On May 24-25, 2016, key officials from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) gathered in South Texas to view habitat restoration and species protection project sites that showcase DOI cross-bureau priorities for Gulf of Mexico watershed restoration. Debbie DeVore (USFWS Region 4 Gulf Restoration Program), and John Huffman, Beau Hardegree and Tim Anderson of the USFWS Region 2 Gulf Restoration Program were joined by local partners to host the Deputy Secretary of the Interior, Mike Connor, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, Michael Bean, and his Chief of Staff, Terri Johnson, near Corpus Christi, TX.
The group toured a number of project sites, including bird island restoration, beneficial use of dredged material, invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species control and the use of prescribed fire. These cross-bureau, multi-partner efforts serve as models for the types of projects the Department of Interior hopes to secure funding for, either through the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council or from other Gulf restoration funding sources. The group also visited South Padre Island National Seashore to see a proposed site of the upcoming oil and gas well plugging project funded under the first Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council Funded Priorities List.
The Gulf of Mexico watershed is critically important to the health and vitality of our nation’s natural and economic resources. The Service is uniquely positioned to be a strong partner in the restoration of the Gulf of Mexico and its watershed. Recognizing the need for collaboration to achieve success in the Gulf, the Service is committed to working with state fish and wildlife agencies, other federal agencies, regional and local governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), private landowners, industries and other partners across the Gulf of Mexico to achieve our goals.
The Service would like to thank our partner organizations for helping facilitate the trip and sharing their valuable insights on the projects, including the Coastal Bend and Bays Estuary Program, City of Port Aransas, the Texas Gulf Cooperative Weed Management Team, Mission Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Mustang Island State Park, The Nature Conservancy, and National Park Service’s Padre Island National Seashore.
To learn more about the Service’s Gulf of Mexico restoration program, visit https://www.fws.gov/gulfrestoration/
