/, https://linktr.ee/EastFoundation

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