Key Points

• For the third year in a row, volunteers gathered at the Galveston Bay refinery to plant dozens of new trees at the site’s growing wildlife habitat.

• Refinery employees and contractors were joined by community partners and Texas City Independent School District students, working side by side to plant the latest batch of native trees.

• Since the effort began in partnership with Trees For Houston, the green space known as Cooper’s Landing has had more than 220 native trees take root.

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Another round of growth is underway at Cooper’s Landing at Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City, Texas. Employees, contractors and community partners gathered at the green space for the site’s third annual tree planting, adding 70 native trees to the refinery’s wildlife habitat.

The planting continues a growing tradition of conservation at the refinery. Volunteers planted a diverse mix of native species selected to support local ecosystems and long-term habitat health, including Burr Oak, Loblolly Pine, Mexican Sycamore, Texas Red Oak and Eastern Redbud. Fourteen trees of each species were planted throughout the area, helping strengthen biodiversity while enhancing the landscape for wildlife and employees alike.

The effort builds on the refinery’s ongoing partnership with Trees For Houston, a nonprofit dedicated to tree planting and conservation across the Houston region.

“It’s been so nice to watch our green belt habitat continue to grow,” said Regina Cooper, Senior Training Specialist at the Galveston Bay refinery and co-leader of the facility's Wildlife Habitat Team. “We’ve had a remarkable success rate with the trees planted during our first two years, and seeing them take off has been something really special for everyone involved.”

“We’ve had a remarkable success rate with the trees planted during our first two years, and seeing them take off has been something really special for everyone involved.”

Students and teachers from Texas City Independent School District (TCISD) again joined the team from Marathon to help plant the new trees while also learning about the importance of conservation and environmental stewardship.

“This is the kind of learning you can’t replicate in a classroom,” said Stephen Perry, a science teacher at Texas City High School, and Advisor of the school’s garden club. “Students get to see how conservation works in real life and understand that the choices we make today can help shape the environment for years to come.”

Cooper’s Landing, named after a resident breeding pair of Cooper’s hawks, continues to evolve into a thriving habitat for local wildlife. With this year’s planting, volunteers have now added more than 220 native trees to the green space over the past three years.

“Over the past three years, this space has transformed into a habitat that supports birds, pollinators and other wildlife while bringing people together around something truly positive,” said Honor Sheard, Refining Environmental, Safety and Security Director at the Galveston Bay refinery. “Seeing the pride this team has taken in building something that benefits both the environment and our refinery community has been incredibly rewarding, and it’s exciting to think about how it will continue to grow.”