Meadows Center launches 'Our Desired Future' exhibit tour in Boerne

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
Office of Media Relations
October 18, 2017

The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University will premiere a traveling exhibit titled Our Desired Future, which examines the interconnections between water above and below ground, November 1 at the Cibolo Nature Center and Farm in Boerne.

The exhibit will be on display at the Cibolo Nature Center and Farm through November 22.

Texas has 500 times more underground water than surface water. The question is, how much should be pumped, and how fast? The exhibit combines photos, stories and first-of-its-kind maps to help Texans understand where their water comes from and how the state’s water resources can be managed for long-term viability.

“We hope that visitors in communities across Texas will learn from the ideas and practices shared in the exhibit,” said Sharlene Leurig, the exhibit's producer. “We hope, too, that organizations who host the exhibition will enrich it by including additional content and programs that reflect their local water culture and history.”

In conjunction with the exhibit, the Cibolo Nature Center and Farm will host "Thirst for Nature: Cider on the Cibolo" from 6-8 p.m. on November 16. The event will include a discussion about local groundwater issues and the future of groundwater supplies in Texas, followed by a guided stream hike to Cibolo Creek. For more information or to register, visit http://bit.ly/Thirst4Nature.

“Here at the Cibolo Nature and Farm, we understand the need for further protection and understanding of our watershed, not only in the Hill Country but across the state of Texas,” Cibolo Nature Center and Farm Volunteer Coordinator Joely Cifre said. “As part of our Cider on the Cibolo event, we will get to showcase in a fun, informative way just how important the protection of Cibolo Creek is to the health of our community."

The Meadows Center is taking the exhibit on tour to locations across Texas until June 2018. Organizations hosting the traveling exhibit will educate residents about what water means for their community to help Texans better understand water’s impact on the local environment, as well as ways in which this natural resource can be preserved for future generations.

Future exhibit dates may be found online at http://Calendar.MeadowsWater.org. For more information about Our Desired Future, visit www.ourdesiredfuture.com. Anyone interested in hosting the traveling exhibit should contact Anna Huff at AnnaHuff@txstate.edu.

Our Desired Future is a project of the Texas Center for Policy Studies and The Meadows Center, made possible with a generous grant from the Shield-Ayres Foundation and through contributions to the project’s Indiegogo campaign.

About The Meadows Center

The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University was named following a generous gift from The Meadows Foundation in August 2012. The Meadows Center inspires research, innovation and leadership that ensures clean, abundant water for the environment and all humanity, and is led by Executive Director Andrew Sansom, Ph.D.

About The Cibolo Nature Center and Farm

The Cibolo Nature Center and Farm is a community that passionately believes our brightest future is one lived in harmony with nature. Beginning with the Cibolo Creek, our aim is to ensure our natural treasures are not only protected, but thriving. To do this, we’re building a unique conservation model to protect our resources, study and learn from the natural world, teach and apply sustainable farming practices, and encourage the enjoyment and celebration of nature. We believe that our model is teachable and that our successes in the Cibolo Creek can be replicated in conservation efforts across the globe.

About Texas State University

Founded in 1899, Texas State University is among the largest universities in Texas with an enrollment of 38,694 students on campuses in San Marcos and Round Rock. Texas State’s 181,000-plus alumni are a powerful force in serving the economic workforce needs of Texas and throughout the world. Designated an Emerging Research University by the State of Texas, Texas State is classified under “Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity,” the second-highest designation for research institutions under the Carnegie classification system.