Building Conservation Trust is the habitat restoration arm of the conservationist nonprofit Coastal Conservation Association (CCA). The group works with private and governmental groups to restore habitats in coastal areas. The group is supported by energy companies including Shell, Sempra Energy, BP, Cheniere, ConocoPhillips, and Motiva. ¹

Background

The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) founded the Building Conservation Trust in 2010 as its national marine habitat conservation program. ²

The group claims to have five objectives: “restore degraded habitats, create new habitats, advance the science of habitat restoration and conservation, foster habitat stewardship, and educate coastal communities on the value of conservation.”  ¹

Projects

Florida Artificial Reefs

In July 2015, the Building Conservation Trust announced the construction of artificial reefs off the coast of Jupiter, Florida. The group donated $25,000 to the Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation for the project. In addition to the Building Conservation Trust, the Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation partnered with Palm Beach County, the Town of Jupiter, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation, the Jupiter Dive Center, and Pineapple Grove Designs. ³

Fantasy Island Restoration

In 2016, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida, the Building Conservation Trust, and Tampa Bay Watch began the restoration of Fantasy Island after shipping traffic and topographical shifts damaged it. The materials and location used created conditions to initiate the development of a thriving oyster reef and stabilize 700 feet of the island’s southern shoreline. In June 2020, then-U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt toured the project and recognized the builders. ⁴

Oil and Gas Platform Replacement in Louisiana

In April 2019, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Louisiana announced it partnered with Chevron, the Building Conservation Trust, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to build a set of artificial reefs to replace removed oil and gas platforms previously around South Marsh Island. The builders named the reef after Ted Beaullieu, Sr., a CCA Louisiana supporter. CCA Louisiana claimed to have built the reef from recycled concrete “materials of opportunity” including recycled platform legs, highway barriers and construction materials made available to CCA and approved for use on the project. ⁵

In April 2021, CCA Louisiana announced it partnered with Chevron, the Building Conservation Trust, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to build two artificial reefs to replace disused offshore oil and gas platforms and infrastructure off Plaquemines Parish. The builders named the reef “The Green Monster Reef” after the oil platform that previously stood in the area. The partners built the reefs with recycled catch basins, construction materials and highway barriers available to CCA and approved for use on the project. ⁶

Dagger Island

In July 2019, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Texas and the Building Conservation Trust announced it donated $250,000 to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Ducks Unlimited to restore Dagger Island and protect important seagrass beds in Redfish Bay. Other partners on the project included the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, Coastal Bend Bays, and Estuaries Program. ⁷

Supporters

Country music singer Kenny Chesney is an honorary board member of the Building Conservation Trust. ⁸

Among the companies that fund the group are Shell, No Shoes Reefs, Sweet Water Brewing Company, Sempra Energy, Yamaha, Bay Flats Lodge, BP, Shimano, Yeti, AFTCO, Cheniere, ConocoPhillips, Mossy Oak, and Motiva. Most of these companies are either outdoor-recreation or conventional-energy companies. ¹

Leadership

The Building Conservation Trust’s president is Patrick Murray, who is also the president of the Coastal Conservation Association. Murray previously owned and operated a light-tackle fishing guide service along the upper Texas coast. ⁹

The chairman of the board is John Carlson. Carlson is the former president of CCA Texas. ¹⁰

Finances

According to the Building Conservation Trust’s 2022 tax returns, the group had $1,032,879 in revenue, $1,134,040 in expenses, and $4,803,147 in assets. ¹¹

Patrick Murray received $81,543 as compensation from the group. ¹¹

The group donated $250,000 to the Coastal Conservation Association and $340,000 to Texas A&M University. ¹¹

1. “The Building Conservation Trust.” Coastal Conservation Association. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.joincca.org/building-conservation-trust/.
2. “Protecting Natural Habitats with BCT.” SweetWater Brewing Company. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.sweetwaterbrew.com/protecting-natural-habitats-with-bct/.
3. “CCA Helps Fund Artificial Reef off Jupiter.” Florida Sportsman, July 30, 2015. https://www.floridasportsman.com/editorial/cca-helps-fund-artificial-reef-jupiter/400879.
4. “U.S. Secretary of Interior Visits Fantasy Island and Honors CCA Florida.” CCA Florida, June 19, 2020. https://ccaflorida.org/u-s-secretary-of-interior-visits-fantasy-island-and-honors-cca-florida/.
5. “CCA Louisiana and Conservation Partners to Build Ted Beaullieu, Sr.. Reef in South Marsh Island 233.” CCA Louisiana, April 22, 2019. https://ccalouisiana.com/news/cca-louisiana-and-conservation-partners-to-build-ted-beaullieu-sr-reef-in-south-marsh-island-233/.
6. “CCA Louisiana and Conservation Partners to Begin Construction on ‘Green Monster Reef’ in Plaquemines Parish.” CCA Louisiana, April 5, 2021. https://ccalouisiana.com/news/cca-louisiana-and-conservation-partners-to-begin-construction-on-green-monster-reef-in-plaquemines-parish/.
7. “CCA Texas Supports Dagger Island Project.” Ducks Unlimited, July 9, 2019. https://www.ducks.org/newsroom/cca-texas-supports-dagger-island-project.
8. “Kenny Chesney Renews Commitment to Conservation Trust.” CCA North Carolina, May 28, 2020. https://ccanc.org/kenny-chesney-renews-commitment-to-conservation-trust/.
9. “About.” Patrick D. Murray. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.patrickdmurray.net/about/.
10. Rhyne, Joyce. “CCA Texas Applauds Resolution for State Management of Red Snapper .”  Dolphin Talk: Port O’Connor/Seadrift News, June 15, 2017. https://thedolphintalk.com/2017/06/15/cca-texas-applauds-resolution-for-state-management-of-red-snapper/.
11. “Building Conservation Trust, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/462191456/202312239349301236/full.