Coastal Heritage Preserve

The Artist Boat Coastal Heritage Preserve currently encompasses a 1,039-acre conservation area on West Galveston Island. Artist Boat’s goal is to preserve and restore 1,400 contiguous acres from bay-to-beach. The Preserve is adjacent to West Bay, part of the Galveston Bay system – an estuary of national significance. The conservation area is one of the largest unfragmented, single-owner, undeveloped properties of its kind on Galveston Island. The Preserve is located approximately midway along the 32-mile barrier island.

Be #OneInAMillion

Artist Boat on Galveston Island is trying to raise $10 million in two years to protect and purchase 1,400 acres of precious wetlands and endangered coastal prairie right in our backyard.  You can help finish creating a beach to bay Coastal Heritage Preserve on West Galveston Island.  We are already over ½ way there with 1,039 acres. Find out how to be One in a Million!

Public Access

The Coastal Heritage Preserve will allow for public access to view and appreciate the barrier island habitats. Ultimately, the project will serve as a regional amenity, a much-needed opportunity for the public and students to connect with Galveston Bay and its ecosystems. Artist Boat provides access to the Preserve via volunteer workdays for stewardship, Habitat Restoration Adventures to restore prairies, Public Kayak Adventures, and Youth Kayak Adventures. In addition, there is also the Edward and Helen Oppenheimer Bird Observatory on the corner of Stewart Road & Settegast Road open every day from dawn til dusk! For more information, scroll down to the Bird Observatory section below.

Implementation

The Coastal Heritage Preserve Initiative is a multi-phased project. The initial phase combines protecting habitat via land acquisition, providing a launching platform for the expansion of Artist Boat programming, and planning for long-term management of the Preserve. An intermediate phase will involve habitat restoration, plus the development of trails, boardwalks, viewing platforms, improved kayak access, parking, and interpretive signage. Eventually, the Preserve could provide the site for a “green” building that would be a model for coastal development and housing facilities for Artist Boat and the community, including classrooms, meeting space, an environmental art gallery, laboratories, dormitories for overnight stays, and administrative offices.

Recent Acquisitions

The most recent expansion of the Coastal Heritage Preserve comes from the acquisition of 141 acres from Anchor Bay, LLC.

Upcoming Acquisitions

More information coming soon!

Visit the Bird Observatory

Artist Boat is currently recruiting passionate individuals to become a Sea Citizen Volunteer Leader and help with this restoration work. Becoming a Sea Citizen will allow you to get involved with coastal habitat restoration, learn new skills, and protect the unique and fragile Coastal Heritage Preserve. If you’re interested in developing new skills, connecting with your community and other conservationists, and becoming a volunteer leader, please click the link below to register for a Sea Citizen Orientation!

Artist Boat was awarded funding from the CITGO Caring for our Coast program to establish a long-term volunteer program that will steward the fragile and diverse ecosystems of the Coastal Heritage Preserve on west Galveston Island. Through this year long grant, Artist Boat hopes to restore 9 acres of the 1,039 acre Coastal Heritage Preserve to its natural state. Restoration tasks include mowing, removing invasive species, “bumping up” seedlings, repairing the fence line around the property, and monitoring the site to ensure proper management of resident plants and animals at the Preserve.

Come to a volunteer work day and make your mark on the Coastal Heritage Preserve!

We host these volunteer days on Thursdays & Saturdays monthly. You can help us do things like remove invasive species, treat fire ants, pick up trash, and plant native plants! The Coastal Heritage Preserve is 1,039 acres, and volunteers can help us keep this large area as natural as possible to allow the local wilderness to thrive.

Help us restore these wetlands & coastal prairies to their natural beauty and enjoy spending time in this exclusive natural area of Galveston.

Learn more and register using the button!

Our public and private adventures are guided and interpretive via kayak to places on Galveston Bay carefully chosen for their natural significance. All our lead guides are ACA certified kayak instructors and all are professionals with degrees in science or art.

View Upcoming Public Trips on the Kayak Registration page.