It's been a staple for as long as people have lived within its range. From Texas to the Mexican interior, agave has been food, fiber and drink, and its distilled spirits – tequila, mezcal – have been called “the spirit of Mexico.”

Demand for those spirits is surging – agave is now very big business. It could be “loved to death.”

A coalition of distillers, enthusiasts and scientists is pushing for a different way. Sustainability, they say, means respecting the plant's ecology – including its vital bond with certain creatures of the night.

Two architects of the Tequila Interchange Project – and its “Bat-Friendly Tequila” initiative – will speak next month at Ag...