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A Publication of Guidry News Service |
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A Publication of Guidry News Service |
Houston Audubon Society will dedicate its Horseshoe Marsh Bird Sanctuary, a 650-acre wetland complex on the Bolivar Peninsula, on Saturday, March 6, at noon. The purchase of the property began two years ago and will increase Houston Audubon Society's holdings in Bolivar to over 1,800 acres. The closing took place on August 29 at Stewart Title Company in Galveston. Speakers at the dedication will include Ann Hamilton, trust officer for Houston Endowment, Inc., John S.C. Herron, program director of the Wildlife Diversity Program of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and Winnie Burkett, sanctuaries manager of Houston Audubon Society, among others. "This complex, located near the Bolivar ferry landing adjacent to the historic Bolivar lighthouse, includes salt marsh and wet coastal prairie surrounding a shallow tidal lagoon," notes a news release. "It is critical habitat for large numbers of shorebirds, waders, and ducks including Roseate Spoonbills, Oystercatchers, Long-billed Curlews, Seaside Sparrows and Clapper Rails, among others." Funding for the project was provided by the North American Wetlands Council, Houston Audubon Society members and hundreds of birdwatchers from around the country. "In addition to the value of this area as bird habitat, there is a significant contribution to the local economy by the thousands of birdwatchers from all over the world who visit the area each year," said the news release. "The Horseshoe Marsh's productive wetlands also provide food for large numbers of fish and other sea life which provide recreational opportunities for fishermen who catch Redfish, Speckled Trout and Flounder and for families who come to catch Blue Crabs." Houston Audubon has been working to protect wetland habitat on the Bolivar Peninsula since the early 1980's and acquired its first tract in Port Bolivar in 1997. The society, established in 1969, is a 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to the conservation and appreciation of birds and wildlife habitat. For additional information, visit www.houstonaudubon.org.
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