On June 8, Texas Land Conservancy was notified of hate speech spray painted on a tree at one of our preserves. We are working to investigate the merits of the claim—it’s a large preserve, the evidence was not pinned/geotagged, and the complainant has not been reachable.
Irrespective of the outcome of our investigation, we want to make it expressly clear to our members, visitors, and community that Texas Land Conservancy condemns this act of vandalism, and more importantly, its odious message of hate, racism, and intolerance. Our organization does not tolerate any form of racism or discrimination, at our nature preserves, at our events, or in a just, civil society that recognizes the equality of all people. Our preserves are resources for whole communities—no matter one’s race, gender identity, ability, or age. Everyone has an equal and inalienable right to find respite in nature, on the street, on a walk, or wherever we may find ourselves—it’s that simple—and no one should be made to feel or be shown otherwise, whether through violence, implied violence, or the pitiful desire to strip a person’s dignity through the criminal and historically loaded act of writing a deadly epithet on a tree.
We must do better, and we must protect and defend people of every creed and color as passionately as we protect and defend the cherished spaces that enrich our common humanity. Period.
We are deeply grateful to the person who brought this to our attention. PLEASE, if you see something, say something. You can call our office line 512.301.6363, email us at info@texaslandconservancy.org, or message us on Facebook or Instagram.