Who We Are

Our Story

We believe one of Fort Worth’s key strengths is its natural heritage, and that’s nature worth growing for current and future generations.

The Fort Worth Open Space & Parks Conservancy brings people, partners, and public and private resources together to enhance and expand the very waters, wildlife and wide-open spaces that have defined Fort Worth for nearly two centuries.

The mission of the Fort Worth Open Space & Parks Conservancy is to grow a vibrant network of open space by enhancing existing parks, conserving strategic lands and waters, and engaging private land stewards. Grounded in our history as a city shaped by grasslands, water, and wildlife, our vision is to cultivate a thriving ecosystem for the people of Fort Worth.

Working in close partnership with the City of Fort Worth and community partners, this independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serves as a dedicated, long-term engine for protecting, restoring, and expanding the natural places that define Fort Worth’s character.

Leadership

Growing Fort Worth’s natural footprint takes vision, collaboration and a long-term commitment from the very people who make Fort Worth their home.

Our team brings together civic, business, philanthropic, and conservation leaders who share the founding belief that parks and open space are not only worthy of investment, but essential to Fort Worth’s future as a thriving city with rural roots.

Chair

Mayor Mattie Parker

Mayor Mattie Parker was first elected to lead the nation’s now 10th largest city in 2021. Her priorities in office focus on key efforts and community partnerships to bolster Fort Worth’s economic development, improve public safety, expand access to education and workforce opportunities, and preserve the city’s rich heritage with a determination to leave things better than she found them.

In 2023, she created Good Natured, a City of Fort Worth greenspace initiative and a bold investment in land conservation and natural community spaces. The partnership set an ambitious goal of adding 10,000 acres of open greenspace across Fort Worth. The Good Natured initiative spurred the creation of the Fort Worth Open Space & Parks Conservancy, launched in 2026 to advance that vision alongside philanthropy for generations to come. Mayor Parker – who serves as co-chair of the national Mayors for Parks Coalition – helped secure the City’s first-ever bond funding for open space conservation and built on that success with voter approval of the 2026 bond program, which includes more than $185 million for parks, recreation, and open space.

Honorary co-Chair

Martha V. “Marty” Leonard

A lifelong Fort Worth resident, Marty Leonard has spent decades building a remarkable legacy as a community leader and philanthropist through her enduring commitment to serve and give back to her home town.

The list of Committees and Boards she has served on is immense, many reflecting Marty’s love for animals and nature. As a 17-year board member of Tarrant Regional Water District, Marty was a vocal advocate for watershed conservation and long-range water planning for North Texas. The Cedar Creek Wetlands were renamed the Marty Leonard Wetlands by TRWD in 2025 to honor her selfless dedication to preserving the region’s natural resources. Serving as a founding board member of the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge Conservancy, she helped orchestrate the merger with the Friends of Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge and served as its President. The Marty Leonard Boardwalk at the Nature Center is a lasting tribute to her long-term contributions as a nature champion. Marty also served on Texas Parks and Wildlife Department State Parks Advisory Committee.

Marty remains committed to efforts to protect and restore Fort Worth’s native prairie and is a staunch believer in the inherent benefits of spending time outdoors to human health and well-being.

Board of Directors

Mayor Mattie Parker
Chair

Martha V. Leonard
Honorary Co-Chair

Dan Buhman

Travis Clegg

Jonathan Cranz

Francisco Hernandez

Jim Hille

Bill Meadows

Elaine Petrus

Richard Roby

Elizabeth Waddill

STRATEGIC ADVISORS

Anne Brown

Merrill Gregg