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
USACE Makes Changes to West Bay Dredging Project
The Galveston Bay Foundation met with officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District (“USACE”) last week to view and discuss a dredging project near Carancahua Point in West Galveston Bay on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. GBF and many local fishermen have been concerned about the dredge material being placed upon seagrasses that have re-established in the area. Read the press release and view the placement area map to learn how the USACE is making changes to this project to ensure the minimization of negative impacts to seagrasses in West Galveston Bay.
Galveston Bay water quality
A public meeting to hear updates to the Implementation Plan to reduce bacteria levels in the Upper Gulf Coast Oyster Waters was held on January 18. Attendees discussed the various management measures being proposed, as well as ways the community can help prevent bacteria from entering our waterways. Your input is essential to ensuring this plan’s success, so get involved by contacting Charlene at 281.332.3381 x215.
We must protect our prairie potholes: support wetland protection
GBF President, Bob Stokes, stresses the need for "wetlands guidance" documents in this Houston Chronicle opinion piece, "We must protect our prairie potholes". Stokes co-authored the article with other Houston-Galveston area conservation leaders as a result of the removal of certain critical waters and wetlands from protection under the Clean Water Act (CWA). In April 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued draft guidance for determining whether a waterway, water body or wetland is protected by the CWA. Please read the Chronicle article and support the EPA and USACE as they fight to restore clean water protections--protections for the wetlands and waters so important to health of Galveston Bay, our quality of life and our local economy.
GBF recently presented the 2011 Guardian of the Bay awards
The Galveston Bay Foundation's 2011 Guardian of the Bay Award Luncheon was held on September 28, 2011. The Guardian of the Bay Award exemplifies leaders who have shown remarkable distinction through substantial work and commitment for the betterment of Galveston Bay. We are proud to announce that our 2011 award recipients are: Shell (Industry), Ann Hamilton (Community), and City of Houston Mayor Annise D. Parker (Government).
Oyster Shell Recycling Facility construction complete
On Saturday, October 1, 2011, Sea Scout Ship 1659 of Northwest Houston came down to Texas City to complete the final construction phases of an Oyster Shell Recycling Facility for the Galveston Bay Foundation. The troop was involved with the planning, design, and construction of the project for the GBF initiative. The facility will hold reclaimed oyster shells that have been discarded by local restaurants. All reclaimed shells can properly cure here before they are put back in the bay as part of oyster reef restoration projects. GBF currently collects discarded oyster shells from Tommy's Restaurant & Oyster Bar and looks to expand the program in 2012 with more restaurants.
Galveston Bay Foundation celebrates National Estuaries Day
GBF celebrated National Estuaries Day at Dickinson Bay Island and it was a huge success. We had over 60 volunteers plant 60 mangroves, remove several invasive trees and shrubs, and pick up an estimated 2,500 pounds of trash! Thanks to all the volunteers and partners who made this event a great success. Enjoy the event photos!
Oyster gardeners ready to seed reef restoration areas
Galveston Bay Foundation's Community-Based Oyster Reef Restoration program worked with bayfront residents this summer to garden oysters. In the upcoming weeks, these volunteer residents will remove their oyster gardening bags that are now filled with live oysters that naturally landed and grew in the bags. The oysters are ready to be placed on several constructed, adjacent reef pads in an effort to expedite colonization by more oysters. On the reef pads, the oysters become mature within their first year and will quickly begin spawning to further the reefs’ development. For the past three summers, volunteers in the community of San Leon have been gardening oysters to help restore reefs and have witnessed the results firsthand—better fishing and cleaner water. This summer, Kemah and Bayview residents have joined the oyster gardening effort. See the full press release.
Seafood consumption advisories
While Galveston Bay is an outstanding place to fish, you need to be aware of seafood consumption advisories! The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) issues seafood consumption advisories when tests on fish and crabs indicate there is an increased risk to human health from the presence of toxic pollutants. Read more on our Seafood Consumption Advisory page.
Marsh Mania 2011 recap
On April 30th and June 11th, volunteers helped restore habitat at multiple locations around Galveston Bay! A total of six sites were planted this year including Burnet Bay, Sweetwater Preserve, Terramar, Clear Lake Forest Park, Harborwalk Diversionary canal, and Snake Island Cove. The event totaled 373 volunteers who planted 26,650 stems of smooth cordgrass, 2,200 plugs of seagrass, 400 mangrove trees, and 30 mulberry trees. Thanks to all our volunteers who participated in Marsh Mania, and come join us next spring for Marsh Mania 2012!
GBF's Get Hip to Habitat program in action at Nassau and Trinity Bays
Houston-Galveston area students in GBF’s Get Hip to Habitat program transplanted 3,000 marshgrass plants into Galveston Bay after carefully maintaining marsh grass "mini ponds" on their campus grounds for seven months. Over 300 students and 30 adults from seven schools in three school districts restored almost 18,000 square feet of marsh in both Nassau and Trinity Bays. The program has the dual benefits of introducing students to the natural resources of the Galveston Bay estuary and providing a source of native wetland plants for use in local habitat restoration projects. Participation in this program provides students with valuable hands-on science education at their schools as well as in the field, and exposes them to the value of a healthy Galveston Bay.
