I-20 Wildlife Preserve & Jenna Welch Nature Study Center

Mission: To ensure conservation, restoration, education, research and outdoor enjoyment of Midland's urban playa for present and future generations.

The I-20 Wildlife Preserve holds much history for the Permian Basin and all of West Texas. Prior to being used as a public space, the playa in the preserve was used as a watering hole and refuge for Indians and later as a cattle pen for a number of Midland ranching families. In the late 1960’s, the property (an 87 acre urban playa lake in its natural state) was donated to the City of Midland with the intention of creating a park. However, the city was never able to budget the necessary funds for the park. The Midland Naturalists and a cadre of volunteers maintained the preserve for over 20 years. One of these individuals was Jenna Welch, a birding enthusiast and a member of the Midland Naturalists.

In the early 2007's, a master plan was created by individuals to make this unique space available to the public and to provide educational opportunities for students of all ages. The master plan is now in Phase III. The phases are as such:

Phase 1 - the conservation phase - Cattail and Salt Cedar were removed as well as over 2 tons of litter.

Phase II - the construction phase - developed 3.4 miles of hiking trails plus 1.45 miles of accessible trails, 7 bird observation blinds, 4 teaching platforms, a 2-story tall observation deck, and the Merritt Pavilion at the entrance.

Phase III - construction of the Jenna Welch Nature Study Center. Currently fundraising for this project.

We have three unique programs to fulfill our mission of conservation, education, restoration, research and outdoor enjoyment of the wildlife preserve. Our programs rely on volunteers who give their time, support and talents to our organization. Programs include:

1) Education - We work with K-12, undergraduate and graduate students to enhance their curriculum and encourage research, exploration and enjoyment in nature. This program provides customized curriculum that incorporates classroom and field-based learning and is compliant with current education requirements. We give the students a chance to fully experience nature and science - and to learn about the unique ecosystems we have in Midland.

2) Community Partners & Outreach - By partnering with organizations and welcoming volunteers, we increase opportunities for education, habitat building, and conservation. This includes Legacy Scholars, Midland Naturalists, Texas Master Naturalists, Boy Scouts, and many more.

3) Land Management - We must be good stewards of our unique playa as a place to protect migrating wildlife and provide recreation. In addition to supporting a healthy wildlife habitat, we seek to educate our community on our water resource and its relationship to the Ogallala Aquifer. We host educational and land management events (i.e. clearing trails, prairie grass projects) to include and inform community members.

Volunteer needs range from education docents and development, administration, land management, special projects, fundraising and board membership. We welcome all and know that your time and talent will be valuable to the success of our organization.