Coastal Management Areas

Coastal Management Areas (CMAs) are designated to preserve and protect coastal habitats through land acquisition and stewardship. Texas's coastal landscape contains beautiful beaches, dunes, tidal flats, salt marshes, and coastal prairies. CMAs permanently protect these lands that support multiple habitats essential for various bird, reptile, crustacean, fish, and plant species. The CMAs are dynamic coastal ecosystems which provide a place for fish and wildlife to thrive and people to reconnect with nature. Currently, there are two CMAs: Matagorda Peninsula CMA and Follets Island CMA.

CMAs are open to the public to provide low-environmental-impact recreational activities and opportunities that will enhance the appreciation of the natural resources on the CMA and similar sites and habitats along the Texas coast. Access to CMA lands does not require a fee or any special permit or license. Please review the CMA Rules of Conduct before visiting.

Activities

Please note that there are not facilities such as restrooms, water fountains, or offices located on the CMAs.

Nature Tourism

Low-environmental-impact recreation opportunities include:

• bird watching
• hiking
• kayaking

Fishing and Migratory Game Bird Hunting

Fishing and hunting for migratory game birds are permitted on CMAs as long as individuals have the proper fishing or hunting licenses and follow all regulations and seasons associated with those licenses.

For more information about CMAs, contact TPWD's coastal management area team at 512-389-8575 or cfish@tpwd.texas.gov.

Matagorda Peninsula CMA is located along the peninsula that separates Matagorda Bay and East Matagorda Bay from the Gulf. The two halves of the peninsula are separated by the outlet of the Colorado River mouth. Currently TPWD owns lands on the eastern half of the peninsula and along the Colorado River delta totaling over 11,000 acres. Land acquisition for the CMA is on-going and continues to expand along the delta and western portions of the peninsula.

Dunes transition into diverse and productive bayside habitats such as salt meadows and prairies, tidal flats, lagoons, and ponds. These lands are undeveloped and have a low level of anthropogenic impacts. Although most often recognized as essential habitat to accommodate the growing population of Whooping Cranes, the Matagorda Peninsula CMA lands 1) offer vitally important habitat for a range of other threatened and endangered species, 2) serve as a key stopover for birds migrating over the Gulf, 3) provide a nursery for juvenile sport and commercial fish species, 4) protect the natural resources and human communities bordering East Matagorda Bay and Matagorda Bay from coastal storms, and 5) are a popular ecotourism destination for recreational birdwatching, fishing, and kayaking.

Accessing Matagorda Peninsula CMA

The most common portion of the CMA to visit is the lands on East Matagorda Peninsula; within this area we add “East” to the CMA name to help distinguish this portion. Please be aware that the lands located on the (East) Matagorda Peninsula CMA have no roads or development. To access the land you must drive down the beach and hike over dunes into the land. You may also access via boat or kayak on the bay side.

To get to (East) Matagorda Peninsula CMA travel south on FM 2031 from Matagorda until the road ends at the beach. Then, travel east along the beach approximately 2 to 3 miles (depending on where you enter the beach) to the first section of TPWD owned land. Look for TPWD signs (like the image shown here) along the dunes, which indicate the starting point of the CMA lands. Another set of TPWD signs about 2 miles further east along the dunes represent the end of CMA lands for that section. CMA lands begin again 3.42 miles further east.

Area Map of East Matagorda CMA

The Matagorda Peninsula CMA area map shows the location and size of the management area as well as its relationship to nearby conservation lands.

Follets Island is a barrier island just south of Galveston Island. The CMA borders Christmas Bay, located at the southern end of the West Galveston Bay. The area is home to a wide range of species such as shorebirds, butterflies, songbirds, raptors, migratory birds, reptiles, amphibians, and even has hosted sea turtle nesting. Habitat types include estuarine marshes and wetlands, coastal prairies, dunes, and beach.

Accessing Follets Island CMA

The Bluewater Highway (County Road 257) runs through Follets Island CMA. Signs indicate the property that is owned by TPWD.

Please be aware that there is private property interspersed between CMA lands. Look for signage that indicate an area is part of the CMA.

Three parking areas are located off of the Bluewater Highway towards the bay side of the road for visitors to park and the access the CMA on foot.

Area Map of Follets Island CMA

The Follets Island CMA area map shows the location and size of the management area as well as its relationship to nearby Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge.