Galveston Bay Foundation Protects Land Near Wildlife Refuge, Surpasses 20,000 Acres Conserved
- April 07, 2026
- News
CHAMBERS COUNTY, TEXAS — Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) has completed the Cane Bayou Conservation Easement, permanently protecting 2,250 acres of working lands and wildlife habitat, adjacent to the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge in southern Chambers County. With this project, GBF’s conservation holdings now exceed 20,000 acres across the Galveston Bay watershed.
The Cane Bayou Conservation Easement safeguards vital migratory corridors for shorebirds and waterfowl while preserving wetlands and important coastal habitats that support native wildlife and plant communities. Protection of this landscape enhances regional water quality and strengthens coastal resilience, while maintaining the rural character and working lands that define this part of the Texas coast.
“This project is a powerful example of how conservation and agriculture can go hand in hand,” said Bob Stokes, President of Galveston Bay Foundation. “By partnering with a dedicated landowner, we’re helping sustain working lands that are also essential to the ecological health of Galveston Bay.”
Conservation easements are a voluntary agreement between landowners and a land trust that permanently preserves conservation values like water quality and wildlife habitat. Cane Bayou will remain under private ownership and managed for rotational rice farming, cattle ranching, and wildlife — demonstrating how agricultural operations and conservation can work in tandem with proper management.
“This property proves you don’t have to choose between agriculture and conservation,” said landowner Tyler Fitzgerald. “With this easement, we’re protecting both a working landscape and the habitat that makes it special. As my family approaches the century mark on this land, this partnership with GBF will ensure the property stays whole in the future.”
The Cane Bayou Conservation Easement was made possible in part through funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) – Texas Coastal Prairie Initiative, administered by the Coastal Prairie Conservancy. Additional supporters include the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program, the Knobloch Family Foundation, the Gulf Partnership, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation.
About Galveston Bay Foundation
Founded in 1987, Galveston Bay Foundation is a nonprofit organization that preserves and protects Galveston Bay as a healthy and productive place for generations to come through programs in Advocacy, Habitat Restoration, Land Conservation, Water Protection, Education, and Research.
Media Contact:
Kimberly Meza
Communications and Marketing Manager
Galveston Bay Foundation
kmeza@galvbay.org | 281-923-3278
