Galveston Bay Foundation

See Schedule OConservation programs work to preserve, protect, and restore important coastal habitats that provide critical ecosystem services and have suffered loss or degradation. GBF works closely with numerous partners in land acquisition, land stewardship, habitat restoration, and habitat enhancement activities across the Bay. As an accredited land trust, GBF protects natural areas by acquiring real estate and partnering with landowners to establish conservation easements on private lands. Currently, GBF owns or holds conservation easements on over 13,800 acres of land around Galveston Bay to ensure it is conserved in perpetuity. In 2022, GBF closed on one new conservation property and increased its conservation land holdings by 6 percent. Habitat restoration activities work to ensure healthy habitats for productive and sustainable populations of native species. Projects focus on shoreline protection; wetlands, oyster reef, and bird rookery restoration; and removal of marine debris.

Advocacy programs position GBF as the guardian of Galveston Bay. The goal is to encourage and actively seek solutions to conflicts among the diverse users of the Bay. GBF attempts to balance the multiple uses of Galveston Bay so that the long-term interests of the Bay itself are not compromised. Through initiatives such as the Galveston Bay Report Card (released in partnership with the Houston Advanced Research Center), the Galveston Bay Action Network (GBAN) pollution reporting app, and the volunteer Wetland Permit Review Committee, GBF provides tools to enable the public to take positive actions for Galveston Bay.

Schedule OEducation and outreach programs reach thousands of youth and adults each year. The goal of the program is to develop a knowledgeable constituency, ranging from school children to public officials, which recognizes the positive quality-of-life benefits that a healthy Galveston Bay system provides for the Houston-Galveston region. Youth-focused programs aim to cultivate life-long stewards of the Bay through environmental education experiences that nurture exploration and inquisition. In 2022, GBF continued offering education programs in the classroom and on the Bay as well as virtually. Beyond youth education, our public outreach initiatives consist of campaigns and events aimed at increasing the public's awareness of the importance of Galveston Bay. Ongoing campaigns educate targeted segments of the population on various Bay issues of concern. GBF continues to host our annual signature education and outreach events, including the family friendly "Bay Day Festival and the popular "Bike Around the Bay" bike ride that showcases the natural beauty of Galveston Bay while aiming to raise awareness and encourage area citizens to appreciate and visit the Bay. GBF also offers rain barrel installation workshops and distributes rain barrels to the public.

Research programs focus on monitoring some of Galveston Bay's most valuable coastal resources. Several programs utilize trained citizen scientists to augment professional monitoring data and aid in watershed planning. Most monitoring efforts are ongoing in an effort to collect large datasets spanning many years. Some, however, are initiated to allow GBF to respond to incidents impacting Galveston Bay. Beyond the research efforts we take on, GBF also regularly advocates for the allocation of research dollars to the region to ensure the health of Galveston Bay and its users.