Texas Land Commissioner Buckingham Celebrates Completion of Dog Island Project Restoring Over 800 Acres of Coastal Habitat

Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. announced that the Texas General Land Office's (GLO) Coastal Management Project (CMP) and the Matagorda Bay Foundation (MBF) have completed MBF's Dog Island Acquisition Project, which has protected and restored over 800 acres of vital coastal habitat. In 2021, the Dog Island Acquisition Project was funded through a grant from the GLO, which provided Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) funding to the State of Texas and was awarded under CMP.

"As Land Commissioner and a Texan who spent more than a decade living on the Texas coast, preserving our beautiful coastline and vital habitats is near and dear to my heart," said Commissioner Buckingham. "Completing the Dog Island Acquisition Project is an essential milestone in the GLO's mission to ensure our beaches and coastal environments, including our wetlands and woodlands, are preserved for the communities and wildlife that call them home. Working with the Matagorda Bay Foundation through our Coastal Management Project has been an honor, and I thank all of our stakeholders and volunteers for their hard work and dedication."

Dog Island is an 829-acre coastal "island" located a few miles west of Matagorda, Texas. Its proximity to the historic Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Nature Conservancy properties creates and preserves a coastal conservation corridor over 9 miles long at the eastern end of West Matagorda Bay.

The island’s topography, location, and current use provide unique opportunities as a hub for education and outreach activities, birding, wildlife viewing, and study of the impacts of management strategies on coastal health and productivity. Access to these resources has been improved by creating a boat access area, a maintained 4-mile trail, several interior access points, and a camping area, and by installing three benches to allow visitors and hikers a resting place. 

MBF worked with over 100 stakeholders and volunteers to survey the island, create trail, paddle, and habitat maps, install signage and benches, and design future infrastructure. Volunteers have visited Dog Island for educational opportunities, including conservation stewardship, wildlife observation, and contributing to the island’s improvements. Texas Parks and Wildlife and MBF also created a Wildlife Management Plan to ensure best management practices for invasive species, native wildlife, and avian species.