Bats Across Texas Launches With Advocacy And Education Priorities!

AUSTIN, Texas - March 6, 2014 - PRLog -- For scheduling interviews or questions:

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Bats Across Texas Launches

March 7, 2014 (Austin) – As the need for advocacy, conservation, and education, in Texas, on the role of bats in state agribusiness and our ecosystem explodes, Bats Across Texas has been formed to meet that need.  “As Bat Conservation International (BCI) continues its global mission and leads efforts for strategic conservancy, we are thrilled Bats Across Texas is building the necessary local awareness and political support in the Texas Legislature and through out our great state of Texas,” said BCI Executive Director, Andrew Walker.

“Bats Across Texas is excited to share the message of protecting and appreciating the value of the environmental and economic contributions of this special order of mammals. Our state has the largest maternal bat colony in the world (10 million bats) at Bracken Cave.  Texas bats are a treasured partner, and their home at Bracken Cave is of extraordinary and unique international significance,” said Bettina Canales Jary-Mathis, Bats Across Texas Founder and BCI Board Member.

“In addition to Bracken Cave, the bat populations under the Congress Street Bridge in Austin, McNeil Bridge in north Austin, and various other caves and bridges around Texas have meaningful feeding patterns and migratory flight paths that must be understood and protected.  There are positive ways to do it,” said Jary-Mathis

“With West Nile and the Chagas disease on the rise threatening human and domestic animals, bats are the critical predator to controlling mosquito and kissing bug populations while also providing non-chemical pest control by consuming the insect populations damaging the fiber, grain, vegetable and fruit agribusinesses in Texas.”

“The explosion of organic gardening and farmers markets will continue underscore the high value of bat guano in sustainable farming,” Jary-Mathis said.

With offices in Austin and San Antonio, Bats Across Texas will direct its political advocacy at the Texas Legislature, strategic state agencies, and local governments.  A political action committee, BATPAC, has also been formed and will be active during the 2014 election cycle.

Bats Across Texas is also seeking to identify college level students interested in volunteer work or research related studies related to bats and their impact on Texas agriculture.”  Interested students should email Bats Across Texas at info@batsacrosstexas.com and reference “Student Opportunity” in the subject line.

Education efforts will initially concentrate on the public schools grades K-6.  “There is nothing more powerful than inspiring the future leaders of Texas by showing them the wonder of a bat colony,” Jary-Mathis said.

“In the political advocacy arena, we are building a statewide network of concerned and engaged voters that share our passion.  Anyone interested should email us at info@batsacrosstexas.com and reference Bat Team in the subject line.”