Wetland Education Center is window to marine habitat

Guided and self-guided tours of the WEC are available to visitors. Salt marshes are some of the most ecologically productive habitats on the planet, and that is just one of the facts visitors learn when they walk through the Wetlands Education Center just 50 yards from the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute’s visitors’ center.

This man-made 3.6-acre wetlands is next to sand dunes that help protect the island from storm surges, and is part of the 185,000-acre Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve. Visitors to the center will gain an understanding of and appreciation for the role each facet of a wetland plays in supporting and maintaining the productivity of the coastal zone. Preservation of coastal wetlands and estuaries is vital to the health of area bays and the Gulf of Mexico. The grasses and shallow waters dissipate storm surges and prevent erosion, acting as natural buffers between land and sea. Educating school children and visitors about the importance of wetlands to both nature and man is the objective of the WEC.

Look for the geodetic marker on your right as you enter the wetlands – this pyramid-shaped marker provides distances to other National Estuarine Research Reserves throughout the United States. Each of the center’s seven kiosks has a display describing the areas, plants and wildlife that kiosk highlights. It is also a great opportunity to observe a variety of birds including gulls, terns, herons, hawks and pelicans. Green sea turtles, fish and crabs are sometimes seen from the bridge. The access to interior boardwalks is limited to guided tour groups. Visitors are asked to stay on the boardwalk at all times, as this is an extremely sensitive habitat.

Open seven days a week, the handicapped-accessible center features self-guided tours. Free guided tours are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. For questions about the guided tours contact Colleen McCue, (361) 749-6833.

Guided tours start at the entrance to the WEC. To get there, take Cotter Avenue toward the beach. Turn left at the UTMSI entrance and park in the lot, then take the path across the lawn to the entrance of the center. Don’t forget to visit the visitors’ center and pick up some souvenirs before you leave.

For more information on the Wetlands Education Center, contact Sara Pelleteri at (361) 749-6764 or email, sarapel@mail.utexas.edu.