The El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens and the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition are teaming up to host a third El Paso Chihuahuan Desert Conference on November 15-16, 2023. The conference will bring together researchers and conservation advocates from across the Chihuahuan Desert to help facilitate collaboration in the region and learn of new programs recently completed or underway.
The first conference hosted by the Zoo in 2019 featured the Zoo’s new $16M Chihuahuan Desert exhibit that features the flora and fauna of this amazing region. The exhibit includes an arroyo and a flash flood feature that helps people better understand an important natural force helping to shape the desert landscape, plus common plants and animals including a number of endangered species. To register online and get the early registration discount before October 16 visit the conference website.
The first Chihuahuan Desert Conference was sponsored by the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition and hosted by El Paso Water at the Tech H20 Center in 2010. This year the conference is a collaborative effort between the Zoo and the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition.
Recognized globally as a hotspot for wildlife conservation, the Chihuahuan Desert surrounding El Paso is one of the most biologically diverse eco-regions in North America. Chihuahuan Desert conservation programs underway at the Zoo include: efforts to breed and release critically endangered Mexican wolves in the mountains of New Mexico and Arizona; both field and captive breeding conservation efforts to help save endangered Thick-billed Parrots; peninsular pronghorns and jaguars.
Our Sponsors this year include:
Bat Conservation International
The El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens Conservation Fund
Frontera Land Alliance
Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition
To learn more about the conservation programs at the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens check out the Zoo’s Conservation Education Blog.
Conference Committee
Rick LoBello, Chair, El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Jacob Croft, Vice Chair
Lois Balin, Texas Parks and Wildlife
Sarah Borrego, El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Wendy Diaz, Frontera Land Alliance
Dr. Cuauhcihuatl Vital García, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez
Dr. Kevin Floyd, University of Texas El Paso
Nuria Andreu Garcia, University of Texas El Paso
Dr. Matthew Gompper, New Mexico State University
Davina Heredia, Champion Studio’s Folklorico “Cuauhtli”
David Larson, National Park Service, Fort Davis National Historic Site
Joe Montisano, El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Heather Rivera, El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens