The Economic Value of Water and Ecosystem Preservation

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3.3. Ecotourism in the San Antonio Bay Region Texas ranks consistently as one of the top locations in the United States for ecotourism due to its high amount of biodiversity. There are 12 eco-regions within the state, which range from deserts and hills to plains and piney woods (Griffith, Bryce et al., 2004). There have been 6,273 different species recorded in Texas, of which 340 are endemic. Texas is the number one birdwatching destination in the United States, with over 600 species of birds that account for more than 75% of the bird diversity in the country (Stein, 2002). Most of these birds reside or migrate along the 367 miles of the Texas Gulf coast, “offering birders unparalleled opportunities to see an impressive variety of birds within a relatively consolidated area (Eubanks, 2003).” One of the best places for birding along the Gulf Coast is in the San Antonio Bay region. It is a paradise for ecotourists, including birders, who come to the region for its natural abundance (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), 2001). Ecotourism in the region focuses primarily on birding, but also accommodates other wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is often listed as one of the top birding sites in North America (Konrad, 1996). ANWR and Matagorda Island are also included as a part of the American Bird Conservancy’s “Important Bird Areas Program (American Birding Conservancy, 2006).” 3.3.1. Protected Areas of the San Antonio Bay: Valuable Natural Assets By establishing various wildlife refuges and management areas, the remaining fragments of the San Antonio Bay’s regional ecosystem are effectively protected. These protected areas are valuable natural assets that serve as a base for a variety of ecotourism activities within the region. The most well known protected area in the region is the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which is comprised of five units. The two largest units that make up the Refuge are the Blackjack Peninsula in Aransas County and Matagorda Island. Other units include the Tatton Unit, the Lamar Unit and the Myrtle Foester-Whitmire Division (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2005c). Together, they create a 115,651-acre complex, which is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 20
Figure 3-1. Public Protected Areas of the San Antonio Bay Region Table 3-1. Acreage of Public Protected Areas Site Size (Acres) Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex 115,471 Matagorda Island Unit 56,668 Blackjack Peninsula Unit 47,261 Tatton Unit 7,568 Myrtle Foester Whitmire Division 3,240 Lamar Unit 734 Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area 6,594 Welder Flats Wildlife Management Area 1,480 Total 123,545 21
Page 1 and 2: Final Report to the Texas Coastal M
Page 3 and 4: 5.2.2. Sources / Data .............
Page 5 and 6: Executive Summary The San Antonio B
Page 7 and 8: ecotourism included in the model. T
Page 9 and 10: 1. Overview of San Antonio Bay Regi
Page 11 and 12: and shellfish species and estuarine
Page 13 and 14: According to the Rockport-Fulton Ch
Page 15 and 16: effect is limited by assimilative c
Page 17 and 18: freshwater inflow acts as a mechani
Page 19 and 20: sulfide. Heavy metals bounds to sed
Page 21 and 22: inflow levels and populations of se
Page 23 and 24: and could potentially make the cran
Page 25 and 26: 3. Characterization of Ecotourism i
Page 27: Contributes actively to the conserv
Page 31 and 32: 1987 and then purchased in 1991. Pr
Page 33 and 34: 3.3.2. The Economics of Multiple Na
Page 35 and 36: Table 3-2. Average Willingness to P
Page 37 and 38: Table 3-3. Personal Income and Prod
Page 39 and 40: impact. It is necessary to conduct
Page 41 and 42: 4.2. Key Site Details for the Analy
Page 43 and 44: approach allows examination of ques
Page 45 and 46: This average number of trips from t
Page 47 and 48: occasional flood and drought events
Page 49 and 50: The results of the regression yield
Page 51 and 52: gallons, which results in a value o
Page 53 and 54: Aransas distinguishes itself from C
Page 55 and 56: thresholds vary according the size
Page 57 and 58: The total number of full-time and p
Page 59 and 60: The County also shows a lower educa
Page 61 and 62: Refugio shows a rapid decrease in t
Page 63 and 64: IM t+ n ic = E t ic ⎡⎛ E × ⎢
Page 65 and 66: included an economic analysis of th
Page 67 and 68: Table 5-5. Employment Shift-Share A
Page 69 and 70: Fishing and related activities. The
Page 71 and 72: Figure 5-15. Employment change by s
Page 73 and 74: 5.3.2. Input-Output Analysis The in
Page 75 and 76: Calhoun Calhoun County’s experien
Page 77 and 78: an advantage, particularly in oyste
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Impacts on the Freshwater Inflows t
Page 81 and 82:
However, due to the lack of consist
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This implicitly assumes that flows
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for fresh product. This fishery wil
Page 87 and 88:
Elliot, D. (2007). Competitive Adva
Page 89 and 90:
Pearce, D. W. (1994). The MIT Dicti
Page 91 and 92:
The Nature Conservancy. (2002). "Na
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