Mission Statement

The mission of the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center is to both educate the public and provide research opportunities in the areas of water quality and supply, wildlife management, and wetland systems.

These ideas reflect and extend the vision of Bunker Sands, a holistic ranch management advocate, who directed the creation of over 2,100 wetland acres on Rosewood Ranches properties in Kaufman, Henderson, Ellis, and Navarro counties.  The constructed wetlands included seasonal emergent wetlands, scrub swamps and flooded bottomland hardwood forest.  Several of the original wetlands occurred at Rosewood’s Seagoville Ranch, the site of the Center and of the water reuse East Fork Wetland, developed and operated by North Texas Municipal Water District. 

The East Fork Wetland includes approximately 1,840 acres of wetland habitat and is one of the largest constructed wetlands in the United States. An additional 1,200 acres of bottomland hardwood forest with seasonal shallow wetlands will be permanently dedicated through the creation of The Bunker Sands Mitigation Bank.

Created by the Caroline Rose Hunt family through The Rosewood Corporation and the North Texas Municipal Water District, the center will host and provide facilities to further our community’s understanding of the area’s water supply challenges and the importance of habitat conservation.

The John Bunker Sands Wetland Center facility will provide opportunities for research, education, wildlife observation, and community gatherings within a comfortable, environmentally-conscious building. The Center looks forward to partnerships with area school districts, wildlife and conservation organizations, and research institutions.

John Bunker Sands Wetland Center
Board of Directors

JOE TOM FARMER, PhD
North Texas Municipal Water District

JAMES M. PARKS
North Texas Municipal Water District

MICHAEL S. RICKMAN - Secretary
North Texas Municipal Water District

JACOB SANDS - President
The Rosewood Corporation

PATRICK SANDS
The Rosewood Corporation

WILSON SANDS
The Rosewood Corporation

Advisory Committee

JEANETTE BOYLAN, PhD
El Centro College

BRYAN BROOKS, PhD
Baylor University

STEVE HINKLEY
Museum of Nature & Science

SANDY MADDOX, PhD
Region 10 Education Service Center - Deputy Executive Director

DOLAN McKNIGHT, PE
North Texas Municipal Water District

ALAN H. PLUMMER, PE
Alan Plummer Associates, Inc.

STORM SANDS
Trinity Basin Conservation Foundation/The Rosewood Corportation

TAMARA TRAIL
Texas Wildlife Association

LARRY WATSON, EdD
Crandall ISD - Superintendent