Conservation Equity Management and Ironwood Resource Advisors Announce Historic Approval of First Eastern Black Rail Conservation Bank in U.S.

GALVESTON, Texas, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Conservation Equity Management (CEM) https://www.cem-tx.com and Ironwood Resource Advisors, LLC are proud to announce the establishment of the first-ever Eastern Black Rail Conservation Bank (EBRCB), approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

The Eastern Black Rail—a small, elusive marsh bird—has suffered a population decline of more than 90% due to habitat loss and coastal flooding. Once widespread along the eastern United States, the species was listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2020. Its survival now depends on the protection and restoration of coastal marshes and inland wetlands.

Strategically located in Brazoria County, Texas, just 35 miles from downtown Houston and 15 miles from Galveston Island, CEM will restore and permanently conserve 500 acres of coastal prairie habitat vital to the species' recovery. The bank will generate mitigation credits by reestablishing previously degraded habitat, offering developers and industry a streamlined, USFWS-approved compensatory mitigation solution for unavoidable impacts on Eastern Black Rail habitat across the Upper Texas Coast—including the Greater Houston area, Galveston, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Freeport, Baytown, and Port Lavaca.

Kyle Bass, Co-Founder of CEM, stated:
"We continue to unite capitalism and conservation to create mutually beneficial outcomes. It is an honor to be the first conservation organization permitted to establish and protect habitat for the Eastern Black Rail."

Terry Anderson, Co-Founder of CEM, added:
"This initiative permanently protects hundreds of acres of irreplaceable Gulf Coast habitat, supporting both the Eastern Black Rail's survival and the long-term stability of coastal ecosystems."

This milestone was achieved through collaboration with a wide network of stakeholders, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Galveston Bay Foundation.

About Conservation Equity Management (CEM)
Founded by Kyle Bass and Terry Anderson, CEM is a Texas-based private equity firm focused on high-impact conservation investments that deliver measurable environmental, social, and financial returns. Learn more at https://www.cem-tx.com.

Media Contact
Steele Schottenheimer
Managing Director – Investor Relations
ss@cem-tx.com | 214-347-8045
https://www.cem-tx.com

Credit Sales Contact
Troy Madrigal
Principal – Ironwood Resource Advisors
troy@ironwood-ra.com | 281-795-1469
http://www.ironwood-ra.com

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SOURCE Conservation Equity Management, LP