Armand Bayou Nature Center (ABNC)

Stewardship: ABNC is one of the largest urban wilderness preserves in the nation, conserving one of the most extensive holdings of coastal tallgrass prairie in the lower Galveston Bay watershed. Currently, over 900 acres are actively managed within out preserve boundaries. Critical prairie habitat is annually being restored and then preserved through controlled burns and mowing to reduce invasive species and replanting native grasses an forbs propagated in out native plant nursery. More recently, ABNC has assumed management of a 24-acre tract that specifically protects the endangered Prarie Dawn Flower species. Additionally, ABNC manages over 330 acres of Texas State Coastal Preserve in the Armand Bayou watershed, restoring intertidal marsh to maintain appropriate water depth and encourage native plant and animal recolonization.

All other accomplishments

Education: Over 9,500 students of all ages participate in ABNC environmental education programs annually. School groups attend Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills TEKS correlated outdoor classes, field trips, and unique natural and cultural history programs. ABNC offers outdoor nature camps each summer and winter, scouting and similar youth programs, and community outreaches. ABNC has also introduced a range of early-childhood outdoor programs and STEM focused classes to support homeschool programs.