Set amid a former working cattle ranch and an expansive wetland on the East Fork of the Trinity River, the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center is a nature center, an educational destination for teachers and students, a birder’s paradise and photographer’s dream, and a serene escape to nature like no other in North Texas.
Our primary mission is educating the public about water, wetlands and wildlife and the need to conserve these essential resources. Our environmental education programs give students a memorable field research experience designed to inspire conservation literacy, encourage careers in science and conservation, and immerse them in our wild classroom. We also offer nature seminars, bird walks, boardwalk tours and a host of special events focused on the natural world, with an emphasis on activities for families.
Located just 25 miles from downtown Dallas, our boardwalk into the wetland and miles of trails allow visitors of all ages to experience diverse habitats that host close to 300 species of birds, including bald eagles, and scores of native mammals, insects, amphibians and reptiles.
The John Bunker Sands Wetland Center is located within the East Fork Water Reuse Project, a 1,840-acre constructed wetland that is one of the largest in the country. The project is owned and operated by the North Texas Municipal Water District, which services over two million residents within 13 member cities in North Texas. The wetland essentially acts as a large-scale water recycling project, diverting treated wastewater flows from the East Fork of the Trinity River and filtering it naturally before it is returned to blend with other water supplies for future treatment and use.
The aquatic plants in the wetland and sunlight are very effective as they naturally filter the water, removing sediment and other pollutants. This natural process removes about 95% of sediment, 80% of nitrogen and 65% of phosphorus. After being cleansed by the wetland, the water is pumped through a 42-mile pipeline back to Lavon Lake, where it is blended and stored until it is sent to the Wylie Water Treatment Plant for treatment as drinking water. From there, it is distributed to homes and businesses across 10 North Texas counties. Up to 90 million gallons of water can flow through the wetland daily, making it a vital resource in addressing North Texas’ rising water needs.
As the educational component of the wetland project, the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center provides critical education, research and recreation opportunities to the public, inspiring them to become better stewards of the natural world. The center celebrates the collaboration of human innovation and nature to create a better world for all.
Our mission is to educate the public and provide research opportunities in the areas of water reuse, quality and supply, wildlife conservation, and wetland systems.
Our vision is to be the premier education and destination nature center serving the North Texas region and beyond.
“More than 47,000 species are threatened with extinction. That is 28% of all assessed species,” according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
The recent revelation that 3 billion North American birds have vanished since 1970, nearly 30% of the total, further underscores the alarming scale of biodiversity loss, highlighting the urgent need for action. Traditional industrial processes degrade ecosystems through their effect on air, water and soil quality. For the past 15 years, the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center has embraced new, more natural technologies and methods to mitigate environmental damage and foster sustainable practices. Through our educational mission, we empower our youth by exposure to the tools and knowledge to affect change.
In this challenging landscape, K-12 education plays a crucial role in shaping future generations that are informed and proactive about environmental issues. A robust education system not only imparts knowledge but also instills values of environmental stewardship and sustainability. In schools, budgets are being reduced, programs are being cut, belts are tightening at all levels. Nature education centers like ours are trying to step up to fill that gap. To do that, we need your support.
By donating through the North Texas Giving Day, you are equipping us with the tools we need to inspire future stewards of conservation. We need additional support for educators and students and more classroom microscope setups. At around $1,200 each, these quality pieces of lab equipment are the most impactful tools we can add to our education programs. Their presence alone inspires students to explore possibilities of lab research careers. Many students who visit us have never seen a microscope in person, much less permitted to touch and interact with one.
Microscopes show students the world in brand-new ways, building regard for the animals we share our world with and their need for clean water. Currently, we do not have enough microscopes for all our teaching spaces. We also need nets to collect macroinvertebrates, a key indicator of water quality. Our dip nets serve thousands of students each year, and some of them deserve to be retired!
Your donation paves the way for students to explore their passions with modern, relevant scientific equipment and real-world data collection experiences. Their time spent here at the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center will help guide future environmental scientists down the path of a more sustainable and equitable future for humans and animals alike!
Conservation Literacy for All. The John Bunker Sands Wetland Center provides conservation programs and conservation awareness for all backgrounds of students and adults. We serve many Title 1 schools, and we provide scholarships to pay for things like buses and other field trip and education expenses. We strive to promote conservation justice and equity through diverse, equitable, inclusive programs and offerings for the populations we serve in the North Texas region.
View our current participation opportunities.
In-Person Volunteering
Wetland Steward Opportunities
Joh Bunker Sands Wetland Center
In-Person Volunteering
Group Opportunities
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center
Organization name
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center
Causes
Education - STEM, Environment & Conservation, Parks and Greenspaces
Operating Budget
$500,000 - $999,999
Counties Served
Collin, Dallas, Denton, Kaufman, Rockwall, Tarrant
Address
655 Martin Lane