MATAGORDA ISLAND UNIT ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Matagorda Island, Texas ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1988 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish & Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM MATAGORDA ISLAND UNIT, ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Matagorda Island, Texas ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1988 Refuge Manager Date ?roject Leader Date Matagorda Island Unit Aransas NWR Refuge ^Su^i INTRODUCTION On November 30/ 1988 the final tract of private land on Matagorda Island officially transferred from the Texas Nature Conservancy <TNC) to the U.S. Fish 8 Wildlife Service (USFWS) for inclusion into the National Wildlife Refuge System <NWRS>. With the last tract deeded to USFWS/ the entire island is now under federal and state ownership. The signing of the deed culminated a series of events preserving this unique ecosystem. The story has two parts: a northern history and a southern history. The northern portion of the island was formally an Air Force installation. On November 20/ 1971 the Air Force and USFWS signed a Memorandum of Understanding/ allowing Aransas National Wildlife Refuge <NWR) to manage the installation^ wildlife resources. On March 7/ 1975 the installation was declared excess and an ensuing battle started between the state and federal government over management of the property. Between 1975 and 1982 much debate followed over whether the excess property would go to the Department of Interior or the State of Texas. After a lengthy battle involving not only the federal and state entities/ but private conservation organzations as well/ a Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the Department of Interior and the State of Texas on December 8/ 1982 and later ratified by Congress. Under the agreement between the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the USFWS/ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department <TPWD> manages the northern portion of the island as the Matagorda Island State Park and Wildlife Management Area (MISPWMA), a Unit of the NWRS. The state owns 24/893 acres of bayside wetlands and Gulf coastline/ while the 19/000 acres of barrier flats (uplands) are still under federal ownership. Management of the northern portion of Matagorda by TPWD is pursuant to the terms of the "Matagorda Island Conceptual Plan," as approved by the USFWS. TPWD agreed under the agreement to the management principles/ goals, and objectives set forth in the National Wildlife Refuge System Manual in managing public lands on Matagorda Island, exclusive of the southern portion which was still private at the time. The jury is still out as to whether or not the state instituted an effective program on the northside. The history of the southern portion is a little different, but nonetheless, just as much controversy ensued over management authority. The Wynne Ranch on the southern 1/3 of the island was the last privately owned tract on Matagorda. The 11,502 acre ranch was purchased by TNC in 1986 for eventual transfer to the USFWS. The total purchase price, 13 million dollars, would be paid in three installments. On December 8, 1986 the Nature Conservancy signed an agreement with Toddie Wynne, Jr. for purchase of 11,502 acres and improvements. TNC also signed a purchase agreement with USFWS for the sale of the ranch's southernmost 2330.36 acres to the United States of America for 3 million dollars. On December 9, 1986 the tract became part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The second installment, 5 million dollars, was approved by President Reagan on December 22, 1987, adding another 3657 acres to the refuge. Final purchase of the remaining 5515 acres on November 30, 1988 completed the purchase. The 11,502 acre tract is managed as Matagorda Island Unit <M1U), Aransas NWR. Management responsibility for this unit is not included under the previous agreement between the state and Department of Interior. However, the state has continually attempted through several means to arrest management authority of this tract away from USFWS. A little about the island without any political forethought in mind: Matagorda Island is a 55,395 acre island, one of seven large barrier islands located off the Texas coast. Located in Calhoun county, approximately 9 miles southwest of Port O'Connor and 48 miles southeast of Victoria, Matagorda extends 38 miles in leng^K and varies between ^ to 4 miles in width. Matagorda is between 7-15 feet above mean sea level and is bounded on the southeast by the Gulf of Mexico and to the northwest by Espiritu, Santo, San Antonio, and Mesquite Bays. Cedar Bayou separates Matagorda Island from its southern neighbor, San Jose Island. Matagorda's location in the southern portion of the Central Flyway adds to its importance as a wintering area for thousands of migrating birds, especially waterfowl. The island's wetlands serve as resting, feeding, and breeding sites for many species of shore and wading birds. The uplands provide habitat for several raptor species