CCA Volunteers Help Rebuild Goose Island Marsh

Twenty seven CCA Texas volunteers from across Texas recently spent a Saturday morning and afternoon transplanting marsh grass at the Goose Island State Park marsh restoration project. This project under the coordination of Texas Parks Wildlife Department (TPWD) is restoring 24 acres of saltwater marsh along the Lamar Peninsula shoreline line that has eroded since 1969. Volunteers traveled from as far away as Plano, Boerne, San Antonio and the Houston and Corpus Christi areas to take part in this volunteer day.

Park manager, Stormy Reeves and Project Coordinator Kay Jenkins started the day with an overview of the project and discussed why it was needed and how it was organized and executed. Questions were asked and discussed and all walked away with a greater appreciation of the marsh and its importance. The crew of volunteers and TPWD staff then headed to the marsh for a solid day of work. Once the crew arrived at the site, teams were divided up for planting grasses, previously prepared for transplant, and several volunteers also began digging more plants for relocation.

At the end of the day, the event was deemed a great success. Approximately 1,860 plugs of grass were transplanted, covering three islands in the eastern most marsh cell. These plants are the first of many more to be planted as conditions allow. In addition, the volunteer's time and the relocation of plants provided for approximately $4,000 in grant matching credits for this restoration project. CCA Texas had previously contributed $25,000 to this project that will go directly to the contract planting of remaining islands within the marsh cells.

"The Goose Island team is grateful for the time and efforts of the volunteers," commented Stormy Reeves, TPWD Park Manager. "Not only is it an educational experience and an opportunity to give back to the resource, but the hours spent and the number of plants transplanted help in the grant matching process that help secure necessary funds for restoration projects such as this one at Goose Island."

"CCA Texas and Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) are proud to be a part of this project," commented HTFT Director John Blaha. "Not only does HTFT provide funding opportunities for these types of projects, but they are also an excellent opportunity for volunteers to take an active hands-on role in the restoration process of Texas' great coastal resources."

Get Involved
National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) has recently made several decisions that have unfairly penalized recreational fishermen up and down the entire Gulf Coast. Recreational fishermen are needed now more than ever to stand up and demand proper and equitable fisheries management through out the entire Gulf and all US waters. CCA Texas (www.ccatexas.org) Headlines section and CCA National (www.joincca.org) Newsroom websites offer large amounts of information to help educate members and the general public on critical marine fisheries issues. Be sure to take the time to visit these sites and educate yourself and step up to the call for action when needed.

For more information about CCA Texas and HTFT, please visit www.ccatexas.org or contact John Blaha directly at 800.626.4222.