Welcome to Galveston Bay Foundation
The Galveston Bay Foundation was founded in 1987 as a nonprofit organization to preserve, protect and enhance Galveston Bay -- one of the world's most productive estuaries. Its balanced programs in advocacy, conservation, education, and research strive to ensure that Galveston Bay remains a beautiful and productive place for generations to come.
Recent News
Mark your calendars for upcoming GBF activities!
The dates are in! GBF staff and volunteers will be busy this Spring; please join us! Here is what we have coming up:
GBF Annual meeting: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 (location TBD)
Trash Bash: Saturday, March 27, 2010 (various locations)
Oyster Restoration Benefit: Saturday, April 24, 2010 (18th Street Sports Bar & Grill, San Leon, TX)
Marsh Mania: Saturday, May 1 & June 5, 2010 (various locations)
Bay Day: May 15, 2010 (Kemah Boardwalk)
SAVE THE DATE for the 5th National Conference and Expo on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration
Galveston Island Convention Center
Galveston, Texas
November 13-17, 2010
Restore America's Estuaries is pleased to announce the Call for Dedicated Sessions, Presentations, and Posters for the 5th National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration--Preparing for Climate Change: Science, Practice, and Policy.
We invite you to be a part of the only national conference that focuses exclusively on coastal habitat restoration. Healthy coasts and estuaries are essential to the social, economic, ecological wellbeing of everything that depends on them. Successful habitat restoration at all scales is critical to ensuring vibrant coasts. The Conference will bring timely national attention to the challenges and opportunities for restoration and will bring together a unique blend of people involved in policy, outreach, science, strategy, business, and on-the-ground restoration work.
The Conference will be held November 13-17, 2010, at the Galveston Island Convention Center, Galveston, Texas. The deadline for Sessions, Presentations, and Posters is March 2, 2010.
For more information, please visit here.
GBF Accepts Presidential Award for Contributions at North Deer Island
On December 2, 2009, the North Deer Island Protection Team received the Coastal America Partnership Award-the only environmental award of its kind given by the President of the United States-for their efforts to protect the most important colonial water bird rookery on the upper Texas coast: North Deer Island. The project spanned over nine years and protected 1.7 miles of North Deer Island's rapidly eroding shoreline. GBF was a partner on the project along with Audubon Texas, NRG Energy, EPA Gulf of Mexico Program, EPA Region-6, Houston Audubon Society, Texas Commission of Environmental Quality--Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Texas General Land Office, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The full press release is viewable here. Congratulatory letter from President Obama is available here.
LEFT: GBF President, Bob Stokes, accepting the award from Eileen Sobeck, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, US Department of Interior. RIGHT: GBF staffers celebrating the award.
GBF Applauds New EPA Timetable for Critical San Jacinto River Dioxin Cleanup
GBF has issued a press release applauding a new Environmental Protection Agency timetable requiring two companies to clean up a submerged industrial dumpsite that has been leaking a cancer-causing chemical, dioxin, into the San Jacinto River and Galveston Bay. Read the related article on the Galveston County Daily News website, or read the press release here.
Marsh Planting is Final Step for Burnet Bay Restoration Project
Work on the Burnet Bay Wetlands Restoration Project broke ground in June, and we are proud to announce that all of the mounds have been planted with marsh grass. This project will restore over 30 acres of intertidal wetlands. Our latest "Marsh Mania" event was held Friday, November 6th with volunteers from ConocoPhillips. Here's the video from the restoration event:
Strategies For Future Hurricane Mitigation: A Galveston Bay Foundation Position Paper
Hurricane Ike caused terrible loss of life, injuries, property destruction, and environmental harm to the Galveston Bay region. In response to this devastation, several proposals have been made which seek to limit damage from a future storm. The Galveston Bay Foundation urges that any solutions proposed to limit damage from future storms go through a full environmental review and recognize the importance of the natural environment, including our bay marshes, seagrasses and oyster reefs. Please click here to read more about our position on these proposed solutions.
We're getting "Hip to Habitat" with Lanier Middle School, featured on Channel 39 News
"Get Hip to Habitat" is a program of the Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) that brings our education and marsh restoration initiatives together in one program. With this program, GBF works closely with students and teachers to establish a salt marsh wetland nursery on their school campus grounds and later transplant their established grasses to Galveston Bay wetlands. Lanier Middle School was recently featured on Channel 39 News. Check out the news footage here!
GBF working with TPWD, FWS, and local residents to restore oyster reefs
As a result of Hurricane Ike, half of the oyster reefs in Galveston Bay were destroyed. Recently, the Galveston Bay Foundation teamed up with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and local residents to restore oyster reefs in Galveston Bay. Click here to read recent coverage by the Galveston County Daily News on this effort.
2009 LyondellBasell Bike Around the Bay: photos and footage posted
Thank you to all the riders and volunteers who came out to the 2009 LyondellBasell Bike Around the Bay on October 10-11, 2009! Approximately 500 riders took on two days and 150 miles of bay area cycling, and we are already looking forward to a 2010 ride. Photos and footage from the 2009 event are available at Talk of the Bay. For more information about Bike Around the Bay, please visit bikearoundthebay.org.
100+ Take Part in September's Marsh Restoration Project at Burnet Bay
On September, 19, 2009, the Galveston Bay Foundation hosted a marsh restoration project at Burnet Bay in Baytown, Texas. Thanks to all of the volunteers from ITC and Mitsui USA who came out to replant marsh vegetation! Upon completion of the marsh planting, the project will restore over 30 acres of intertidal wetlands.
Houston Green Scene @ Marsh Mania
Support GBF and other non-profits through EarthShare of Texas
You can help support the Galveston Bay Foundation through a workplace giving pledge through Earth Share of Texas, who represents us as well as 70 other non-profits across Texas. If you are a participating employee, you can find the Galveston Bay Foundation's Earth Share codes here. Thank you!
