Throughout 2025, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, in partnership with University of Houston Clear Lake, is featuring seven of the many projects that GBEP supports on Houston’s television station, KPRC 2. These initiatives play significant roles in improving the health of the lower Galveston Bay watershed.
Revisit this page to learn about a new initiative each month from January through August of 2025.
This project, led by Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD), aims to restore around 13 acres of riparian habitat within TC Jester Park and Little Thicket Park along White Oak Bayou. HPARD continues to restore and enhance this green space by performing invasive plant removal and native species planting to support resident and migratory wildlife. This initiative supports a range of ecosystem services including mitigating flooding impacts and trapping sediment and pollutants from entering our bayous and waterways that eventually lead to Galveston Bay.
Learn more about HPARD’s efforts from their natural resources manager, Kelli Ondracek, on her interview with KPRC’s Houston Life.
River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash® (Trash Bash), is the largest single day waterway cleanup event in the State of Texas. It was founded in 1994 by the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). It has grown to up to 16 sites across the watershed with an average of over 4000 volunteers annually. Today it is managed by the Texas Conservation Fund with coordination and guidance from H-GAC and its coordination committee.
The 31st annual cleanup will take place on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 14 sites around the Galveston Bay watershed. Register to volunteer at a site near you at trashbash.org. Learn more about Trash Bash from Trash Bash coordinator, Kendall Guidroz with H-GAC, and Liz Fazio Hale with the Texas Conservation Fund and Gulf Coast Authority.
The purpose of this project with University of Houston Clear Lake and Galveston Bay Foundation is to study current oyster shell recycling practices in Texas and to expand research to track the prevalence and severity of Perkinsus marinus (Dermo) in commercially sourced quarantined oysters.
Learn about the history of oyster shell recycling in the Houston-Galveston region from Tom Tollett, the owner of Tommy’s Seafood Restaurant and Oyster Bar, and Bob Stokes, the president of GBF.
Then, get an inside look at GBF’s oyster shell curing site with Sally Clark, GBF’s habitat restoration director. She explains best management practices and the process of returning oyster shells back to Galveston Bay to support the ecosystem.
GBEP is proud to have supported 10 land acquisition efforts for Artist Boat since 2011 with one more ongoing. The 9th Addition to the Coastal Heritage Preserve added 141 acres to their land. Upon completion of the 10-11th additions, GBEP will have contributed $2,127,41 for a total of 974.78 acres.
Catch the replay of Houston Life’s tour of the Coastal Heritage Preserve with Artist Boat’s executive director, Karla Klay.