An attempt to renovate a tract of wetlands on the east end of Galveston Island into a first-class ecotourism park is one of several projects expected to make the city more appealing to tourists.

The city started planning for an ecotourism park after the federal government turned over to them a 230-acre former coast guard base property, which combined with city-owned land forms the 686-acre East End Lagoon property, city spokeswoman Alicia Cahill said.

Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas appointed the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council to raise money for the lagoon park master plan, which will include bird-watching areas, a nature center and trails with public access for kayaking, walking, hiking and jogging.

Other projects include a skateboard park with a unique feature that is expected to attract skateboarders nationally, a new beachside gymnasium, a new tourism information center and a rebuilt city golf course.

Each plan came about for its own set of reasons rather than as part of a master plan, but together they may give Houstonians and others a new set of reasons to spend a weekend on the island.

The Wall Street Journal Reports - affluent retirees are transforming rural communities.

Affluent retirees are descending on remote areas and creating demand for amenities like interior-design stores, spas, and organic markets. For many of the communities, this is the biggest change since the interstate highway system was built in the 1960s.

What’s driving the transformation is a shift in the nature of the economy – thanks to the computer, many good jobs can be done anywhere, says Peter Nelson, an associate professor of geography at Middlebury College and an expert on rural migration.

The impact of rural gentrification drives up the price of property and the influx of money creates new jobs in lodging, restaurants, and other service industries. "What we’re seeing is a class colonization," says Nelson.

One indicator of rural gentrification is an increase in residents’ total dividend, interest and rent income. That measurement, tracked by the Commerce Department, is a sign that new residents – usually retirees – are living off their investments rather than salaries.

For instance, in Teton County, Wyo., home of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, total dividend, interest, and rental income has risen 177 percent between 1996 and 2005, one of the largest increases in rural America.

Locally, the rural Bolivar Peninsula coastal area has seen vacation home rental incomes rise dramatically over the past several years.

"We now have many homes with rental incomes that exceed 50,000 a year" - says Anne Willis of Swedes Real Estate - who manages over 300 properties on the Peninsula.