Do I need prior experience to participate?

No experience required—volunteer coordinators provide instruction on planting techniques and safety.

What should children bring or wear?

Children 5+ should wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, gloves if available, sun protection, and be accompanied by a guardian.

Yes, all planting tools and an igloo of drinking water are provided by organizers.

Register in advance on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1986277088240 to secure your spot for planning purposes.

Is the site wheelchair accessible?

The activity involves walking and digging on sandy terrain; organizers have not listed wheelchair accessibility—contact gcs.lrc@gmail.com for accommodations.

Hands-On Coastal Prairie Restoration on Galveston Island

Q: Can I join as part of a group or faith community?

Yes—this event welcomes groups and is organized by the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston in partnership with Artist Boat.

On Galveston Island’s eastern shore, the Coastal Heritage Preserve at 13117 Settegast Rd., Galveston, TX 77554 invites volunteers to spend two hours restoring native coastal prairie. This Artist Boat and Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston partnership turns simple acts—planting, digging, pressing a trowel into sandy alkaline soil—into long-term repair for 1,039 acres of Gulf-side habitat. Volunteers plant native grasses and forbs that stabilize dunes, filter heavy metals, fix nitrogen, and create cover for shorebirds, pollinators, and small mammals.

The session is straightforward but satisfying: standing, walking and digging in forgiving sand, with all tools and drinking water provided. Guides conduct the event in English and Spanish; children five and older are welcome with guardians. Wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, gloves and sun protection; bring a refillable bottle and bug spray. Group size can be up to fifty, making this both a community action and an outdoor lesson in coastal ecology.

Physically, the work is accessible—short stretches of planting repeated across marked plots—but the impact is structural. Coastal prairie species here reduce erosion during storm surge, improve soil chemistry, and create microhabitats that support migratory shorebirds and resident fauna. You’ll learn plant identification and basic propagation methods used in restoration, witnessing how a handful of root systems can hold meters of shoreline in place over years.

This is also a civic experience. Organized by the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston in partnership with Artist Boat, the volunteer day doubles as outreach: neighbors, faith groups and solo travelers gather to translate conservation values into action. The field’s sandy alkaline substrate smells faintly saline; nearby marsh and maritime grasses frame the worksite, and the long view often includes expansive sky and the distant glint of the Gulf.

Practicalities are minimal but important: register in advance on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1986277088240, arrive at the meeting point on time, and expect to be outdoors for about two hours. The activity is seasonal—spring and fall are ideal for planting native species while avoiding the hottest summer sun—but events run year-round when schedules permit.

If you want a hands-on way to support coastal resilience on Galveston Island, this two-hour planting session connects you to the land, the science, and a local stewardship network. It’s an unglamorous day of work that repays itself through cleaner water, stronger dunes, and the small, steady return of wildlife to repaired prairie.

Expect hands-on instruction from volunteer coordinators, short demonstrations on proper planting depth and spacing, and time to ask about species lists and follow-up monitoring. The meeting point is 13117 Settegast Rd.; parking is limited so carpooling is encouraged. Wear layers for coastal wind, and plan a post-event stop in Galveston for seafood or beach time to round out the day. Enjoy.