The Gorgas Science Foundation is a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

foundation based in

South Texas South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of—and includes—San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 4.96 ...

established to support conservation and education. The mission of Gorgas Science Foundation is to provide the highest quality educational opportunities, to foster greater awareness and understanding of ecological issues, and to encourage conservation of critical natural resources.

History

The foundation was started in 1947 and incorporated in 1983 by Texas Southmost College biology professor Barbara T. Warburton. The name honors pioneering research scientist Dr. William Crawford Gorgas who served at Fort Brown in the 19th century.

Rio Grande Valley

In collaboration with the Audubon Society, the foundation operates the Sabal Palm Sanctuary in

Brownsville, Texas Brownsville () is a city in Cameron County in the U.S. state of Texas. It is on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Mexico. The city covers , and has a population of 186,738 as of the 2020 census. It ...

. In 1994 the Gorgas Foundation produced the 18 volume "Treasures of the Rio Grande Delta" documentary that focused on the history and habitat of the region. In 2010 the foundation published the bilingual Spanish and English ''El Valle: The Rio Grande Delta'' an exploration of the biodiversity and culture of the region.

Hummingbirds

In 2016 the foundation published '' Hummingbirds'', by John C. Arvin. the first volume of the two volume set book on Hummingbirds.

International projects

Mexico

In cooperation with the University of Texas at Brownsville, the Gorgas Foundation has operated two biology field stations in the

cloud forests A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level clo ...

along the eastern escarpment of northeastern Mexico’s

Sierra Madre Oriental The Sierra Madre Oriental () is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico. The Sierra Madre Oriental is part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that f ...

. The foundation's work at Rancho del Cielo and Rancho el Cielito research stations laid the groundwork for the creation of the 360,000 acre El Cielo Biosphere Reserve in Tamaulipas.

India

The Gorgas Foundation supported years of field work in the Western Ghats of India that culminated in a 60-minute documentary by prizewinning

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

Sandesh Kadur Sandesh Kadur is an Indian wildlife film producer and conservation photographer known for his contributions to BBC Planet Earth II. Sandesh's films have been shown on various television networks including National Geographic Channel, BBC, Discov ...

titled "Sahyadris – Mountains of the Monsoon."

References

External links

* Scientific research foundations in the United States Research institutes in Texas Environmental organizations based in Texas {{science-org-stub