Foundation presents kayak to lucky new member
Texas conservation group to use prize for field research

The Gulf of Mexico Foundation (GMF) presented a kayak to the winner of its membership promotion that ended January 30. The lucky winner was Ray Allen, Executive Director of the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program (CBBEP) in Corpus Christi. Allen was one of the first to sign up for GMF's Individual Membership Program.

During the event, GMF President/CEO Dr. Quenton Dokken presented the kayak and said a few words on behalf of the Foundation. Allen donated the kayak to CBBEP for the program’s researchers to use for their marsh restoration project at the Nueces Bay Causeway.

Eighty-five percent of all Foundation funding contributes directly to the restoration, conservation and education of the Gulf of Mexico region. Join our effort to conserve coastal wetlands, restore habitats, protect diverse sea life, educate our teachers and students, and ensure the Gulf remains healthy and productive for our grandchildren.

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP    |   TV NEWS VIDEO

Working towards a cure for 'Nature Deficit Disorder'
Foundation programs raise children's awareness of our natural environments

The Gulf of Mexico Foundation recognizes the need to heighten children's awareness to our natural environments through its student and teacher programs. In an effort to further this initiative, the GMF is part of a group working to help cure "Nature Deficit Disorder," a term coined by author Richard Louv.

The group of various organizations is collaborating to form the Coastal Bend Chapter of the Children in Nature Network. The group's efforts will focus on promoting outdoor events and activities for children and families throughout the Coastal Bend of Texas. "Anyone can join the movement by just taking your child outside for a walk or bike ride," said GMF Education Program Manager Suraida Nañez-James.

EDUCATION    |    CHILDREN IN NATURE WEBSITE

Elmer's Island community-led restoration a success
Partnership provides protection for nearly 50 acres of beach habitat

In 2011, Bayou Land Resource Conservation & Development Council restored approximately 7.5 acres of dune habitat on Elmer's Island near Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Funded by the Gulf of Mexico Community-based Restoration Partnership (CRP), the project's partners included the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. The Gulf of Mexico Foundation  administers the CRP in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

Over the past year at Elmer's Island, project leaders and their volunteers transplanted more than 25,000 native plants onto the island's beaches and installed more than 2,000 linear feet of sand fencing to help build dunes. As a true community-based project, this was made possible by the project team, along with more than 650 volunteers who contributed more than 2,800 hours of their time. Their efforts have led to the initial development of dune habitat and the protection of more than 50 acres of beach and back bay habitat. It is also providing foraging habitat for the protected piping plover and allows a place for these birds to nest without excessive disturbance.

CONSERVATION & RESTORATION    |    CRP

Flower Garden Banks celebrates 20 years of success
GMF continues to support nature education through experience

In honor of its 20th anniversary, the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) is offering a series of five free workshops during the month of February. The federally protected underwater sanctuary is located 115 miles off the Texas coast and harbors the northern-most coral reefs in the Continental United States.

The Gulf of Mexico Foundation's annual teacher workshop, Down Under, Out Yonder (DUOY), educates teachers and students about the importance of FGBNMS. The trip includes two days of on-land coral reef education, followed by three days of scuba diving via a live-aboard vessel in the Gulf of Mexico.

Over the past 17 years, DUOY has educated over 400 teachers, potentially impacting more than 600,000 students as the teachers incorporate their new-found knowledge into the classroom. Educators receive valuable teaching resources as well as innovative ideas for introducing classroom topics such as biology, oceanography, geology, physical science, government and environmental science.

The five-day workshop is hosted by the Gulf of Mexico Foundation in partnership with FGBNMS and sponsored by ConocoPhillips. For more information, please contact Suraida Nañez-James suraida@gulfmex.org.

DUOY    |    FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY

Gulf of Mexico Foundation   |   PMB 51, 5403 Everhart   |   Corpus Christi, TX 78411
(800) 884-4175 toll free   |   (361) 882-3939 phone   |   (361) 882-1262 fax   |   e-mail: info@gulfmex.org