Jared Schaller:

Welcome to the Behind the Pyramids a Moody Gardens podcast. I'm your host, Jared Schaller, and I'm very excited for today’s guest, Jennifer Lamm, Conservation and Sustainability Manager at Moody Gardens. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me.

Jennifer Lamm:

Thanks for having me.

Jared Schaller:

Yes! So obviously we’re going to be talking about conservation. Can you describe your role at Moody Gardens and how you actually got into it?

Jennifer Lamm:

Yeah, I’ve taken a bit of a winding road to get here. I grew up with an interest in nature and science, so in college, I earned a degree in wildlife and fishery science and came to work at Moody Gardens in the Education Department. I stayed there for about 19 years before jumping over to Human Resources and trying that for a little while.

After five years of that, they actually created the Conservation and Sustainability Department here at Moody Gardens. I applied, got the job, and I’ve been in this role for a little over a year now.

So, if you’re doing the math, that’s about 26 years I’ve been here at Moody, and I’m really enjoying this new role. Conservation has been a long-standing part of Moody Gardens’ mission statement, so we’ve been involved with it for a very long time. But now, having a dedicated department that is focused on further building on our existing initiatives and helping spread the word with the public and visitors is really exciting.

Jared Schaller:

Awesome to hear! I’m relatively new to Moody Gardens—I just started in January—so it’s always nice to hear about the different things you’ve been working on, even just in the time I’ve been here, like the Bakari Reserve and all that.

Can you tell us a little more about some of the conservation projects you and Moody Gardens are currently working on?

Jennifer Lamm:

Sure! We're able to support a wide variety of conservation work happening locally, nationally, and internationally. We do that through monetary and in-kind donations, depending on what the organization needs and how Moody Gardens can best support them.

Locally, we're doing a lot of bird surveys. We work closely with the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council and the Audubon Society. These surveys are important because they help track the variety and population numbers of both year-round resident birds and migrating birds.

If you're not familiar—and your daughter’s a birder—Galveston actually sits on the Central Flyway. So we get a lot of birds coming through during migration between their winter and summer habitats. You never know what you’re going to see—it’s really exciting and a great thing to be a part of.

We also work very closely with the Galveston Bay Foundation, another local partner. They run an incredible program called the Oyster Shell Recycling Program. We handle the collection here in Galveston. There are nine participating restaurants around the island that save all the oyster shells from the oysters they serve.

We go around several times a week to collect them. The shells are kept here on-site for about six to nine months to cure in the sun. After that, they can be used in Galveston Bay to create habitats for new oysters to land on and grow. It’s all about rebuilding oyster reef habitats. We got involved in 2020 and have collected over 100 tons of oyster shell in the last four going on five years. It’s a lot of fun to see it in action, and it's a great way for the community to get involved too.

And kind of a breaking news—you're hearing it here first—we’re going to be hosting a Monarch Madness Festival in October! It’ll celebrate monarch butterflies, and attendees will get to learn about them, why they matter, and how we can support them in our communities. So be on the lookout for that.

On a national level—yes, there’s more—we work with AZA, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. They run the SAFE program, which stands for Saving Animals From Extinction.

We also work with TSA, the Turtle Survival Alliance.

Internationally, you mentioned the Pacuare Reserve. We also work with Sandcob and SECORE, which focuses on coral conservation. So, there are a lot of exciting things going on.

Jared Schaller:

I thought the oyster shell recycling was one of the neatest things. Something that simple can help rebuild habitats. I love eating oysters, so it’s awesome that so many restaurants are involved.

It’s interesting that it's a six-month process to cure the oysters and get them ready to help replenish the oyster populations.

Jennifer Lamm:

Yeah, exactly. The Galveston Bay Foundation manages several projects, and we're hoping to do some restoration work right here on Moody Gardens' property—so stay tuned for more on that.

Because of the influx of fresh water during storms like Ike and Harvey and other big rain events, oysters in Galveston Bay have declined. So providing habitat is really important.

They also have a gardening program for people who live along the Bay. You can get involved by putting a small collection of oyster shells off your dock into the bay and letting oyster larvae—called spat—collect over a few months. In November, you bring them back, we sort through them, and the spat is used to help seed new reefs. It’s a really neat program.

Jared Schaller:

That’s an awesome program. I'd love to see that in person, so we’ll have to do another feature on it.

Jennifer Lamm:

For sure! We’d love to have you come out and collect with us.

Jared Schaller:

That’d be awesome. So you’ve already touched on this a little bit, but what are some of the key endangered species, habitats, or animals Moody Gardens is focusing on protecting?

Jennifer Lamm:

Our dive operations team works closely with NOAA and other partners on coral restoration here in the Gulf. We also work with Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

We actually have a coral reef here in the Gulf—it’s one of the healthiest reefs, but it’s still impacted by things like marine debris. So our team goes out and helps clean off the reefs. That’s really important because it keeps the habitat clean for the marine species that live there.

