Article 11

Galveston Bay Foundation Gazette
January/february 2008 Edition
Volume 17, Issue 1
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"GBF Accepts New Conservation Easement"

GBF is pleased to announce that Blackard Pirates, LP, a real estate developer in Galveston, recently donated a conservation easement to the Galveston Bay Foundation on a thirty-one acre island located north of Lafitte’s Cove in Galveston.

The island is one of the last remaining coastal islands in Galveston Bay and it contains a mixture of wetlands and uplands. It is located between Eckert’s Bayou and Delehide Cove and has been re-named The Robert M. “Bob” Moore Wildlife Sanctuary in honor of local Galvestonian Bob Moore. Bob Moore, a longtime GBF friend, has given decades of environmental service to Galveston Island. The land was then deeded by Blackard Pirates, LP to Cabeza de Vaca Center, a local Galveston Island land trust, where it will be held in perpetuity in an undeveloped state.

“Galveston Bay Foundation was chosen to accept the conservation easement because they understand the importance of preserving the environment in Galveston Bay. They are a well respected and sophisticated group,” Jeff Blackard explained. “The Cabeza de Vaca Center was chosen to accept the land because of their passion for the preservation of the environment
in Galveston,” he said.

The primary purpose of a conservation easement is to protect valuable natural resources such as wildlife habitat, clean water, or scenic open space by separating the right to subdivide and build on the property from the other rights of ownership. In accepting the conservation easement, GBF has a responsibility to monitor future land use of the island to ensure that no future development takes place on the island and to enforce the terms of the easement if a violation occurs. GBF looks forward to working in a new partnership with the Cabeza de Vaca Center to ensure this pristine land will be maintained in an undeveloped state forever.