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Beach Conservation in Port Aransas

Preserving Our Shoreline for Future Generations

Port Aransas isn’t just a place to visit—it’s a natural treasure worth protecting. Preservation and protection of the Port Aransas way of life is about more than just the people who live here. From our rolling dunes to our vibrant coastal waters, this island is home to a delicate ecosystem that depends on all of us to keep it thriving. That’s where conservation comes in.

Why Conservation Matters

Our beaches, dunes, and wetlands are more than just beautiful—they’re essential. They provide habitat for endangered sea turtles, protect our community from storm surge, and offer safe spaces for birds, fish, and marine life. Conservation ensures these vital systems remain intact for generations to come.

Turtles

The shores of Port Aransas are well-known for being home to a variety of sea turtles, including the endangered Kemp’s Ridley. Protection of these turtles and their nests is crucial, and you can read about those protection efforts...

Little Turtle

KPAB

Keep Port Aransas Beautiful, or KPAB, is a Gold Star affiliate of Keep Texas Beautiful that is “promoting the public interest in creating a cleaner more beautiful Port Aransas through volunteerism and education.”

A group of five volunteers in orange safety vests sit in the bed of a truck with trash bags and buckets

Trash (Adopt A Beach)

An unfortunate reality of having such beautiful beaches is that they don’t stay that way on their own. Littering is an everyday challenge that organizations like Adopt-A-Beach aim to tackle. Read more, including how you can get...

Volunteers step off a boat carrying Up-2-U bags

Dune Safety

The sand dunes lining the coast are not only a signature feature of Port Aransas and Mustang island, but also an important one. Read more about the dunes and how to aid in their conservation.

Green grasses grow on dunes below a blue sky

How You Can Help

Whether you’re here for a weekend or the whole season, your choices matter. Here’s how you can make a difference during your stay:

  • Stay off the dunes and use marked walkovers

  • Pack reusable containers and pick up all trash

  • Turn off lights at night near the beach during turtle nesting season

  • Don’t disturb nesting sites or wildlife

  • Join a cleanup or volunteer opportunity

Vida Caña Rum Bottle Exchange Program

Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose

In Port Aransas, Vida Caña works with the Amos Rehabilitation Keep, an organization dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured birds, sea turtles, terrestrial turtles, and tortoises found along the South Texas coast. For every bottle of Vida Caña sold, they donate $1 to nonprofit organizations that support environmental education and wildlife rehabilitation. 

When you finish a bottle of Vida Caña Rum you can bring the empty container to the Port Aransas Welcome Center. Here you will be able to exchange the bottle for a glass made out of a repurposed rum bottle. You won't be able to get these glasses anywhere but through the exchange program. Help us to reduce, reuse, and repurpose!

@visitportaransas Vida Caña Rum bottle drop off and exchange 🥃 Bring your empty bottle of @vidacanarum to the Port Aransas Welcome Center and exchange it for free for a Vida Caña glass made out of a recycled bottle! #visitportaransas #vidacanarum #portaransas ♬ original sound - Port Aransas, Texas
Crave Port A

Vida Caña Rum

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The Spirit of Slow Captain Jack Sparrow said it best, "A life without rum is no life at all." Here in Port Aransas, a life without Vida Caña rum is no life at all! Vida Caña is a local rum company that not only sells delicious products but also gives back to…

Vida Caña Rum