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Edith Moore log cabin under construction

History

Timeline

    • Houston Audubon Society incorporated.
    • Began sponsoring local Christmas Bird Counts.
    • Houston Audubon one of key participants in working for the establishment of Armand Bayou Nature Center.
    • Houston Audubon takes its first high-profile advocacy position by joining a lawsuit to stop the proposed Wallisville Dam on the Trinity River.
    • Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary established.
    • Houston Audubon establishes North Deer Island sanctuary with initial 7-acre donation.
    • Houston Audubon began distributing natural science materials to HISD students.
    • Boy Scout Woods: initial 4-acre purchase.
    • Damuth Sanctuary: initial donation of 617 acres by Malcolm Damuth.
    • Houston Audubon starts first backyard bird survey.
    • Began sponsoring local beginning birding classes.
    • Audubon Docent Guild formally established.
    • Smith Oaks: Smith homestead purchased.
    • Began sponsoring the Texas Rare Bird and North American Bird Alerts.
    • First High Island Patch designed by David Elliott.
    • Winters Bayou Sanctuary: initial donation of 131 acres.
    • Began distributing natural science materials to HISD students – effort led by Lucie Wray Todd.
    • Participated in a lawsuit to stop an airport on the Katy Prairie and partnered with the USFWS to create the Coastal Prairie Project.
    • Smith Oaks: Smith homestead purchased.
    • Gathered data and promoted establishment of Smith Point Hawk Watch.
    • Received Outstanding Education Achievement Award from National Audubon Society.
    • Instrumental in establishing Gulf Coast Bird Observatory to address the threat of destructive coastal development and protect stopover habitat for migratory birds in Southeast Texas.
    • High Island Initiative formed.
    • High Island: Amoco donates 165 acres at Smith Oaks, Boy Scout Woods, S.E. Gast Red Bay Sanctuary.
    • Received Chapter Synergy Award from National Audubon Society.
    • Smith Oaks: Houston Audubon purchases Tank Farm Tract (21 acres).
    • Received Lone Star Land Steward Recognition Award for High Island Sanctuaries, from Texas Parks and Wildlife.
    • Bolivar Flats: established with purchase of 178 acres and donation of 353 acres.
    • Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary dedicated as a Texas State Historical Site.
    • Carolyn Raizes Davis Sanctuary established with initial donation from Scott Davis.
    • Purchased 615 additional acres for Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, recognized as site of global significance in Important Bird Areas Program sponsored by the National Audubon Society and BirdLife International, and one of the first 100 Globally Important Bird Areas in the United States by the American Bird Conservancy.
    • Dos Vacas Muertas Sanctuary on Galveston Island donated to Houston Audubon.
    • Took over management of Evia Island with Audubon Texas.
    • Lots on Quintana Island acquired to become Houston Audubon Society Nearctic-Neotropical Bird Sanctuary.
    • Accepted conservation easement on Quintana Neotropical Sanctuary owned by City of Quintana
    • Became a partner of the Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds.
    • Sanctuary Manager Winnie Burkett won the CEC Army & Sarah Emmott Conservation Award.
    • Horseshoe Marsh Bird Sanctuary established with initial purchase of 645 acres.
    • Purchased Wiggins Tract (34.5 acres) for Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary.
    • Acquired 368 acres on Bolivar Peninsula through donation. Later named Mundy Marsh Bird Sanctuary.
    • Received donation of Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center which becomes center for Houston Audubon education programs.
    • Assisted in acquisition of 729-acre Columbia Bottomlands tract with USFWS and Trust for Public Land, later added to San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge.
    • Joy Hester and Mary Anne Weber won the CEC Founders’ Award and Environmental Education Award.
    • Published A Citizens Guide to Migration and the Migratory Birds of the Bayou City.
    • Donated 11-acre sanctuary in Montgomery County for Spring Creek Greenway Project.
    • Quintana Nearctic-Neotropical Sanctuary and Town of Quintana conservation easement donated to Gulf Coast Bird Observatory.
    • Great Texas Birding Classic winners pick all three proposed Houston Audubon projects for funding.
    • Collaborated in effective campaign to restore Texas State Funding for Parks (both state parks and local park grants) which culminated when the Texas Legislature approved 90% of the requested funding.
    • Completed major erosion control project at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary.
    • North Deer Island Protection and Restoration project won Gulf Guardian Award.
    • Helped raise money for Whooping Crane Habitat Protection Project.
    • Worked in partnership with the Coastal Prairie Conservancy and other environmental groups to establish pocket prairies across Houston with plants rescued from the Saums Road Prairie.
    • Led the habitat restoration effort on Bolivar Peninsula after the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike.
    • Worked to oppose the Trans Texas Corridor and supported the formation of the Neches River NWR
    • Partnered with Ducks Unlimited to improve coastal wetland habitat on nearly 700 acres post Hurricane Ike.
    • North Deer Island designated a Global Important Bird Area by National Audubon and Birdlife International.
    • Awarded a National Audubon TogetherGreen grant funded by Toyota for a community outreach and habitat restoration project on the Bolivar Peninsula
    • Flo Hannah, Senior Sanctuary Steward, co-winner of the CEC Army and Sarah Emmott Conservation Award
    • Coastal Prairie Partnership established to advocate for the preservation and restoration of coastal prairies.
    • Houston Audubon and its partners were recognized for their eight-year project of protecting North Deer Island, the most important colonial waterbird rookery on the Upper Texas Coast. This coastal award is the only environmental award given by the President of the United States.
