The Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve is Designated
On May 6, 2006, a ceremony honoring the formal designation of the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve was held at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a network of coastal reserves that operate as a collective partnership between the federal government and coastal states.
The Mission-Aransas NERR will bring together scientists, landowners, policy-makers, and the public to ensure that coastal management decisions benefit flora and fauna, water quality and people. This 27th site in the national system includes 185,708 contiguous acres of wetland, terrestrial, and marine environments. The land is primarily coastal prairie with unique oak motte habitats. The wetlands include riparian habitat and freshwater and saltwater marshes. Within the water areas, the bays are large, open, and include extensive wind tidal flats, seagrass meadows, mangroves, and oyster reefs. These unique and diverse estuarine habitats in the western Gulf of Mexico support a host of endangered and threatened species including the endangered whooping crane.
Signing of NERR designation documents: Front row (l to r): Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; William C. Powers, Jr., President, The University of Texas at Austin; and John H. Dunnigan, Assistant Administrator, National Ocean Service. Back row (l to r): Lee A. Fuiman, Director, University of Texas Marine Science Institute; Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz, D-Texas, U.S. House of Representatives; Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, U.S. Senate; Paul A. Montagna, Manager, Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve; Colleen McHugh, The University of Texas System, Board of Regents; Mary Ann Rankin, Dean, University of Texas at Austin of College Natural Sciences.
The Marine Science Institute auditorium was filled with dignitaries and other invitees to witness the event.
Representative Gene Seaman and Sally Crofutt.
Local dignitaries (l to r): Jack Turner, Betty Turner, Ann Vaughan, Congressman Solomon Ortiz, Dr. Joan Holt, Mayor Georgia Neblett.
NERR managers (l to r): Becky Christensen, Elkhorn Slough site; Dr. Paul Montagna, Mission-Aransas site; Dr. Jaime Kooser, San Francisco Bay site.
