Welcome to
Matagorda County, Texas

West Matagorda Bay is home of the Mad Island Marsh Preserve, which 60 years ago stretched nearly unbroken along the mid and upper Texas Gulf Coast. Saltwater intrusion and decreased freshwater inflows due to drainage projects, watershed conversions and channelization severely damaged the wetlands at Mad Island.

Efforts to restore the ecosystem resulted in a number of partnerships. The first was formed in 1987 between the Nature Conservancy of Texas and Clive Runnells. A unique land swap gave the Conservancy 5,700 acres of wetlands and coastal prairies, which were turned over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. and became Mad Island Wildlife Management area. Then in 1989 Runnells donated 3,138 acres of coastal wetlands and upland prairies next to Mad Island Marsh to the conservancy.

In 1990, in an effort to restore the damaged wetlands and prairies, a second partnership was formed between the conservancy and Ducks Unlimited.

The two groups lauched an ambitious habitat enhancement program. In 1993 they acquired an additional 3,900 acres using $1 million in non-tax matching federal funds from the North American Wetlands Conservation Council.

Another partnership evolved among the conservancy, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Dow Chemical, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Palacios-based Trull foundation and the Communities Foundation of Texas, providing in excess of $2.5 million for the project.

In 1990 the group began four habitat management programs, which included a restoration program, a rice field enhancement progarm, a palistrine marsh enhancement program and an uplands enhancement program. As a result of these efforts 120 acres of freshwater wetlands and 707 acres of coastal prairies were restored, while 166 acres of freshwater wetlands, 2,522 acres of tidal wetlands, 757 acres of coastal prairies and 710 acres of rice field habitats were improved.

New management initiatives are being added constantly. Education plays a big part in the conservations efforts at Mad Island.

Due to intensive habitat restoration and preservation efforts at the site, it now provides crucial winter habitats for nearly 250 species of birds.

The marsh is at the terminus of the Central Flyway, one of four principal North American migratory routes. It is vital to area waterfowl, including 16 species of ducks, four species of geese, Sandhill cranes and various wading birds during the year.

The area is also home to many different marine organisms such as red drum, blue crabs, brown shrimp, southern flounder and speckled trout. It provides a critical nursey for a variety of marine life from adjacent Matagorda Bay.

In addition to birds and marine life, the marsh provides a habitat for alligators, bobcats, armadillos, rattlesnakes, white-tailed deer and coyotes.

Matagorda County has become especially active in the annual national Christmas Bird Count. Since the count began five years ago, the County participants placed second in the nation for three years and first during this past year. They broke the national record in 1998 for the greatest number of species recorded.