The Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve is a federal and state partnership that conducts research, education and stewardship programs, with funding provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is managed by the University of Texas Marine Science Institute.
About the Reserve
The mission of the Mission-Aransas Reserve is to develop and facilitate partnerships that enhance coastal decision-making through an integrated program of research, education and stewardship. The Reserve has three primary goals:
- to improve knowledge of Texas coastal zone ecosystems structure and function,
- to promote understanding of coastal ecosystems by diverse audiences, and
- to promote public appreciation and support for stewardship of coastal resources.
The Mission-Aransas Reserve is administered by the University of Texas, but works in partnership with many, including: Texas General Land Office, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Coastal Bend Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Fennessey Ranch, Texas Department of Transportation, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuary Program, and a representative from the local community.
Fast Facts
186,189
acres for research and conservation
#3
among largest national estuarine research reserves
1 of 5
NERRs in the Gulf of Mexico and the only one in Texas
For Researchers
The Reserve boundary is a 185,708 acre contiguous complex of wetland, terrestrial, and marine environments. The Reserve research and monitoring programs provide a tremendous amount of information on the Mission-Aransas Estuary and make this system an ideal location to conduct estuarine research.
The land is primarily coastal prairie with unique oak motte habitats. The wetlands include riparian habitat, and freshwater and salt water marshes. Within the water areas, the bays are large, open, and include extensive wind tidal flats, seagrass meadows, mangroves, and oyster reefs. These unique and diverse estuarine habitats in the western Gulf of Mexico support a variety of commercially and recreationally important fish and shellfish species and are host to several endangered and threatened species, including the endangered Whooping Crane. The majority of the estuary within the Reserve is publicly owned by the Texas General Land Office and permits to establish research infrastructure can be requested through their leasing division. Requests for the Research within Goose Island State Park and the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge require special permission from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, respectively. The reserve also oversees and provides researchers access to Fennessey Ranch, a preserved site owned by The University of Texas and located in Refugio, Texas.
Learn more about Fennessey Ranch
Site Profile
The Reserve has developed a “site profile” which summarizes much of our current knowledge about the Mission-Aransas Estuary. The Ecology and Sociology of the Mission-Aransas Estuary: An Estuarine and Watershed Profile provides researchers and resource managers with basic information about the different physical ecosystem components, ecological processes, habitats, and watershed characteristics of the Mission-Aransas Estuary. It also includes potential research topics that will address gaps in our knowledge, as well as major issues of concern.
Opportunities for Students
The goal of the Reserve research program is to improve the understanding of Texas coastal zone ecosystems structure and function.
The Reserve offers several opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students. National fellowships and paid internships are available on a competitive basis for students interested in estuarine science. Contact Research Coordinator Dr. Victoria Congdon, for more information.
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Graduate Research Assistants
The Reserve provides an opportunity for one Graduate Research Assistant to conduct work within the Reserve. Applicant must be a University of Texas student.
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Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship
This two-year fellowship program provides graduate students with the opportunity to conduct collaborative research at one of the 30 national estuarine research reserves. Through a research project, fellows address a key reserve management need to help scientists and communities understand coastal challenges that may influence future policy and management strategies. Applicants must be a US citizen. More information at: https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/research/davidson-fellowship.html
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Undergraduate Internships
At any time, we may have a small number of internships available for qualified University of Texas undergraduates willing to work semi-independently for at least 20 hours per week for an entire semester. The internship includes the opportunity to acquire research credits (9-12 credit hours) by working as an undergraduate research assistant. Projects focus on furthering our understanding of the Mission-Aransas Estuary and typically involve both field research and laboratory analyses. The internship is located in Port Aransas, Texas at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute. Please contact the Research Coordinator, Dr. Victoria Congdon, (vcongdon@utexas.edu) for additional details.
The National Estuarine Research Reserve Association (NERRA) also offers an undergraduate scholarship to conduct ecological, biological, or social science research in cooperation with the professional staff of a Reserve. The scholarship was created to provide one or more students with a scholarship of $750 to $1000, to assist in his/her post-secondary education. This is an annual competition and additional information can be found on the NERRA website.