Outdoor & Nature in Dallas-Fort Worth

Dallas-Fort Worth's outdoor spaces carry real federal and national-organization backing: a Department of the Interior-designated National Natural Landmark with free-roaming bison, a flagship National Audubon Society center built on a reclaimed illegal landfill, and an Audubon-recognized Important Bird Area.

Every item on this page clears one bar: not commonplace, not everywhere. These are real, named resources with their actual verified designation or certification — not a generic "has a hospital" or "has a gym" list. We left out anything we couldn't independently verify or that didn't clearly clear that bar, the same honesty rule used throughout this site — a shorter, accurate list beats a padded one.

← All Specialty Resources categories

National Natural Landmark (designated 1980)

Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge

At 3,621 acres, the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge is one of the largest city-owned nature centers in the United States and was designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1980. It preserves old-growth Cross Timbers forest, prairie, and Trinity River bottomland, and is home to a free-roaming American bison herd.

Source: Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge - About

National Audubon Society flagship center; first LEED Gold-certified building built by the City of Dallas

Trinity River Audubon Center

Designed by 2006 AIA Gold Medalist architect Antoine Predock, the Trinity River Audubon Center opened in 2008 on a remediated former illegal landfill within the Great Trinity Forest — the largest urban bottomland hardwood forest in the United States. It is a flagship center of the National Audubon Society and the first LEED Gold-certified building ever constructed by the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department.

Source: National Audubon Society - Trinity River Audubon Center

Audubon Society-designated Important Bird Area

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary

Founded in McKinney in 1967 on land donated by naturalist Bessie Heard, the 289-acre sanctuary has been awarded the Audubon Society's designation as an Important Bird Area and draws more than 100,000 visitors annually to its wetlands, native-plant gardens, and hiking trails.

Source: Wikipedia - Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary

25 consecutive years as a Tree City USA (Arbor Day Foundation); Platinum Texas Scenic City (2022)

Southlake — Tree City USA & Platinum Scenic City

Southlake, home to the 758-acre Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve's Cross Timbers habitat, has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for 25 consecutive years — a designation held by only 92 Texas communities — and was named a Platinum Texas Scenic City in 2022, the highest tier awarded by the nonprofit Scenic Texas.

Source: City of Southlake - Keep Southlake Beautiful Designations