Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) and Chambers-Liberty Counties Navigation District (CLCND) will open the Turtle Bayou Nature Preserve to the public on Saturday, October 8, 2016. The Preserve consists of 514 acres of protected wetland, prairie and forested habitats including natural surface hiking trails, elevated wildlife viewing platforms, and a canoe and kayak launch site. It is located south of I-10 off of FM 563 in Chambers County and will be open from dawn until dusk with free admission. Turtle Bayou Nature Preserve was acquired by CLCND in 2012. GBF holds a conservation easement on the property which will ensure the property remains undeveloped. A conservation easement is a voluntary agreement between a landowner and a conservation organization that permanently restricts future land uses. “We are thrilled to have permanently protected this land and now make it available to the public to enjoy,” said Anna Deichmann, GBF Land Stewardship Coordinator. “We encourage people to come out and walk the trails and view wildlife from our viewing towers. It is a beautiful area.”

GBF is an accredited land trust and has permanently protected more than 8,000 acres of coastal habitat within the Galveston Bay watershed. Conserving natural areas helps ensure clean air and water, food security, scenic landscapes and views, recreational opportunities, and habitat for local and migratory wildlife. The Turtle Bayou Nature Preserve is funded in part by a financial assistance award from the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Coastal Impact Assistance Program. Additional support was provided by the Texas General Land Office, Chambers County, Chambers-Liberty Counties Navigation District, and the Galveston Bay Foundation.

Photo of Turtle Bayou Nature Preserve

About the Chambers-Liberty Counties Navigation District
The mission of Chambers-Liberty Counties Navigation District (District) is to provide reliable and efficient service to the municipalities and agricultural producers that utilize the District’s raw water supply, to promote and protect the District’s valuable water asset for future use by constituents of Chambers and Liberty counties, and to provide local support to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the maintenance and development of the various navigation channels located within the District, all of which are vital to the growth and economic development of the District.

About Galveston Bay Foundation
The mission of the Galveston Bay Foundation is to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural resources of the Galveston Bay estuarine system and its tributaries for present users and for posterity. The Foundation was incorporated in 1987, and is a non-profit organization under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. GBF is located at 1100 Hercules Ave. Suite 200 in Houston, Texas. For further information, contact GBF at 281-332-3381 or visit the website at www.galvbay.org.