It can be hard to feel connected these days, despite having more time to be on social media. It’s not quite the same seeing faces through a screen. Although our staff can’t be out in the community in person, we are still here to keep you connected to Galveston Bay. Even at home, you are closer to the Bay than you think! Remember, the Bay starts in your backyard! Everything that happens there affects the health of Galveston Bay – from the type of plants, grass, fertilizer and pesticides we choose to how much water we use and how much trash we create. And now you have plenty of time to spend in your little part of the Bay. Your “backyard” can be big, little, or even the sidewalk in front of your apartment. It’s whatever is around where you live. Check out our “What You Can Do” Tool and check the box marked “Home” for great suggestions on how to help the Bay from your own little part of it! Stay tuned for another Cover Story with more tips and a video tutorial about how to reduce litter and trash at home.

Speaking of what you can do at home, Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF), has launched a brand-new virtual field trip series! To bring all parts of the Bay to you during these crazy times, staff at GBF have been getting creative and learning new skills to create this series, “At Home With The Bay”. From learning how to film quality video footage on our own to setting up creative studios at home and getting our families to help us out, this has been a fun challenge so far!

Each educational episode focuses on a different topic and offers a virtual lab, chat with a Bay Biologist, an earth-friendly craft, and conservation activity you can do close to home. All episodes are family-friendly and offer safe activities to do solo or with the members of your household. Plus, the crafts all use common household items and encourage upcycling of things you may otherwise throw away! A recent episode, Bay Biodiversity, features our Report Card Research Scientist, Dr. Erin Kinney from Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC). She shares her coastal ecology knowledge while GBF staff take you on a virtual field trip to see wildlife in the Bay. Then we share a fun backyard craft and how to identify plants and animals there with a fun app! Check it out and stay tuned for more episodes of At Home With The Bay!

At Home With The Bay – Bay Biodiversity virtual field trip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyYBoymQs5w

Download all the lesson activity guides here: https://bit.ly/ActivityGuides1

If you’re doing the videos and activity guides with your kids or students, please complete the short survey so we can track participants for grant purposes! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SPH9MQZ

We are happy to keep bringing the Bay to you, however we can, with the hard work of our staff and their families! Follow Galveston Bay Foundation and Houston Advanced Research Center on Facebook for more opportunities to stay connected with us and nature.