Armand Bayou Nature Center

[texan]

Armand Bayou Nature Center, a 2800 acre nature preserve, is expanding with Harris County's acquisition of an additional 1100 acres. It was previously reported that the center was negotiating the purchase of 1000 acres with Exxon Mobil for property north of the center but in the reporting on this purchase I have not found confirmation that it is the same property. I would think so though, considering the scarcity of undeveloped land in the (Galveston) Bay Area.

https://communityimpact.com/houston/bay-area/development/2024/11/01/armand-bayou-nature-center-receives-1137-acre-expansion/

[texan]

This is the Exxon Mobil property. It was purchased for below market value and will be restored to its natural state.

https://www.chron.com/business/article/exxon-nature-center-houston-19893662.php

[hbg.50]

I love hearing about places like this…good on Exxon to sell their property below market value.

https://www.houstoniamag.com/travel-and-outdoors/2024/08/armand-bayou-nature-center
 

Shining a Light on Armand Bayou Nature Center on 50th Anniversary

The 2,500-acre nature preserve showcases what Houston would’ve looked like if humans never settled here. Why do so few people know it exists?

BIRDS CHIRPING, FOLIAGE rustling with the wind, and a beautiful view of bayou water. It’s what Houston would’ve looked life if humans had never settled here, and it’s exactly what the Armand Bayou Nature Center is working to preserve. Tucked away in Pasadena, this hidden gem protects 2,500 acres of natural wetlands forest, prairie, and marsh habitats, and if you visit, you’ll forget you’re only about 30 minutes away from the bustling city life of downtown Houston.

The center, which celebrates 50 years in 2024, is one of the largest urban wilderness preserves in the United States—yes, the words “urban” and “wilderness” together might seem silly, but fitting as it’s sandwiched between Space Center Houston, University of Houston–Clear Lake, power plants in Baytown, and residential neighborhoods. Despite the surrounding urbanism, the center’s wilderness is home to more than 370 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. You can even spot a bison if you’re lucky.

…

Over the past four years, the Armand Bayou Nature Center has been engaged in what it’s calling “The Renewal 2024 Campaign.” The goal is to renovate the center for visitors, as well as boost volunteering, donations, and memberships, while inspiring others to participate in environmental preservation. And while everyone loves a hidden gem, Pylate says the center has potential to gain even more attention from Houstonians and others who visit the city. The center welcomes about 40,000 visitors annually, a number he would like to see grow. This November, the center is set to unveil a 50-foot sculpture of an alligator on Bay Area Boulevard to attract more visitors.

FUN FISHY FACT Did you know that white shrimp, blue crab, and speckled trout—maybe even some of the ones on your seafood platter—spend the first summer of their lives hiding in the marsh grasses of the Armand Bayou? That’s right. When the water gets cold, these sea creatures migrate down to the Gulf, where they are fished commercially.

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

“A lot of times, people pass by us and don’t really know what we are,” Pylate says. “We really want people to know what this place is, and we want people to say, Wow, we want to go visit and see what it’s all about.”

Looking to the future, Pylate says the hope is to purchase 1,160 acres that sit north of the center, land that is currently owned by Exxon, which the center’s staff learned five years ago was ready to sell. Now, the center is working closely with Exxon to purchase the property, but nothing is set in stone yet. Pylate says there is about 2,000 acres of green space left in the area, including the Exxon land, and his goal is to one day acquire and preserve it all.

“Once it’s gone, you can’t get it back,” Pylate says. “We want to transform it back into its former glory as a Texas coastal prairie. It’s our ecological heritage. It’s our legacy. This is who we are. This is Texas. This is something to be proud of right here on the Gulf Coast.”