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| Dear Friend, |
| Wealthy developers and far-right lobbyists want to turn some of the most precious, biodiverse habitats in Texas into golf courses, mega mansions, and luxury gated communities. |
| But there is one thing standing in their way: the iconic, endangered golden-cheeked warbler. |
| Weighing just 0.36 ounces, the golden-cheeked warbler breeds exclusively in the Ashe juniper woodlands of central Texas. And due to its endangered status, no development can take place in its habitat without special permits. |
| Our opponents sued to strip the bird of its endangered status, so we’re fighting in court to save the golden-cheeked warbler and maintain its protected status. If we fail, dozens of unique habitats, rare species, and beautiful woodlands in Texas Hill Country will be bulldozed. |
| We have a long fight ahead. Your support makes this possible, and our strength depends on you. Help defend the warbler and biodiversity everywhere with a donation before our fiscal year deadline on June 30, and your donation will be matched $2:$1. |
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| In Texas, wealthy developers usually get whatever they want, consequences be damned. |
| And in this case, the consequences would be devastating. Golden-cheeked warblers are the only birds that nest exclusively in Texas, so if their territory is destroyed, they have nowhere else to go. |
| Furthermore, the territory that is protected by their endangered status is critical to biodiversity. |
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| Bird populations in the United States and Canada have already declined by nearly 30% over the past half-century. According to a report released by NatureServe, over one-third of biodiversity in the U.S. is at risk of disappearing. |
| The earth would not be habitable for humans without plants that filter pollutants to provide clean air and water, animals that provide pollination and pest control for agriculture, and many other natural systems that depend on other living beings. |
| So who would sue to allow critically important, biodiversity-rich Texas Hill Country lands to be sold to the highest bidder and bulldozed for luxury development? |
| In this case, our opponents are represented by far-right lobbyists and lawyers at the “Texas Public Policy Foundation” — a group known for its fierce defense of property rights and what they call "the moral case for fossil fuels.” |
| Meanwhile, we are representing Save Our Springs Alliance, a local public interest group dedicated to the protection of the Texas Hill Country watershed. |
| Friend, unlike our opponents, we do not stand to profit from winning this case. We fight every case free of charge for our clients, our planet, and our future. Support from donors like you gives us the power to stand up to wealthy special interests that would destroy the earth for short-term profit. |
| Right now, we’re days away from our fiscal year deadline on June 30, and we are asking every supporter to donate what they can to help us hit our $303,000 online fundraising goal. Donate today and your gift will be matched $2:$1 to triple your impact! |
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With gratitude,
Sharmeen Morrison
Earthjustice Senior Associate Attorney
Biodiversity Defense Program
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| P.S. If you have already mailed your gift, thank you! We appreciate your patience as we update our records. |
