UT’s beloved turtle pond serves as a landmark on campus. For the past few years, the College of Natural Sciences has organized a fundraising event for community members to support the pond by symbolically naming a turtle. The campaign continued this year with over 170 donors and nearly $8,000 raised over seven days. 

The campaign benefits the turtle pond and the Texas Field Station Network, allowing for increased funds for research and student-led projects relating to the changing environment and the impact of urbanization, climate change and more. 

Zak Richards, chief development officer for the College of Natural Sciences, said the fundraiser is part of a larger mission to assist with biodiversity research across the state. 

“We thought this (was) a creative and fun way to engage our community of donors in supporting the maintenance, operation and upkeep of this beloved turtle pond,” Richards said. “(It is) also to shine a light on our leadership in biodiversity and our top-ranked program in integrative biology.” 

Justin Havird, an assistant professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, helped coordinate a group of 50 students in a student-led research project on microbial communities in the turtle pond along with the Texas Ecology, Evolution and Behavior club.

“Students are not going to know whether or not they like something until they get an opportunity to try it,” Havird said. “Lots of (students) were in the field collecting turtles and swabbing them. Others were in the lab processing samples, and then they’ll also be involved with analyzing the data.” 

Additionally, Havird said he urges community members to respect the turtle pond ecosystem as it is still a wild habitat. 

“We don’t really encourage feeding the turtles, we especially don’t encourage people to touch or harass the turtles,” Havird said. “Certainly don’t release your pet turtles at the turtle pond.”

The fundraiser was paired with an opportunity for students and community members to share their experiences and memories at the famous campus site. Breanna Walker, the fundraising campaign’s project lead, said the turtle pond impacted students in several ways.

“I can’t tell you how many students have said when they’re stressed or overwhelmed … the thing that they look forward to is going to the turtle pond,” Walker said. “An international student started school in the middle of (COVID-19 and) all of his classes were online. He struggled finding community, and what he did every single day was go to the turtle pond. When restrictions were lifted, he was able to meet friends that he had met online in class at the turtle pond.” 

Justin Killingsworth, executive director of Annual Giving at Texas Development, said people’s connection to the turtle pond acts as a powerful tool to communicate the impact of biodiversity research.

“It’s going to help students who are doing research (and) faculty and staff who can use that space or the Field Network as a living laboratory or a place to do hands-on learning,” Killingsworth said. “It’s an easy connection to make and a great way to fundraise.”