From Vision to Reality: Wetlands Project Reaches 60% Design
The Flour Bluff ISD’s Wetlands Project has reached the 60% design phase, marking another significant step toward making one of the district’s most unique outdoor classrooms more accessible and better equipped for hands-on learning. LJA Engineering is leading the design as part of Bond 2025.
The more than 75-acre FBISD Wetlands serve students across the district through programs including Outdoor Adventures, Coastal Explorers, OCEANS, and Junior Master Naturalists. Students use the preserve as a living classroom, learning hiking, fishing, hunting, kayaking, seine and cast netting, outdoor safety, water conservation, and coastal ecology.
A Legacy of Environmental Education
Much of that legacy traces back to former Flour Bluff teacher Cliff Strain, who started the OCEANS program at the Intermediate. His program connected students directly to the natural world through experiences such as seine fishing, caring for live specimens, and kayaking through the saltwater wetlands. Mr. Strain taught students that protecting coastal habitats begins with understanding them and keeping the surrounding air and water clean.
The South Texas Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists has helped strengthen environmental education and stewardship at FBISD. Chad Huckabee and district teachers have brought their expertise in native plants to students through community plant identification classes at the Flour Bluff Intermediate School Nature Garden, which features approximately 200 species of native and naturalized plants.
A Vision More Than Two Decades in the Making
The current project is rooted in a vision that began more than 20 years ago. Dorothy Arnold, who served Flour Bluff ISD alongside longtime Superintendent E.J. Wranosky, donated the original tract to the district in memory of her parents and the Wranosky family. Her gift came with two conditions: the property was to be used by FBISD for education and research.
In the early 2000s, Superintendent Carol Moffett and board member Richard Pittman championed the idea of developing the property as the Laguna Madre Coastal Environmental Lab—an outdoor facility where students from Flour Bluff and across the Coastal Bend could learn from a living coastal ecosystem.
A 2002 conceptual plan envisioned walking trails, minimal clearing of the woodland, a lecture pavilion, observation blinds, a pier extending into the saltwater pond, and a trailhead with room for future parking. The vision was simple: connect students to the wetlands through trails, educational opportunities, and direct observation of the plants and animals that call the area home.
The Wetlands Preservation Project is an opportunity to carry that vision forward.
Growing and Protecting the Preserve
The preserve expanded in 2024 when the FBISD Board approved the purchase of 15.9 acres adjacent to the north end of the wetland pond.
Stewardship efforts are already making a difference. In partnership with the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, FBISD completed an invasive species removal project in 2024 covering approximately 30 acres of the wetlands. Dense stands of Brazilian peppertree and white lead tree had crowded out native vegetation, limited wildlife habitat, and restricted access to portions of the property.
Following the removal of larger invasive plants, FBISD sixth graders, staff, and community volunteers helped hand-pull regrowth while trained adults conducted herbicide treatment. Within weeks, native vegetation and pollinators began returning. Trail cameras have since documented bobcat, javelina, coyote, white-tailed deer, opossum, and raccoon on the property.
The district remains committed to maintaining the preserve in its native state while making it more accessible for education and responsible community use.
A Community Effort
The project has benefited from a broad network of community, educational, military, conservation, and environmental partners. Organizations involved in the planning, education, research, and preservation effort include Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi Army Depot, the City of Corpus Christi, Seashore Charter Schools, Harte Research Institute, Del Mar College, Audubon Outdoor Club, Youth Odyssey, Ducks Unlimited, Texas Floating Classroom, Friends of Redhead Pond, Padre Island National Seashore, Port Aransas Museum, Texas State Aquarium, Texas Parks & Wildlife, School of Science & Technology, National Wildlife Federation, Hawk Watch International, Texas Surf Conservancy, Oso Bay Wetland Preserve, Texas Sealife Center, and The University of Texas Marine Science Institute.
Together with LJA Engineering, the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, and the South Texas Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists, these partners bring a wide range of expertise and local knowledge to the project. Their involvement helps FBISD protect the wetlands while expanding educational opportunities for students and the broader Coastal Bend community.
Designing for Students, Safety and Stewardship
In January 2026, FBISD hosted a community meeting with partners who have helped shape the project. LJA Engineering presented updates on surveys, hydrology, drainage patterns, and early layout concepts. The discussion centered on practical improvements that support instruction and safety while respecting the natural character of the wetlands.
The project is also informed by science. Working in an advisory role, graduate students and staff from the Center for Water Supply Studies at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, including Dr. Dorina Murgulet, have conducted geophysical surveys examining the hydrogeologic connections between the wetland ponds and the nearby Laguna Madre. Their work is helping the district better understand the wetlands’ hydrology and supporting the development of educational tools for students and the community.
Now at the 60% design milestone, the core layout and major elements of the project are taking shape. Planned improvements include:
- An ADA-compliant pier and kayak launch, allowing all Hornets to experience the wetlands
- Storage for kayaks, fishing equipment, and paddleboards
- An outdoor classroom for hands-on instruction
- Walking trails with educational signage
- Restrooms to support student groups and visitors
- Crosswalk across Hustlin Hornet Drive with bus parking
The pier, outdoor classroom, and trails carry forward key elements of the vision first developed in 2002, bringing a long-held community dream closer to reality.
As LJA Engineering continues refining the design, FBISD will remain focused on three priorities: protecting the wetlands, providing a safe and accessible environment for students and visitors, and using Bond 2025 funds responsibly.
Flour Bluff ISD thanks the Flour Bluff, Padre Island, Naval Air Station, and Corpus Christi Army Depot communities for their continued support of Bond 2025. More updates will be shared as the project moves toward completion.