WYLIE, TX – Mar. 7, 2022: The John Bunker Sands Wetland Center (Center), along with the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) and The Rosewood Corporation, invites the public to celebrate the completion of expanded education facilities at a grand reopening event scheduled for Saturday, April 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 655 Martin Ln, Combine, TX 75159.
The festivities will include free entry to the Wetland Center, cattail ribbon cutting ceremony, live bald eagle presentation by Window to the Wild, sneak peek of environmental field studies, boardwalk tours, local food trucks and much more. Centrally located in the middle of NTMWD’s East Fork Water Reuse Project, the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center originally opened in 2010 to provide education and research opportunities pertaining to water conservation, wetland systems and wildlife management.
“Our vision has always been to provide the best environmental education programs and conservation awareness in the most unique habitat of the NTMWD East Fork Wetland,” said John DeFillipo, Director of the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center. “And now, after five years of planning, dreaming and fundraising, we have the facilities that expand our capabilities to reach even more North Texans.”
This expansion meets the need for explosive program growth, diversification of revenue streams for the Center, and creation of new spaces for conservation partnerships with other local nonprofits. New facilities include the Pavilion Silos, additional classrooms and event space. The expansion design blends into the ranch and wetland environment with sustainable attributes, energy-conscious structures and the flexibility to welcome 120 students on a field study or hundreds of adults for special events.
“NTMWD’s East Fork Water Reuse Project has been key to expanding our water supply for over a decade,” said NTMWD Board Director Terry Sam Anderson, who also serves as President for the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Board of Directors. “From the Center’s inception, ensuring that we provide critical water conservation and reuse education through the Center is at the heart of our legacy to be good stewards of our environment and resources.”
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About John Bunker Sands Wetland Center
Located in the middle of the 2,000-acre East Fork Wetland Project owned and operated by the North Texas Municipal Water District, the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center is a unique public-private partnership between NTMWD and The Rosewood Corporation to provide education, research and conservation opportunities pertaining to water reuse and supply, wetland systems and wildlife habitat. The Center serves as the hub of environmental and social interest of man-made wetland habitats on the Rosewood Seagoville Ranch property. This includes NTMWD’s 2,000 acre East Fork Wetland Project, and an additional 1,200 acres of bottomland hardwood forest restoration as part of the Bunker Sands Mitigation Bank. Learn more at www.WetlandCenter.com
About The Rosewood Corporation
Established in 1976, The Rosewood Corporation is a multi-generational, family-owned, and operated company with investments in public and private securities, commercial real estate, energy, and other interests. Wholly owned subsidiaries of The Rosewood Corporation include, but are not limited to, Rosewood Property Company, Rosewood Resources, Inc., Rosewood Private Investments Inc., and Rosewood Management Corporation. Each of Rosewood’s business lines is committed to the highest standards of performance. We maintain a tradition of excellence in all areas of operations and are committed to preserving the legacy of Caroline Rose Hunt. Learn more at www.Rosewd.com.
About NTMWD
The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) was created in 1951 as a special district of the state. Today, NTMWD is a regional wholesale provider of water, wastewater and solid waste disposal services for approximately two million residents across 10 counties – a service territory covering 2,200 square miles. With an annual operations budget of $570 million and 900 employees, NTMWD serves about 80 communities with drinking water, more than 1.4 million people with wastewater collection and treatment, about 930,000 people with waste management services, and operates one of the largest advanced water treatment plants with a capacity of 876 million gallons per day. Learn more at www.NTMWD.com.