2011 Bay Day festival at the Kemah Boardwalk: wrap up!
More than 7,000 attendees and 150 volunteers celebrated Galveston Bay on
the Kemah Boardwalk at GBF's annual Bay Day family festival. The event featured live entertainment, interactive
exhibits, a scavenger hunt, and a photo contest. Local exhibitors, including TPWD, GBEP, TCEQ, GBF, ABNC, Baytown Nature Center and other organizations, showed children and adults how important Galveston Bay is in our everyday lives. Attendees interacted with different types of bay wildlife such as live crabs, fish, oyster reef, snakes, and gators; learned about the local watershed; and even made their own fish print t-shirts to take home. See event photos from GBF's Facebook page, and check out the Bay Day video produced by our friends at Talk of the Bay. Also, view the winning photos from the Bay Gazer Photo Contest!
Adopted TCEQ rules leave fish and wildlife high and dry
On Wednesday, April 20, two of the three commissioners who head the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) voted to adopt freshwater inflow standards that threaten the future ecological health of Galveston Bay and the Trinity and San Jacinto rivers. TCEQ’s freshwater inflow standards are so low they could allow the rivers to be drained to a trickle, harming our estuaries and putting oysters, blue crabs, finfish, and other aquatic species and birds and wildlife that depend on them at great risk. Let the TCEQ and Governor Perry know how you feel about these inadequate standards.
Reliant EcoShareSM program will help reduce your carbon footprint
GBF is pleased to announce that Reliant Energy, a long-time GBF supporter, has introduced the Reliant Renewables EcoShare program, a new way that Texans can support GBF and offset their own carbon production at the same time. Reliant Energy and EarthShare of Texas have launched a program that allows Reliant customers to help reduce their carbon footprints through the purchase of carbon offsets. And for each customer-purchased offset, Reliant will make a contribution to EarthShare of Texas and its participating organizations. As an EarthShare of Texas participating organization, GBF will benefit from this program. For more information, click here for the EarthShare of Texas website, or click here to go directly to the Reliant website. 
Oyster Tasting event--showcasing Galveston Bay oyster reefs
Galveston Bay Foundation teamed up with Tommy's Restaurant & Oyster Bar in Clear Lake for an Oyster Tasting event on April 2nd, providing the unique opportunity to sample oysters from many different reefs of Galveston Bay. The special event pleased palates and also raised awareness of the critical issues facing Galveston Bay Oysters such as protection of freshwater inflows. In attendance was honored guest, Dr. Sammy Ray- world-famous Oyster Biologist and Professor Emeritus of Texas A&M University at Galveston. All oyster shells from the event were recycled to GBF's Oyster Shell Recycling Program, and a portion of the proceeds also benefited the Galveston Bay Foundation.
Trash Bash at Armand Bayou: cleaning up a watershed
This year, Galveston Bay Foundation coordinated the Armand Bayou Trash Bash site on March 26, 2011. Over 600 bags of trash and over 250 bags of recyclable items were removed from the Armand Bayou watershed with the help of nearly 850 volunteers--100 of which were out paddling to cleanup from the water. Armand Bayou was one of seventeen Trash Bash cleanup sites around Houston this past Saturday. Trash Bash is organized by the Houston-Galveston Area Council and held on the last Saturday of March each year, so please make plans to join us again next year. A big thank you to all of our volunteers! Event pictures available at Galveston Bay Foundation's Facebook page and at wiredin.cc.
GBF announces Galveston Bay as a national "Great Water"
Galveston Bay has been designated as one of nine new "Great Waters" by America’s Great Waters Coalition. The Coalition works to ensure the restoration of America’s Great Waters to protect people, wildlife, and the economy by advocating for adequate funding for restoration efforts and raising awareness about the challenges facing our nation’s Great Waters. The Galveston Bay Foundation will make the announcement of this national designation at Trash Bash at Armand Bayou in Bay Area Park on Saturday, March 26th at 12:30 p.m. The Great Waters Coalition is uniquely positioned to illustrate to the American public and decision makers that our water resources must become a national priority for the security of our economy and way of life. To learn more about the Great Waters Coalition and to view a complete list of America’s Great Waters, visit www.nwf.org/greatwaters. See the full press release.
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Code: 182557 |
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Shell volunteers plant mangroves and marsh grass
On July 22, 2010, over 30 volunteers from Shell came out to plant 39 mangroves and 5,400 stems of marsh grass with the Galveston Bay Foundation. This West Galveston Bay marsh restoration project is 3.25 acres large and planted in partnership with the Isla Del Sol homeowners' association. Thank you to all of our Shell friends for a great day in the bay! See all of the photos on GBF's Facebook page.