and grassland wildlife species, including caracara, white-tailed hawk, sandhill crane, quail, white-tailed deer, coyote, and badger. The purchase of the lower 11,502 acres of Matagorda Island provides and protects critical coastal parairie and wetland habitats for hundreds of plant and wildlife species. Most notables include the endangered whooping crane, brown pelican, peregrine falcon, and thousands of wintering waterfowl, migrating and breeding shore and wading birds, and 4 endangered species of sea turtles. Aerial view of refuge headquarters. Left of center: Hangar, maintenance shops, & stables. Center: Former servant's quarters, ranchhouse, pilot house, & generator building. Right of center: Clubhouse & Manager's residence. JC PAGE INTRODUCTION TABLE OF CONTENTS A. HIGHLIGHTS 1 B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 1 C. LAND ACQUISITION 3 1. Fee Title 3 2. Easements 3 3. Other NTR D. PLANNING 5 1. Master Plan NTR 2. Management Plan NTR 3. Public Participation 5 4. Compliance with Environmental Resource Mandates 7 5. Research and Investigations 7 6. Other 8 E. ADMINISTRATION 10 1. Personnel 10 2. Youth Programs 11 3. Other Staffing Programs 11 4. Volunteer Program 12 5. Funding 12 6. Safety 12 7. Technical Assistance 15 8. Other Items .....15 F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT 15 1. General ..15 2. Wetlands 17 3. Forests NTR 4. Croplands NTR 5. Grasslands 20 6. Other Habitats........ 21 7. Grazing 25 8. Haying NTR 9. Fire Management. 27 HABITAT MANAGEMENT (Cont.) 10. Pest Control NTH 11. Water Rights NTR 12. Wilderness and Special Areas .27 13. WPA Easement Monitoring NTR G. WILDLIFE 29 1. Wildlife Diversity.... 29 2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species ...29 3. Waterfowl 36 4. Marsh and Water Birds 36 5. Shorebirds^ Gulls# Terns# and Allied Species 41 6. Raptors 45 7. Other Migratory Birds 48 8. Game Mammals. 48 9. Marine Mammals 48 10. Other Resident Wildlife 51 11. Fisheries Resources 51 12. Wildlife Propagation and Stocking NTR 13. Surplus Animal Disposal NTR 14. Scientific Collections 51 15. Animal Control NTR 16. Marking and Banding NTR 17. Disease Prevention and Control NTR H. PUBLIC USE 53 1. General 53 2. Outdoor Classrooms-Students. NTR 3. Outdoor Classrooms-Teachers NTR 4. Interpretive Foot Trails ....NTR 5. Interpretive Tour Routes NTR 6. Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations..... NTR 7. Other Interpretive Programs 55 8. Hunting 57 9. Fishing 58 10. Trapping NTR 11. Wildlife Observation NTR 12. Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation 58 13. Camping 58 14. Picnicking NTR 15. Off-Road Vehicling. 59 16. Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation NTR 17. Law Enforcement 59 18. Cooperating Associations .NTR 19. Concessions NTR ii I. EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 62 1. New Construct ion NTR 2. Rehabilitation ....62 3. Major Maintenance NTR 4. Equipment Utilization and Replacement.... 63 5. Communication Systems .65 6. Computer Systems NTR 7. Energy Conservation 65 8. Other 65 J. OTHER ITEMS 66 1. Cooperative Programs 66 2. Other Economic Uses. NTR 3. Items of Interest 69 4. Credits .,..70 K. FEEDBACK 72 Magazine Article i i i A. HIGHLIGHTS Final parcel of private land purchased by FWS. The entire island is now under federal and state ownership (Introduction & C.1). Several private environmental organizations meet on Matagorda Island to observe and discuss the state and federal management programs on the island (0.3). Meetings galore on the island...read the report. Hurricane Gilbert decides to spare the island (B). Refuge Manager marries volunteer on the island <J.2>. B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS Matagorda's climate is classified as humid subtropical. The Gulf of Mexico and its associated warm, moist air masses dictate the maritime climatic conditions. Summer daytime temperatures are lower than inland areas while the reverse holds true during the winter months. Winds are prevalent from the southeast and south-southeast. Strong northerly winds transport colder air masses during the autumn and winter months. Southeasterly winds during the autumn and winter often shroud the island and neighboring bays with thick fog. The weather system of the year for south Texas arrived in September# but Hurricane Gilbert's rage never came to pass on Matagorda. Thank goodness. The refuge did receive 2 inches of rain (one inch reported on the north side)# high winds# and some flooding on the bayside. The tidal surge from the Gulf made it to the foredune region and stopped. Matagorda Island suffered right along with the rest of the country this year. Lack of rainfall was just as evident on the island as it was on the mainland. The refuge rainfall totalled less than 17 inches; the norm is 37 inches. By year's end many of the refuge's ponds and sloughs were to the point of being completely dry. A short synopsis of 1988's island weather island follows: January proved how fickle the weather can be out here. Temperatures ranged from a low of 300F on the 8th to a high of 720F on the 17th.