As I mentioned earlier, AZA’s SAFE programs allow zoos and aquariums to collaborate on species management and education efforts to protect endangered or threatened species and habitats.

Moody Gardens is involved in several SAFE programs: North American monarchs, North American songbirds, African penguins, sharks and rays, coral, and axolotls.

Jared Schaller:

That’s a lot! I wanted to circle back—cleaning the coral reef, is that like a beach cleanup, where people go out and pick up trash? How does that work?

Jennifer Lamm:

You have to be a diver. They go down and, just like we’d pick up debris on land, they do the same thing underwater.

Jared Schaller:

That’s awesome. What are some common misconceptions people may have about conservation efforts, and how do you help address those?

Jennifer Lamm:

One of the biggest challenges with conservation is that it can feel overwhelming—just knowing where to start. There’s so much happening locally, nationally, and internationally.

At an individual level, I always say start local. Look for organizations in your area. Beach cleanups are a great entry point. They let you meet people, get involved, and build a network.

If you live near Galveston, the General Land Office hosts a big Adopt-a-Beach cleanup twice a year. Turtle Island Restoration Network—another partner of ours—also holds regular cleanups.

And if you don’t live near the coast, look for “clean the bay” or “clean the river” events. It’s all interconnected. Whether you’re in Galveston, Dickinson, League City, or even Dallas—any waterway you help clean eventually affects the ocean.

You can also support organizations financially. Many accept online donations or call for volunteers. But I always say—start small and build from there. You can’t do it all at once.

Jared Schaller:

But just one person can make a difference.

Jennifer Lamm:

Absolutely.

Jared Schaller:

So how can visitors to Moody Gardens help or contribute to conservation efforts?

Jennifer Lamm:

Just visiting us is a huge help. Hopefully, you’ll learn something new that you can share with your family and friends. If we know and care about something, we’re more likely to want to protect it.

We also offer behind-the-scenes animal encounters—with otters, penguins, the jelly lab, and the Caribbean exhibit. A portion of ticket sales for those programs goes into our conservation fund.

If you purchase artwork by the penguins or otters—or from other AZA facilities on display at the hotel—that also supports our conservation efforts.

We have online donation options too. And 100% of the funds we raise go right back into supporting the programs, whether monetarily or through in-kind donations.

Jared Schaller:

That’s great to hear. Some people wonder where the money goes, but it’s awesome to know that 100% goes back.

Jennifer Lamm:

Yes—we’ve done the work of vetting the groups to make sure they’re responsible and impactful.

Jared Schaller:

So just a final question—what do you find most rewarding about working in conservation?

Jennifer Lamm:

If someone had told me in high school that I’d be making a living talking to people, I would’ve said, “No way.” And yet, here I am.

I love going out and talking to people—whether here at Moody or out in the community—and hopefully getting them excited, teaching them something new that they can then pass on.

I also enjoy finding ways Moody Gardens can be more impactful. Looking at what we can get involved in, how we can support different projects—that’s all very rewarding.

Jared Schaller:

That’s one of the great things about working at Moody Gardens—everyone has a different passion. I learn new things every day from people working on different conservation efforts or helping locally.

Jennifer Lamm:

Absolutely. Every day is a learning day.

Jared Schaller:

Yes—though I’m not supposed to say that or else I’ll be given homework! Fun learning, though.

Are there any upcoming conservation initiatives or projects at Moody Gardens that you’re particularly excited about?

Jennifer Lamm:

Yes! You mentioned the Pacuare Reserve earlier. I’m really excited about our new partnership with them.

It’s managed by Ecology Project International and located in Costa Rica. It used to be cattle farming land, but it has since regrown into natural rainforest. It’s one of the few known nesting sites of the Agami Heron—definitely look them up, they’re beautiful.

It’s also a key nesting site for Leatherback sea turtles, the largest species of sea turtle.

We’ve entered into a multi-year partnership to help support their research. One of the key initiatives we’re supporting is the construction of a bird blind to help better study Agami Herons during nesting season.

They’re also very focused on education, which is something near and dear to us at Moody Gardens. So helping them with their educational initiatives is also really meaningful.

This is a relatively new partnership, and it's been exciting to learn more and see where it’s going to go in the coming years.

Jared Schaller:

That’s awesome. One of the great things about conservation is that you do get to see the fruits of your labor over time.

Jennifer Lamm:

Absolutely. It works.

Jared Schaller:

Thank you so much, Jennifer Lamm, Conservation and Sustainability Manager at Moody Gardens, for taking the time to speak with me.

Jennifer Lamm:

Absolutely. Thank you.

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