LEGACIES: JIM BLACKBURN: Meet a man from Houston who 
upholds the natural laws ... on Passport to Texas Legacies.


Passport to Texas Legacies from Texas Parks and Wildlife


Houston-based environmental attorney, Jim Blackburn, came 
to the bayou city to attend law school, thinking he would leave after 
graduation. Yet, he was so enchanted by the diversity of 
environmental systems in the area, that he decided to stay and 
do his part to protect them.


"The thing that's not well understood about Houston, by most people, 
is that we have fabulous environmental systems that surround Houston. 
We have marshes, we have the wetland systems of the coastal prairies, 
we have tremendous wintering waterfowl, we have the big thicket, we 
have the bays; and there are tremendous resources that are being 
eaten up. There are a lot of negative impacts that are occurring in 
these areas. So there's a real need to protect the natural systems in 
this area. It's a truly wonderful place from an environmental, ecological 
standpoint, and it's not all lost yet. We have achieved a number of things, 
and there's more yet to be done. The natural resources are here, still, 
and we can protect them."

Mr. Blackburn has helped establish several conservation groups, including 
the Galveston Bay Foundation and the Matagorda Bay Foundation.


That's our show for today ... produced in cooperation with the 
Conservation History Association of Texas. Visit them on the 
web at texaslegacy.org. For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... 
I'm Cecilia Nasti.