Through the Texas Water Action Collaborative facilitated by Texan by Nature, we were matched with a Texas Longleaf Team project to restore 2,000 acres of longleaf pine forest in East Texas. Once spanning over 90 million acres in the southeastern U.S., including East Texas, longleaf pine forests have been drastically reduced by urbanization and land use changes. The native longleaf ecosystem is characterized by a rich grassland savannah underneath the towering pine trees, and research has shown that this ecosystem is more effective at capturing and filtering water than traditional production forestry. Partners at Stephen F. Austin State University and Raven Environmental Services are conducting environmental monitoring to demonstrate how healthy ecosystems improve water quantity for Texans. The project will remove noxious invasive shrubs and woody vegetation, replant 100,000 longleaf pine trees, and use prescribed burns to restore habitat for a variety of wildlife, including the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. Ultimately, the benefits of this restoration will enhance the ecosystem’s resilience to drought, pests and diseases, severe weather, and wildfires.