**Note** Due to the COVID-19 situation many of these opportunities are not meeting. Please check with the contact person or watch the GBAC emails.
We are a very active Chapter with opportunities for every interest. For a comprehensive list click here for 2020 GBAC list of volunteer opportunities.
Outreach Volunteer Opportunities
If you like teaching, or helping those who teach you might be interested in our outreach opportunities. We have put together a list of topics that Chapter members can speak about. Some of the topics have a demonstration box that is easy to transport to schools or exhibits. Some of our other outreach activities include Bay Adventures ( 6 master naturalists modules for elementary children), Jr. Naturalist, manning exhibit booths, and supporting the Treasures of the Bay Educator Workshop.
If you need a speaker for one of the topics on our list or if you are interested in helping with any of the above activities, please contact Sara Snell.
Recurring Volunteer Opportunities
Click on this link for recurring volunteer opportunities.
Special Projects
I Am A Galveston Beach Hero – Chapter project team visiting Galveston elementary schools providing presentations focusing on becoming a Galveston Beach Hero. After the presentations, students are asked to create an artistic rendering of what they are doing to be a Galveston Beach Hero. Art work is being displayed at the school and at chapter sponsored events. If you are interested in joining this team, contact Maureen Nolan-Wilde.
The Great Monofilament Tube Adventure Project – The Great Monofilament Tube Adventure is a project team focusing on the disposal of used fishing line correctly in the Galveston County area. The project has three teams working on this effort and include; monitoring of the bins, sustaining and maintaining of the bins and education outreach efforts. Along with these teams, there is an overall project manager, Rick Becker, and a communications group. The total team meets monthly and individual teams meet as needed. If you are interested in joining this team, contact Rick Becker.
Camp Wild – Occurs the first week of June every year. This program introduces Galveston area school children to the wonders of Galveston Island State Park. It is a collaborative effort between The Friends of Galveston Island State Park, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Galveston Bay Area Master Naturalists. Children experience everything from fish printing to kayaking, bird watching to skins and skulls and a whole lot more. If you are interesting in getting involved with this event, contact Susette Mahaffey.
Sylvan Beach Hawk Watch – Each spring several volunteers gather at Sylvan Beach in La Porte to watch and count the migrating hawks. This activity run March 1 – April 30, 9am – noon, 7 days a week. If you want to learn more about this activity, contact Lynn Wright.
The NICK TEAM – Nesting Island Clean-Up by Kayak & More – The NICK team is a team that uses kayaks and boats that partners with Audubon Texas and Gulf Coast Bird Observatory in clean up nesting islands, monitoring and banding American Oystercatchers, transect work and restoration efforts. If you want to learn more, contact Maureen Nolan-Wilde.
Nurdle Patrol Nurdle Patrol is a citizen science project lead by the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas. GBAC is helping to gather information about where nurdles are located across Texas and the rest of the Gulf of Mexico, remove the nurdles from the environment, and create awareness about the nurdle issue. If you want to learn more, contact Stennie Meadours.
Sea Turtle Patrol
We walk or ride routes along the Galveston/Bolivar coast from April 1 – July 15th looking for signs of sea turtles nesting. For the 2020 season visit the blogspot for more information or contact Theresa Morris for more information.