Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute

What Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute does

Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute (CDRI) is a Texas-incorporated 501(c)(3) public charity founded in December 1973 and headquartered at a 507-acre nature preserve four miles southeast of Fort Davis, Texas, in the foothills of the Davis Mountains at 5,100 feet elevation. The organization operates the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Powell Visitor Center as a combined field station, botanical garden, and outdoor classroom for the Chihuahuan Desert region. Its core assets are the 507-acre preserve with five-plus miles of marked hiking trails (Modesta Canyon, Clayton's Overlook, Outside Loop, Upper Loop, Scenic Loop), an 18-acre fenced Botanical Gardens encompassing the Maxie Templeton Cactus Museum (~200 cacti and succulent species), a Pollinator Garden, Native Grasses Exhibit, Wildscape Garden, and an interpretive exhibit portfolio spanning geology, mining heritage, the 2+ billion-year geologic timeline, an ADA-accessible bird blind, and the Scat & Tracks of Chihuahuan Desert Mammals exhibit. CDRI also digitizes its collection through the Hortis database and convenes the Conant Distinguished Guest Lecturer Series.

CDRI serves four primary constituencies: Big Bend region tourists and day visitors paying $6.50 adult / $3.25 student / $8.00 group admissions; TEA Region 18 public-school students in grades 1–5 who receive free TEKS-aligned programs (Bugs Bugs Bugs Day, Living Things, The Earth Rocks, Herp Day, Summer Shake Up, Critter Camp, Junior Explorer); lifelong learners and adult members engaged through the Conant lecture series and volunteer guide certification; and academic researchers who use the preserve as a credentialed field station, supported through the Dr. James F. Scudday Endowed Scholarship Fund and an archive of symposium proceedings on Chihuahuan Desert natural resources. Facility rentals cover weddings, rehearsal dinners, reunions, and special events in the gardens and visitor center.

The revenue model is multi-channel and grant-eligible: unit-priced visitor admissions; subscription memberships (with reciprocal access to 360 botanical gardens via the American Horticultural Society and 125 nature centers via ANCA); recurring monthly giving starting at $10; unrestricted, tribute, and memorial donations; gift shop sales with a 10% member discount; one-time facility rentals; corporate sponsorships (BBQ & Auction and garden/education underwriting); annual BBQ & Auction fundraising event; and planned-giving bequests, beneficiary designations, and charitable gift annuities that have accumulated a $2M Permanent Endowment. Operations are partly decarbonized through Green Mountain Energy Sun Club-funded 47-panel solar arrays (~12.3 kW) covering ~60% of visitor-center power, with the balance supplied as 100% renewable electricity by NRG. CDRI is governed by a Board of Directors (President Jim Martinez, Vice-President Joe Williams, Treasurer Rick Herrman, Secretary Rick Gupman) under Executive Director Lisa Fargason Gordon, with a small staff of three full-time and two part-time employees plus a substantial volunteer workforce.

Name

Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute

Legal name

Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute

Website

https://cdri.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CDRI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 507-acre Chihuahuan Desert nature preserve, botanical garden, and field station in Fort Davis, Texas, offering hiking trails, the Maxie Templeton Cactus Museum, educational programs, and research support for the Trans-Pecos region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Davis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Admissions & Visitor Fees: Entry fees charged to visitors: Adults $6.50, Students $3.25, Groups/Guided Tours $8.00 per person. Children 12 and under, members, and dogs enter free.
2. Memberships: Annual memberships providing free admission, access to Reciprocal Admissions Programs (RAP) with American Horticultural Society and ANCA covering 360 botanical gardens and 125 nature centers.
3. Donations: Unrestricted donations, monthly giving (starting at $10/month), memorial and tribute donations. Monthly giving provides reliable recurring support.
4. Gift Shop Sales: Retail sales of nature-themed merchandise including books, apparel, jewelry, local crafts, Take a Hike coffee, food items. Members receive 10% discount. All proceeds benefit CDRI programs.
5. Facility Rental: Venue rental for weddings, rehearsal dinners, family reunions, and special events at the Nature Center and Botanical Gardens.
6. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners sponsor events (BBQ & Auction), garden sections, or education programs, strengthening regional visibility while supporting mission.
7. Planned Giving & Endowment: Bequests in wills, beneficiary designations in life insurance/retirement plans, charitable gift annuities. Three prior bequests formed $2M Permanent Endowment.
8. BBQ & Auction Fundraiser: Annual fundraising event with silent and live auctions, BBQ dinner, and live music. Host Committee donations of $250 include two dinner tickets and commemorative gift.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CDRI operates a 507-acre Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center featuring the Powell Visitor Center, more than five miles of hiking trails, an 18-acre Botanical Gardens with the Maxie Templeton Cactus Museum (approximately 200 species of Chihuahuan Desert cacti and succulents), and science-based educational programs. The institute also functions as a research field station, gift shop, event venue, and lifelong learning destination.

