President and Mrs. Bush have consistently demonstrated their commitment to conservation throughout their public service and at their Prairie Chapel Ranch. While in office, President Bush established the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, which encompasses 140,000 square miles of reefs and atolls in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It is home to green sea turtles, golden fish and 1,700 species found nowhere else. At the time of its designation, Papahānaumokuākea was the largest fully protected marine reserve on Earth. President Bush went on to establish three other national marine monuments, the Pacific Remote Islands, Rose Atoll, and the Mariana Trench. His vision inspired action from other world leaders that has created exciting momentum. As Mrs. Bush said, “We’re very happy and proud that other countries and President Obama have followed suit and named more national marine monuments. These are so important really to the health of our oceans, but to the health of our world.”
When designing the Bush Center, President and Mrs. Bush made it a priority to include a 15-acre park of native Texas landscapes that is enjoyed by thousands of visitors annually. In 2001, they undertook an ambitious 100-acre prairie restoration at Prairie Chapel Ranch.
Jim Connaughton, who served as Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Bush, and Texan by Nature CEO & President Joni Carswell headline this program on the importance of preserving our land and oceans. EarthX Board Chair Lynn McBee will serve as moderator. The program coincides with the unveiling of a significant update of the oceans exhibit in the permanent collection of the George W. Bush Presidential Museum.