    • Houston Audubon received the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory's 2010 Site Partner Award for its significant contribution to the preservation of migratory bird habitat, meaningful environmental stewardship, and important educational opportunities provided to the public.
    • Houston Audubon received Mayor’s Proud Partner’s Award for Pocket Prairie Project.
    • Supported the Texas Container Recycling Initiative.
    • Party to litigation to protect bird species (Whooping Crane, et. al.) through the “Aransas Project” seeking continued freshwater flows from the Guadalupe River for Aransas Bay.
    • Advocated for proper siting of wind farms and turbines.
    • Conducted ‘ Building Lights and Bird Mortality’ pilot study.
    • To mitigate unfavorable rookery conditions caused by Hurricane Ike and drought of 2010, constructed nesting platforms on Clay Bottom Pond island and pumped millions of gallons of water into the pond to protect breeding bird species from wandering predators.
    • Participated in fundraising campaign for “Cash for Nash” to help safeguard the Nash and Nowotony Prairies, two coastal remnants adjacent to the Columbia Bottomlands.
    • Responded to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill by monitoring the Bolivar shoreline and participating in a baseline bird census.
    • Purchased 11 acres adjacent to Houston Audubon’s Damuth Bird Sanctuary.
    • Supported Lone Star National Recreation Area designation for the Upper Texas Coast.
    • Party to the litigation to prevent construction of Grand Parkway Segment E through Katy Prairie for the construction impacts on the land, wetlands and wildlife.
    • Renovated the historic Edith L Moore Nature Sanctuary log cabin.
    • Purchased High Island Coastal Field Station - across the street from Boy Scout Woods.
    • Created ten year strategic plan.
    • Purchased 62 acres (Johnson tract) adjacent to Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary.
    • Collaborated with federal command center to respond to Texas City “Y” Oil Spill in Galveston Bay.
    • Edith L Moore cabin won Gold Brick Award, presented by Preservation Houston.
    • Education vehicle donated to Houston Audubon.
    • Natives Nursery created at Edith L Moore Nature Sanctuary.
    • Partnered with other organizations to preserve the Cade Ranch on Bolivar Peninsula.
    • Launched new urban conservation program called Bird-Friendly Communities.
    • Acquired 13 acre out-holding of Horseshoe Marsh securing a public access point from HW 108 (Hudson Tract).
    • After several years of active advocacy and financial support, Deer Park Prairie, 50 acres of the last known pristine coastal prairie in Harris County was placed under permanent protection.
    • Completed a multi-partner natural resource conservation and recreation plan for the Bolivar Peninsula called the Bolivar Peninsula Nature Trail.
    • Completed the 3-year Land Trust Accreditation process.
    • Secured Funding to Create two new rookery islands at High Island.
    • Acquired 40% interest in the 51 acres of entangled divided interest at Horseshoe Marsh.
    • Led national response to the May 2017 bird strike incident in Galveston, resulting in Lights Out Houston.
    • Received National recognition and was awarded Land Trust Accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.
    • Houston Audubon was awarded $2.3M--the largest gift in the organization’s history-- to magnify the visitor experience at Smith Oaks Sanctuary. Bathrooms and a raised canopy boardwalk planned.
    • A Land and Facilities Stewardship Endowment is established
    • Created two additional rookery islands at Smith Oaks Sanctuary.
    • Replaced the Rummel Creek bridge at ELMNS with funds from the Fondren Foundation
    • Purchased the Key Energy Property in High Island; Renamed The CO-OP: Coastal Operations.
    • Returned access to Winter’s Bayou following Hurricane Harvey and secured a grant to extend trail and build boardwalk.
    • Completed the Couch boardwalk extension at Boy Scout Woods in High Island.
    • Completed construction of aviaries at the Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center at Sims Bayou and opened to the public.
    • Established the inaugural Young Professionals Advisory Council (YPAC).
    • Hosted the first-ever Houston Bird Week with conservation partners.
    • Coordinated a city-wide competition to vote for the official Bird of Houston, which was proclaimed the Yellow-crowned Night Heron by the Mayor’s office.
    • Implemented dog-free policy at all Houston Audubon sanctuaries.
    • Celebrated 50 years since inception at annual gala.
    • Completed Hulsey Coastal Operations Center (COOP) in High Island.
    • Launched bird collision monitoring efforts as part of Lights Out program.
    • Prescribed burn at Bolivar Flats to clear habitat for endangered Black Rail.
    • Led the charge to get Houston certified by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Audubon Texas with the Bird City designation.
    • Purchased 603 acres from BP in and around High Island.
    • Gifted 40 acres at North Deer Island to become the majority landowner.
    • Opened Kathrine G. McGovern Canopy Walkway to the public.
    • Expansion of Lights Out Houston to Lights Out Texas in collaboration with Cornell, Texas Audubon and other partners.
    • Launched conservation license plate sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.
    • Launched inaugural Flock Together Photo Contest coordinated by YPAC.
    • Launched Birdathon for the Classroom.
    • Opened the Entergy Coastal Natives Nursery to expand Natives Nursery capacity.
    • Began outreach efforts in Sunnyside and Gulfton communities (Community-based Initiatives).
    • Bird-Friendly Spaces program launched by YPAC.
    • Completed the Clint and Mary Frances Morse Field Station in High Island.
    • Completed Horseshoe Marsh Nature Trail.
    • Land Trust Accreditation renewed.
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