The Gulf of America Alliance and energy company subsidiary 1PointFive announced funding for an 800-foot living shoreline at the Hans & Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge in Corpus Christi to address persistent shoreline erosion that has begun to threaten a park walking trail.
Project scope, partners and timeline
The two-year project, financed through the Gulf Star Program partnership with 1PointFive — a subsidiary of Occidental that is developing the South Texas Direct Air Capture Hub in Kleberg County — will be led by the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program (CBBEP), a nonprofit focused on protecting bays and estuaries across the Coastal Bend.
- Location: Hans & Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge, Corpus Christi
- Length: 800 feet of living shoreline
- Funding: Gulf Star investment from 1PointFive
- Lead organization: Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program
- Work planned: construction of a breakwater and marsh planting; placement of oyster shell and planting of native marsh grass
“We appreciate 1PointFive’s commitment as a Gulf Star partner and their support to help Gulf Coast communities, like Corpus Christi, find resilience solutions that benefit people and the environment.”
That statement came from Laura Bowie, executive director of the Gulf of America Alliance, which announced the project. Kiersten Stanzel, executive director of CBBEP, emphasized the dual benefit of protection and habitat enhancement: living shorelines reduce wave energy while increasing marsh and oyster growth, actions that improve habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife.
Local context and expected benefits
Hans & Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge is a popular public green space and a recognized birding hotspot. Recent storms have accelerated shoreline loss in parts of the refuge, placing the park’s walking trail at risk. Organizers say the living shoreline will directly address those erosion pressures while enhancing ecological function.
CBBEP plans to involve volunteers in site work, including placing oyster shell and planting native marsh grasses. Such nature-based approaches are designed to attenuate waves, bind sediment with plant roots and provide substrate for oysters to grow — which together make the shoreline more resilient to future storm impacts.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Project length | 800 feet |
| Primary work | Breakwater construction, oyster shell placement, native marsh planting |
| Funding source | 1PointFive (Gulf Star investment) |
| Lead implementer | Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program |
| Timeline | Over the next two years |
What this means for Corpus Christi residents
For people who use the Suter Refuge — birdwatchers, walkers and families — the project aims to preserve public access and the park’s natural character. For recreational and commercial fishers, restored marsh and oyster areas can improve nursery habitat that supports local fisheries. The initiative also represents a broader trend toward employing nature-based solutions across Gulf Coast communities facing chronic erosion and storm exposure.
Project organizers framed the effort as both a resilience and habitat-restoration measure that benefits the community and environment. With construction set to begin under CBBEP oversight and with volunteer participation, the living shoreline is scheduled to be implemented in phases over the coming two years.
Further details about specific construction schedules, volunteer opportunities and any temporary trail closures are expected from CBBEP and the Gulf of America Alliance as work commences.
