Festival Beach Food Forest (FBFF) is facing imminent disruption from an unexpected and insufficiently communicated wastewater pipeline relocation associated with TxDOT’s I-35 project. We are calling on the community to help us secure an immediate pause so the City, TxDOT, and community stewards can work together on a permaculture-based approach that minimizes ecological damage and honors years of City-approved planning and public investment.

Not only has the pipeline consumed all of FBFF's volunteer resources over the past several weeks, its construction will result in a devastating loss of time, labor, and funding. FBFF estimates that this wastewater pipeline will affect approximately $550,000 in parkland investments, including volunteer hours with an in-kind economic value of $375,000. FBFF has received two bids from local regenerative landscaping companies to remove, store and re-plant the barrier berm that will be destroyed by pipeline construction. These bids estimate costs at approximately $100,000.

Your gift will directly support costs associated with critical efforts to mitigate ecological damage caused by the pipeline construction, including plant removal and/or relocation*. 

For more information, read our press release and check out our website for more ways to directly support our efforts.

We are so grateful for our community's support!

*FBFF has requested funds from the parties involved in the pipeline construction to cover these costs, but no funds have been promised to date. If FBFF eventually receives these requested funds, all funds raised from this campaign will be put into FBFF's general fund to support the forest's programs and operations.

First two photos courtesy of Austin Free Press from their article about the pipeline. Austin Free Press is a nonprofit news and community engagement platform to empower Austinites through independent reporting, diverse opinions, and civil dialogue.