(AUSTIN) — The Texas Comptroller’s Natural Resources program has launched the first of six installments of the Matagorda Bay Economic and Ecological Resources Report. Presented as an interactive story map,
the report will synthesize economic analyses, research updates and
public feedback with maps, videos and photos collected in the field to
support the Matagorda Bay Ecosystem Assessment.
In 2019,
the Natural Resources program partnered with Texas A&M
University-Corpus Christi to perform a comprehensive study of Matagorda
Bay. This project, the Matagorda Bay Ecosystem Assessment, will collect
information on key species and habitats to support their ongoing
conservation while also identifying potential impacts to the continued
development of the Texas economy. To support this effort, the Natural
Resources staff and Matagorda Bay researchers are working with local
stakeholders to identify and incorporate local knowledge into the
characterization of Matagorda Bay.
“Our first public
stakeholder meeting, held in Palacios last September, was a great
success,” Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. “Based on the wide range
of interests expressed at the meeting, we wanted to create a visual
record of the project that the public could easily access, share and
contribute to throughout the Matagorda Bay Ecosystem Assessment. This
report represents the ongoing collaboration between our agency, our
academic partners and our local stakeholders.”
The first installment of the Matagorda Bay Economic and Ecological Resources Report
introduces the Natural Resources program and the experts responsible
for seven research tasks occurring simultaneously throughout the bay.
Future installments will include economic analyses and research updates
to present an in-depth look at the ecosystem’s natural resources and
their impact on the local economy.
The Comptroller’s
office works to engage local stakeholders in species conservation and
the development of science-based solutions to balance economic activity
and environmental protection. Since 2009, the Comptroller’s office has
administered state legislative appropriations to Texas public
universities to conduct scientific research on imperiled, threatened and
endangered species.
Explore the first installment of the report and the Matagorda Bay Ecosystem Assessment on the Comptroller’s Natural Resources Program website.
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