Recently a long awaited DVD was released to the public, and schools, of the Rio Grande Valley, with 52 minutes of striking wildlife footage from across the southern tip of Texas. A long held dream by wildlife videographer Richard Moore and an environmental education wish of the Valley Nature Center in Weslaco, the project emerged to give the viewer a look inside the life of the magnificent creatures that roam the South Texas Wildlands. The Wildlands takes you on a 12-month adventure through this remarkable corner of the world, where there are an astonishing 1200 types of plants, 700 plus vertebrate creatures including magnificent whitetail deer, 513 species of birds, and over 330 species of butterflies.
Richard Moore is a South Texas native who grew up hunting, fishing and exploring the wildlands of the Rio Grande Valley. He grew up on the resaca banks of Harlingen and San Benito, enjoying careless days out in the "monte." After earning his Journalism degree from Trinity University in San Antonio he returned to the Valley, where for the past two decades he has photographed, written and produced a television series featuring the region’s abundant wildlife. His acclaimed programs air on the Valley ABC affiliate KRGV TV News Channel 5.
The Valley Nature Center is the oldest environmental education organization in the Rio Grande Valley and the only non-profit organization solely dedicated to educating young and old about the riches that nature has to offer in the region. The center’s mission is “To provide educational opportunities, and foster understanding and appreciation of the Lower Rio Grande Valley’s unique natural communities of flora and fauna.” Getting kids back into nature is a prime focus. Without first-hand experiences, there will be no understanding and love for nature; therefore, no need to value or preserve the future of our natural heritage. Today's children need to get outdoors and play in nature to gain learning, motor, and social skills best learned while exploring with other kids.
This environmental education venture between Richard Moore and the VNC will allow over 400 school libraries across the entire Rio Grande Valley to receive this DVD for free and to use it as a tool in their classrooms. The DVD is as a wonderful classroom resource that any teacher should love to use to inspire students in biology and science classes! If more copies are desired by schools, the DVD is available to all teachers at a discounted rate.
This project could not be accomplished without the generous support of the following partners: The Meadows Foundation, Inc. awarded a $25,000 grant, while The Trull Foundation awarded a $2,500 grant. Harold Jones and Mark Gibbs with Rio Grande Container, Inc., gave a $5,000 donation towards the yet to come Spanish translation of the DVD, and The Texas Education Agency will be funding the remainder needed to finish out the project
Our local Valley ABC affiliate KRGV TV News Channel 5 donated a huge amount of in-kind production time and staff and will also air the program as a two-part special on Channel 5. The Valley Nature Center acted as the Project Manager, and the Harlingen Performing Arts Theatre hosted the Premier Event on March 24th. Carter Smith, Executive Director of Texas Parks & Wildlife, came down from Austin to serve as the Keynote Speaker for that evening, while Pete Moore emceed the event. Patty Alexander played a crucial role in finding funding partners, and the VNC staff assisted in every facet of the project.
If more copies are desired by your school, this DVD is available to all teachers at a discounted rate of $15.00. Please contact the Valley Nature Center and ask for Cindy Flores at 956-969-2475 or at ctorres@valleynaturecenter.org .
I hope your school will fully utilize this tool in every classroom. On behalf of Richard Moore and the Valley Nature Center, I wish all your students a successful future!
Yours sincerely,
Martin Hagne
Executive Director
