Energy XXI sponsored their second annual workday on Sundown Island on February 25, 2012. Thirty-nine volunteers participated, consisting of Energy XXI employees joined by some of Chester Smith's family members and friends. In addition, Audubon's new Coastal Manager, Amanda Hackney, joined the volunteers for the Energy XXI workday.
A new sponsor, Bisso Marine Company provided two Aqua Barge crew boats and captains to take volunteers to the island. In addition, long-time family friend and Port O'Connor resident, Jack Jackson provided his Parker boat to transport volunteers to the island and ferry out tree seedlings and other supplies.
Volunteers loaded and unloaded the boat with supplies for planting, trees, timber, fire ant bait, food, tools, and more. Two groups planted two plots of trees (fifty trees in all) to created additional habitat for the birds. Others worked on clearing around and fertilizing last-year's trees, clearing out brush around the tractor shed (an on-going problem), weed-eating around the trees near the shed, and beach clean-up. Formosa Plastics provided funding for the workday lunch. Energy XXI coordinated and set up the lunch buffet style, put up additional cover from the rain and tables—and made sure everyone got a chance to eat lunch. Other volunteers worked on the tractor to get the dispenser ready to spread fire ant bait, cut wood or pipe for various projects, and used the tractor to move supplies around the island for the volunteers.
A highlight for many volunteers was installing a memorial "Brown Pelican Monument" honoring Chester Smith. The life-size concrete statue was placed overlooking the tractor shed—the operations hub on the island. An engraving on the base recognizes Chester’s service as the island’s warden for twenty-five years from 1986 until his death in 2011. When he began his work as warden, there were fewer than ten pairs of endangered Brown Pelicans nesting on this Matagorda Bay dredge-filled island. Thanks in part to his efforts and those of his loyal volunteers—the 2011 annual census found nearly 2,029 breeding pairs of pelicans.
DeWayne Misner, Director of Health Safety and Environment for Energy XXI, commented following the successful event:
“A few of us have known about [Sundown] Island because of a past employer (Devon Energy). So when the opportunity presented itself that Energy XXI could become a sponsor - we jumped at it. For the last two years, our Sr. Management has funded support for the island. We have a workday that is organized for all ages, geared towards making the day a family experience and in alignment with the goal of improving the habitat for the birds. An additional benefit is the learning opportunity of “birding” and the history behind [Sundown] Island.”
Special thanks go to all of the sponsors and volunteers for their help and a successful workday. The island is ready—and we believe—so are the birds. We observed some pre-nesting activity taking place around the ponds on the South end of the island. Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets were already claiming territory in the larger trees. Brown Pelicans were present both by the South pond and in the grassy areas near the beach. There were about a dozen Reddish Egrets trolling the pond—looking for dinner probably.