Live
Oak
Peninsula:
Land Use Changes
Texas
A&M University-Corpus Christi
Project Description: The purpose of the agreement is to
facilitate a study of land use and land cover changes between 1995 and 2002 on
Live Oak Peninsula in the Corpus Christi
and Aransas Bay
systems, Texas. The objective of the
project is
to identify areas of highest priority for conservation actions on Live Oak
Peninsula. The vegetation is
comprised of coastal woodland (primarily Live Oak), coastal
prairie, and freshwater depressional wetlands.
These
habitats harbor a high diversity of resident wildlife, as well as
support high numbers of migratory neotropical birds.
Since most of the Peninsula
is not located within municipal city limits, rural growth remains unplanned.
Native habitat continues to be fragmented by roads, right of ways, and
residential and commercial development.
The
construction of the Hwy 35 bypass effectively divides the peninsula from north
to south. The native vegetation was
cleared for several hundred yards along the highway, fragmenting coastal
woodland complexes. The predicted
increase in rural growth has been realized, as roads are developed perpendicular
to the highway and into the coastal woodland complex.
Native habitat continues to be fragmented by roads, right of ways, and
residential and commercial development. The
purpose of this study will be to quantify the land use changes that have
occurred in the past ten years, as well as identify habitat tracts that still
have functional size and quality for conservation actions.
This information will be available to federal and state agencies as well
as regional conservation organizations.
Partners:
Center for Coastal Studies/Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi,
& the
Total Contribution of all Partners: $ 10,025