Texas Gulf Ecological Management Sites (Texas GEMS)
The Gulf Ecological Management Site (GEMS) Program is an initiative of the Gulf of Mexico Foundation, the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program and the five Gulf of Mexico states (Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida). The program goal is to provide a regional framework for focusing attention on geographic areas that have special ecological significance to fish, wildlife and other natural resources, or a geographic area that represents unique habitats. The GEMS program furthers conservation through inter-agency coordination, public/private partnerships, and targeting of research, monitoring and action projects.
Since the inception of the GEMS Program in 1996, each Gulf state has granted GEMS status to marine areas with special ecological significance. Those designated areas are considered high priority for protection, restoration and conservation by both state and federal governments. Twenty-four sites were identified in Texas.
- Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
- Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
- Armand Bayou Coastal Preserve & Nature Center
- Candy Cain Abshier Wildlife Management Area
- Christmas Bay Coastal Preserve
- Clive Runnels Family Mad Island Marsh Preserve
- Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
- Freeport Liberty Ship Reef Complex
- Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area
- Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
- Laguna Madre
- Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge
- Matagorda Island Wildlife Management Area
- McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge
- Murphree Wildlife Management Area
- Mustang Island State Park
- North Deer Island Sanctuary
- Padre Island National Seashore
- Scenic Galveston Inc. Nature Preserve
- Sea Rim State Park
- Shamrock Island Management Complex
- South Bay Coastal Preserve
- Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge
- Welder Flats Wildlife Management Area