As horrible as the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill was, many incredible projects have been implemented in the Scenic 98 Coastal area with funds from the RESTORE Act, which followed a $20 billion settlement between BP Oil Company and the US Government, specifically the five Gulf Coast states that were impacted the most. Coastal Alabama leveraged this resource and utilized the funds for ecosystem restoration and economic recovery. One such project in Gulf Shores, the Gulf Coast Eco Center, opened in April of this year, and it is something to behold.

The campus sits on 12 acres owned by the City of Gulf Shores, adjacent to Gulf Shores High School and the State Park. The campus offers a suite of community programs, including youth camps, field studies, public classes, workshops, and recreational programs. The center features a farm and garden complex, a bicycle hub, an art lab, event spaces, and a ropes course. 

With a ‘green’ building design, drafted by Fairhope’s Rebecca Bryant of Watershed in Fairhope and Architecture Works in Birmingham, it is a state-of-the-art environmental center that promotes sustainable tourism, raises environmental awareness, and encourages stewardship of the Gulf Coast's natural resources. With bike and hiking trails connecting to the Gulf State Park and subsequently the beach, visitors can experience the diversity of the local ecosystem. Ecotourism is for travelers who want to give back to the environment. The Center offers hands-on projects, such as habitat restoration and lab work, where participants develop home and body care products from both native and invasive species.

In 2018, Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft envisioned an Environmental Education Center and hired Travis Langen as a consultant to help create a nonprofit organization to further his plans. The next year, Travis moved to Gulf Shores to make it happen. The Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability was created, and they got to work. The $13 million project opened in six years. 

“We worked out of my garage and the back of my car for the first 4 or 5 years,” Travis tells me. “We were able to offer environmental education programs for Gulf Shores City Schools and other school groups, using the learning campus at Gulf State Park as a temporary home. Each summer, we run Gulf Camp for local and visiting children. The camp activities include kayaking, biking, beach exploration, swimming, nature, arts and crafts, outdoor cooking, and ropes course.”

Travis has a very interesting backstory. Born and raised in Southern California, he graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a degree in Environmental Studies, specializing in Environmental Education, Restoration, and Ecology. He was hired by Jean-Michel Cousteau (son of the oceanographer Jacques Cousteau) to work at an environmental initiative called Ambassadors of the Environment on Catalina Island. He was director of the program for 18 years, travelling to other program locations, like the Cayman Islands, Maui, and Puerto Rico. Students in the program are inspired to take stewardship of the planet and discover lessons in nature that find alternative solutions for a sustainable future. Travis explains that the Gulf Coast Eco Center is part of Cousteau's Ambassador program family.

Travis wants to keep the Eco Center as wild as possible and has plans to put together a native plant nursery, eventually creating a botanical garden. He and his staff have already planted a pumpkin patch for a Halloween event that will feature pumpkin carving and spooky trails throughout. Most of the holiday events he has on the calendar will be nature-themed with an environmental message.  For example, there will be classes and workshops like candle making or wreath construction that will bring facets of history and culture to the mix as participants explore methods used in the past.  Travis hopes that these community events will help establish a strong volunteer base to maintain the gardens, trails, and tree plantings. He aims to expand public class offerings for both tourists and locals, while continuing to secure grants for youth programs.

I am really excited about what the Gulf Coast Eco Center is bringing to the Scenic 98 Coastal community, and I encourage you to check out their website for volunteer opportunities and program scheduling. Jean Michel Cousteau says that we protect what we love, and all of us can do and learn more about protecting the natural wonders of our home.