Recognizing the need to help protect America's most sensitive lands, Centex has made native land and habitat conservation a priority. Understanding the urgency and limited opportunities to buy these land sites, we established the Centex Land Legacy Fund in 2005.

Working with The Conservation Fund, the Land Legacy Fund identifies and finances land acquisitions in critical U.S. sites, many of them highly prized for their development potential. Our commitment and financial support to this effort protected more than 7,000 acres nationwide in the program’s first year alone.

Since 1999, Centex has committed more than $6 million to conservation efforts.

Land Legacy Fund projects:

Big Thicket National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. One of America's 10 Most Endangered National Parks, the addition of 4,400 acres to the 97,000-acre area will provide more opportunities to hike, camp and explore lush habitats. 

Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, N.J. Comprised of agriculture, wetlands and forests, the preservation of this 450-acre ecological sanctuary saved the refuge of numerous species indigenous to this area.

Crow Wing State Park, Minn. Park expansion along the Mississippi River protected 390 acres of hardwood forests, prairies and wetlands, as well as provided opportunities for wildlife observation and children's discovery programs.

Delaware Bay, Del. Protection of this 430-acre wetland habitat saved an important waterfowl destination and wetland area in the Delaware Estuary, located near a fast-growing development.

Fort Clatsop National Park, Ore. The park was expanded by 154 acres to save critical open space and wildlife habitat, and create public recreation and education opportunities about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 

The Lighthouse Ranch, Calif. Preservation of this highly valued five-acre land site will facilitate construction of a visitor's center at the Table Bluff Ecological Preserve overlooking the Eel River Delta, Humboldt Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

Pinhoti Trail, Ga. Saving this 1,015-mile strip of land enabled conservationists to extend the historic Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Maine to Georgia, toward its originally proposed southern terminal in Alabama

Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, S.C. An additional 850 acres of this bird haven was acquired, extending efforts to preserve a vast ecosystem and also provide public recreation and educational opportunities.

Big River and Salmon Creek, Calif. The acquisition of these 16,000 acres of forestland in Mendocino County preserves a working forest across the property, subject to sustainable forestry guidelines. The most sensitive areas are being restored and set aside as a preserve.

Indian River Lagoon, Fla.  Preserving the lands and waters of the Thousand Islands, located within Brevard County, Fla., helps protect one of the nation’s most biologically diverse estuaries, the lagoon itself and its fragile sea grasses which shelter endangered West Indian manatees.