The Nature Conservancy in Texas - Coastal Education Program

Coastal Education Program

Program Slideshow
Program Lesson Plans

Mission Statement (Mad Island Marsh Preserve): (1) To provide supportive education to students, K through 12 by extending and enhancing the academic and vocational programs now provided by school districts.

Mad Island Marsh Preserve © Lynn Mc Bride

(2) To provide teacher inservice training workshops in environmental and aquaculture education.The Nature Conservancy of Texas has several preserves located in the South Texas Coastal region. Each preserve offers environmental educational opportunities to school, 4-H, church, scout groups, and others year round. Guided by preserve staff, students, teachers and leaders can appreciate the great biodiversity of freshwater, brackish and salt marshes as well as prairies through hands-on activities in the field. This close-up observation of nature helps instill a sense of value and stewardship for delicate ecosystems.

Our programs provide hands-on activities in the field with students to study organisms and their habitats -- freshwater and salt marsh wetlands, estuarine and prairie.

Coastal Education Program © Cathy Porter

Seining, performing water quality tests, conservation discussions and comparing birds, mammals, insects, invertebrates, vertebrates, plants and plankton of different habitats are typical activities.

A marine studies program is available aboard The Nature Conservancy's 24-foot boat, the Lyondell Equistar, which includes trawling and water quality studies. It also provides transportation to Matagorda Island. The marine studies program caters to K-12 and college students, 4-H groups, Scout groups, Elderhostel groups and winter residents.

We also provide outreach programs to school groups, civic organizations and teacher workshops/conferences.

Our teacher and community workshops are held at Mad Island Marsh Preserve and at other facilities. Workshops that have been presented include Coastal Birds, Adopt-A-Wetland and Awareness of Coastal Habitat (TEEAC - Texas Environmental Education Advisory Committee and SBEC - State Board for Educator Certification credit).

As as steering committee member, we participate in the Texas Master Naturalist Program, Mid-Coast Chapter, participating in the program as a training site. We also conduct a YMCA summer camp in July.

Another part of our education program is creating lesson plans and curriculum on various coastal conservation topics.

Enron Matagorda Island Environmental Education and Research Center

For additional information about the Coastal Education Program, please contact:

Cathy Porter
Conservation Education/Outreach Coordinator
The Nature Conservancy of Texas
Mad Island Marsh Preserve
P.O. Box 163
Collegeport, Texas 77428
Phone: 361-972-3295
Email: cporter@tnc.org