3 named conservation heroes for Neches work
BY LELAND ACKER

Mary Decker (left), Dr. Michael Banks and Rose Mary Banks, all of Jacksonville, were named Conservation Heroes of the Year by the Texas Conservation Alliance. The three were instrumental in spear-heading a petition drive to establish the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge.

After sending out millions of emails, collecting thousands of signatures and spending hundreds of hours working to conserve the Neches River, Mary Decker, Dr. Michael and Rose Mary Banks have been honored by the Texas Conservation Alliance as the "Conservation Heroes of the Year."

"We were honored," Dr. Banks said. "We didn't expect it."

Dr. and Mrs. Banks and Mrs. Decker were honored for generating support needed for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to approve the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge.

Dr. Banks and Mrs. Decker, who are the co-Chairs of the Friends of the Neches River, spearheaded the effort to establish the refuge with the help of Mrs. Banks.

"Mary is the co-Chair and Michael is the primary spokesman," said Janice Bezanson, executive director of the Texas Conservation Alliance. "Michael coordinated the email lists and created an email network of supporters."

"It took the efforts of ev- erybody," Dr. Banks said. "No one can make it work by themselves."

Dr. Banks explained that the Texas Conservation Commission has been a friend to the Friends of the Neches River.

"We've been under their wing," he said. "We've relied on them for direction and have been able to receive tax-deductible contributions under their 501 ( c ) 3."

Conservation victory

of the decade

"The Texas Conservation Alliance helped the Friends of the Neches River to form," Mrs. Bezanson said. "Mary Decker started the group, then Michael became involved in it. Rose Mary helped with Michael."

"The creation of the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge is one of the great conservation victories of the decade," said Richard LeTourneau, Texas Conservation Alliance vice chairman. "It wouldn't have happened without the huge energy provided by the Friends of the Neches River."

Mr. LeTourneau commended Mrs. Decker on her efforts.

"Mary started (the Friends of the Neches River) and carried it on her shoulders, donating thousands of hours to the effort."

Mrs. Bezanson said the future of the Neches River remains in the hands of the courts. Earlier this month, Judge Jorge Solis dismissed a number of motions made by the attorneys for the City of Dallas. The first motion dismissed was the motion to include the donors of the easement of one acre of land to be used for the refuge in the lawsuit. The second motion dismissed was the motion by the City of Dallas to continue "discovery" (the process of collecting evidence for litigation.) Several other technical motions by Dallas were dismissed.

Mrs. Bezanson said the next step would be a status conference where the judge would set a briefing schedule. Both

Mrs. Bezanson and Dr. Banks expected the trial to conclude before the end of the spring of 2008.