Product overview

The Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute operates as a nonprofit nature center and botanical garden organization, offering a unified portfolio of visitor experiences, educational programs, and conservation initiatives. The core offering centers on the 507-acre Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center featuring the Powell Visitor Center, over five miles of hiking trails (Modesta Canyon Trail, Clayton's Overlook, Outside Loop, Upper Loop, Scenic Loop), and the 18-acre Botanical Gardens with the Maxie Templeton Cactus Museum Collection (~200 cacti species). Supporting services include student education programs (Bugs Bugs Bugs, Living Things, Summer Shake Up, The Earth Rocks, Herp Day), lifelong learning via the Roger Conant Distinguished Guest Lecturer Series, Interpretive Guide Training & Certifications, the Gift Shop, Facility Rental for events, the Desert NewsFlash e-newsletter, and the annual BBQ & Auction fundraiser. Research support, the Scudday Scholarship, conservation projects (solar arrays, xeriscaping), and membership programs round out the offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center (Powell Visitor Center, Hiking Trails, Botanical Gardens, Maxie Templeton Cactus Museum, Nature Center Exhibits) Ticketed visitor experience on a 507-acre Chihuahuan Desert preserve featuring the Powell Visitor Center, more than five miles of hiking trails, an 18-acre Botanical Gardens, the Maxie Templeton Cactus Museum with approximately 200 species of Chihuahuan Desert cacti and succulents, ADA-accessible trails and bird blind, and on-site exhibits for individual visitors and households.
• Chihuahuan Desert Gift Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• Free educational programs for TEA Region 18 students remove admission barriers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Fort Davis State BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Corporate partner for 2023 BBQ & Auction fundraiser, Fort Davis, TX
• Cactus LiquorsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Corporate partner for 2023 BBQ & Auction fundraiser, Marfa, TX
• Glazer's DistributingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Corporate partner for 2023 BBQ & Auction fundraiser, Odessa, TX
• Alpine FramingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Corporate partner for 2023 BBQ & Auction fundraiser, Alpine, TX
• Fort Davis Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Corporate partner for 2023 BBQ & Auction fundraiser, Fort Davis, TX
• Cathedral GuitarsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Corporate partner for 2023 BBQ & Auction fundraiser, Fort Davis, TX
• EPA Green Power PartnershipminorOthersListed as EPA Green Power Partnership member demonstrating commitment to renewable energy
• American Public Gardens Association (APGA)minorOthersMember organization supporting public gardens
• Association of Nature Center Administrators (ANCA)minorOthersPartnership provides Reciprocal Admissions Programs with 125 nature centers. Listed as ANCA member.
• American Horticultural Society (AHS)coreOthersReciprocal Admissions Program (RAP) provides members access to 360 botanical gardens across the U.S.
• NRG EnergyminorOthersProvides 100% renewable electricity (wind or solar) for remainder of power needs after on-site solar arrays
• Sul Ross State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for field classes, graduate student research. Dr. James Scudday was professor of biology there. Hosted symposium proceedings on natural resources.
• Tierra Grande Master NaturalistsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssists with Summer Shake Up program for school-age children
• TEA Region 18coreOthersProvides free science-based educational programs for public school students in Region 18 aligned with TEKS standards

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Desert Botanical Garden: A 140-acre botanical garden in Phoenix featuring more than 50,000 desert plants, with exhibits, educational programs, and event rentals — a comparable paid-admission desert botanical experience with membership and reciprocal-program participation.
• Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park: A Carlsbad, New Mexico zoo and botanical garden explicitly focused on the Chihuahuan Desert flora and fauna — directly comparable to CDRI in regional scope, collection focus, and educational mission.
• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: A combined zoo, botanical garden, and natural history museum in Tucson focused on the Sonoran Desert — the closest direct analog to CDRI in terms of combining desert flora, fauna, geology, and education in a single paid-admission site.
• Boyce Thompson Arboretum: Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden, featuring desert, riparian, and upland collections plus research and education programs — a direct functional peer in arid-land botanical curation and visitor programming.
• Santa Fe Botanical Garden: A regional botanical garden in New Mexico featuring native and arid-adapted plants, public programming, and membership — overlapping with CDRI in collection, education, and Southwestern regional audience.

Regional players

• Big Bend National Park: The neighboring federal national park whose visitor traffic feeds CDRI's tourism funnel — not a commercial peer, but a critical driver of CDRI's addressable market and the site most directly threatened by the border wall.
• Franklin Mountains State Park: A Texas state park with Chihuahuan Desert flora, hiking trails, and educational programming — a regional comparability point for trail-based desert education in a publicly operated setting.
• Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site: A Texas state park in the Chihuahuan Desert with rock art, native flora, and interpretive education — another regional peer delivering desert nature interpretation and education programming.

Others

• Sul Ross State University: CDRI's primary academic partner in the Big Bend region — relevant as a strategic relationship and the institutional home of co-founder Dr. James Scudday, with shared research and field-class programs.

Emerging players

• National Butterfly Center: A Mission, Texas nonprofit with native gardens, pollinator habitat, and conservation education in the lower Rio Grande Valley — comparable in mission, nonprofit structure, and Chihuahuan-Tamaulipan conservation focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CDRINature
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chihuahuan-desert-research

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute