Preserving Paradise: Galveston Park Board’s Environmental Initiatives

BY ELIZABETH SCHNEIDER

GALVESTON, OUR CHERISHED HOME, THRIVES ON A COMMUNITY BRIMMING WITH INDIVIDUALS DEEPLY VESTED IN THE HEALTH AND VITALITY OF OUR DELICATE BARRIER ISLAND ECOSYSTEM. That dedication and unwavering passion inspired solutions and a comprehensive approach to mitigate the pressing issue at hand.

Leave No Trace

Efforts to keep Galveston’s beaches clean have been ongoing for decades. The dedicated Coastal Zone Management crews work tirelessly, day in and day out, to ensure the pristine beauty of Galveston’s 32 miles of coastline, and they can’t do it alone! Advocacy and enforcement play a pivotal role in educating people about the consequences of leaving items behind.

While the Coastal Zone Management crews diligently remove trash and debris, there is a need for a collective understanding among beachgoers about the impact of their actions. Leaving behind large items like tents, beach chairs, and umbrellas creates hazards for marine life and other beachgoers.

Staff and volunteers of the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research continuously encountered broken canopies, chairs, coolers, and more on their morning patrols for sea turtle nests. They discovered indications of turtles abandoning nesting sites and being startled by the debris and decided it was time to make a big change. Through collaboration with the Park Board and the City of Galveston, the “Leave No Trace” City Ordinance was enacted in 2019, making it illegal to leave items on the beaches overnight in Galveston.

Since then, the Park Board has been collecting items overnight during spring break and the summer season, with over 7,000 items collected that were left on the beach overnight. Every item collected is a win for the safety of our wildlife, environment, and beachgoers. We take great care to inform visitors of this ordinance and encourage all to leave only footprints.

Borrow Beach Toys

Coastal Zone Management crews often find an abundance of beach toys left behind on our shores. Despite the good intentions behind leaving these toys for others to use, they often ended up in the water, buried in sand, or scattered in the dunes. We sought a solution that would promote toy reuse while discouraging their abandonment in the sand.

In March of this year, we introduced two Beach Toy Borrow Boxes on the sand at Pocket Park 2 and the beachfront at 61st Street. These boxes serve as designated spots for beachgoers to borrow and return toys. Our Coastal Zone Management crews collect toys in good condition from the beachfront, bring them back to our facility for cleaning, and then deposit them into the boxes for any beachgoer to use.

We owe a special thanks to Donald (Donnie) Conley, a local resident and recent graduate of Ball High School. Donnie played a crucial role in designing, planning, and constructing the Beach Toy Borrow Boxes as part of his Eagle Scout Project. We are forever thankful for his time and effort. If you would like to recommend another location for a Beach Toy Borrow Box, or you would like to report on the condition of a box, visit the “Environmental” section of the Park Board website.

Pick Up Trash In Style

In 2004, the Nueces River Authority took the initiative to create the Up2U Litter Prevention Program, an impactful social marketing campaign focused on promoting personal responsibility in litter prevention. Since its launch, this campaign has achieved great success in the Coastal Bend region of the Texas Coast.

Inspired by a visit to Port Aransas, where we witnessed the effective use of blue boxes along the beachfront, we reached out to the Nueces River Authority and decided to bring the campaign to Galveston. Presently, we have a wooden box placed on the beach at 61st street, providing beachgoers with easy access to grab a distinctly yellow trash bag for their own waste as well as any trash they encounter during their day by the shore.

As part of our pilot project, we have plans to install two additional wooden boxes, each containing free trash bags, at Stewart Beach Park on the East End and Access Point 29 on the West End. The response from the public has been incredibly supportive, with our Coastal Zone Management crews noticing a significantly cleaner environment around 61st street.

We invite you to actively participate in this campaign by utilizing our Up2U trash bags. If you happen to use one, we encourage you to capture a photo and share it on your preferred social media platform using the hashtag #Up2UGalveston.

Become An Ambassador Of The Beaches

Whether you’re an avid beachcomber or simply seeking a meaningful way to make a personal impact, the Galveston Beach Ambassador Program would love to have you. Introduced in the winter of 2022, this program was designed for individuals who are already passionate about cleaning the beaches or are eager to contribute to their preservation. As a Beach Ambassador, you’ll have access to all the necessary tools provided by the Park Board for effective beach cleaning.

If you share our commitment and wish to join us on this mission, we invite you to access the Galveston Beach Ambassador application. You’ll find it conveniently located on the Park Board website under the “Environmental” section.

Together, let’s make a significant impact on the cleanliness and wellbeing of our beloved Galveston beaches. Help us contribute to the preservation of these natural treasures for generations to come.

SAVE THE LOCALS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

Every Thursday in July | 6PM

Enjoy free family friendly music in the park. Brought to you by La Izquierda Surf and Music Fest Menard Park

2222 28th St.

Lucky Lounge Backyard Bash

Every Sunday | 2PM-6PM

Join us on Sunday’s for a BackYard Bash, with live Music, games for everyone to enjoy. Drink specials and Tito’s food truck.

Lucky Lounge Bar

904 Ave M

Redneck Karaoke

Sat July 1 | 9PM

Kicking off 4th of July early with Saturday Karaoke. Hot Dogs, sides and drink specials. Wear your best Redneck attire for a costume contest with prizes.

Albatross Galveston

815 21st St.

23rd St Station Taylor Lauryn Piano

LOUNGE

Sat July 1 | 7PM-11PM

Taylor is back to entertain you for the evening. Taylor’s voice, matched with her piano skills, is a true treat. Seats are limited.

Ages 21 & up.

23rd St. Station Piano Bar

1706 23rd St.

FOURTH OF JULY PARADE

Tue July 4 | 6PM-8PM

Galveston Island will celebrate its annual Independence Day with a parade featuring a procession of floats, decorated vehicles and performers.

Seawall 22nd to 45th St.

23RD ST STATION DR. B PIANO LOUNGE

Sat July 8 | 7 PM-11 PM

The Island favorite, Dr. B will sing your favorite songs all night long. Arrive early for the best seating.

Ages 21 & up.

23rd St Station Piano Bar

1706 23rd St.

LAFF TOWN’S FUNNIEST COMEDY CONTEST

Sun July 9 | 8 PM-11 PM

Laff Town’s Funniest Comedy Contest is back by popular demand!

23rd St Station Piano Bar

1706 23rd St.

Albatross 10th Annual Old Smokey

THROWDOWN

Sat July 15 | 10AM-6PM

The 10th Annual Albatross Old Smokey Throwdown returns Saturday July 15th at 21st and Ball Street.

Albatross Galveston | 815 21st St.

GALVESTON ARTS CENTER ARTWALK

Sat July 15 | 6PM-9PM

Galveston Arts Center has been the proud organizer of ArtWalk. It is a selfguided walking tour of galleries, artist studios, and exhibition spaces, both commercial and non-profit.

Galveston Arts Center

2127 Strand St.

GALVESTON ARTS CENTER

COMPUDOPT RETURNS! TINY TECHS

Tue Aug 1 |8:30AM-2:30PM

Compudopt provides technology access and education to underresourced youth and their communities.

Sign up by visiting galvestonartscenter.org/events/ Galveston Arts Center

2127 Strand St.

ON THE SIDEWALK: SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: BOO SCHAAF

Every Thursday in Aug |6-8:30 PM SideWalk Summer Concerts are held at Maceo Spice & Imports Maceo Spice will be open for your food & beverages. Great Food Great Music Great Friends! Maceo Spice & Import Company 2706 Market St.

FREE YOGA ON THE BEACH

Sat Aug 5 | 7AM

Start your Saturday morning off with some relaxation, meditation and YOGA for FREE!

Galveston County Community Coalition East Beach 14th St. & Seawall Blvd.

CARDBOARD CREATIONS CAMP

Aug 7-9 |9AM-3PM

Design teams will receive instruction in cardboard construction techniques and decoration options. Teams are then released to create building plans. Ages 7-10.

Sign up by visiting galvestoncm.org

Galveston Children’s Museum

2618 Broadway

36TH AIA SANDCASTLE COMPETITION

Sat Aug 12 | 10AM-6PM

The AIA Sandcastle Competition is a fundraising event for AIA Houston and ArCH Foundation as well as one of the top five revenue generating events for the City of Galveston.

East Beach

1923 Boddeker Rd.

MARMO MARKET

Sat Aug 26 | 6PM-9PM

“UNTITLED”

by Robert Ramos

Acrylic on Canvas

EXPRESSO MARTINI

Triple Sec Expresso Vodka, Irish Cream, Drizzled Chocolate, and Topped with Grated Chocolate.

23RD STREET STATION

1706 23RD ST

CULTUE CLASH MOB BAR BASH

Fri Aug 11 | 8pm

Join the Cultrue Clash crew at Mob Bar for burlesque fun with friends! Free entry when you sign-up on our site.

CultrueClashGalveston.com

Free Admission with Sign Up

Mob Bar | 201 26th St

WANT

MarMo Market is a celebration of the handmade movement, striving to showcase high quality goods in an inclusive environment!

MarMo Plaza

2121 Market St.