TX - Artist Boat Seeks $10M to protect and preserve 1,400 acres of wild lands on West Galveston Island
Help Artist Boat raise $10 million dollars in the next two years to protect and finish the purchase of 1,400 acres of precious wetlands and endangered coastal prairies on the Texas coast. YOU can help finish this effort and Be One In A Million. YOU can help the Coastal Heritage Preserve grow again and save the homes of wildlife.
Recently, the Galveston-based conservation organization, Artist Boat, hosted its annual fundraiser and I was happy to be able to attend. When honoree Betty Massey spoke, she pointed to her own grandchildren and children in attendance who will be the ultimate beneficiaries of Artist Boat’s preservation work.
Massey pointed to the organization’s success in preserving undeveloped land in Galveston — chiefly on the west end — envisioned to be 1,400 acres when complete. With help from donors and grant makers, the organization has purchased 898 acres of land along the bay and intends to buy more than 500 more acres in the area and is called the Coastal Heritage Preserve.
“The estuary that is being preserved is of national significance,” Artist Boat Executive Director Karla Klay said. “The conservation area is one of the largest unfragmented, single-owner, undeveloped properties of its kind on Galveston Island. The land that is being preserved contains an array of plant life and animal life that could disappear if new homes were built on the parcels.”
Klay said the Coastal Heritage Preserve will allow for educational and curated public access to view and appreciate the island habitats and will ultimately serve as a regional amenity for residents, visitors, and especially students to connect with Galveston Bay and its ecosystems.
In addition to preserving land and protecting it from development, Artist Boat engages in other educational community outreach efforts.
Among them is the Bucket Brigade program. The Bucket Brigade brings trained marine biologists and volunteers to the island’s beaches during the summer months to inform visitors and residents about Galveston’s coastal ecosystem. They explain what marine life lives there, the benefits of sand dunes and seaweed and, of course, the importance of keeping these areas free of litter. Artist Boat aims to educate aspiring preservationists about the ecology of our island through arts and adventure programs with a selection of kayak tours.
Artist Boat also takes the lead when it comes to staging the annual World Ocean Day community celebration in June.
“The Galveston Park Board is proud to partner with and support Artist Boat initiatives,” Park Board Chief Executive Officer Kimberly Danesi said. “Both the Galveston Park Board and Artist Boat are charged with a mission to be responsible stewards of the environment. Thanks to the help of this local partner, we are able to spread the word of conservation along the coast to so many people.”
