It is considered one of the most productive and important estuaries in the country. About 90 percent of the commercially harvested seafood species in the Gulf of Mexico require estuarine systems like Galveston Bay for one or more of their life stages. The Galveston Bay National Estuary Program recently completed a five-year study of this ecosystem and found that 20 percent of wetlands have been lost since the 1950s, primarily due to subsidence. These wetlands along the bay's edge are essential nursery areas providing habitat for birds, fish, shellfish, and many other plants and animals. Fresh water ecosystems are essential sources of water supplies for humans and wildlife, but they are also important for flood control and irrigation and are used for many recreational activities.
Freshwater ecosystems have already or are likely to be highly modified.
The two largest alterations of freshwater habitat were the creation of Lake Conroe and Lake Houston. The most natural freshwater ecosystems are those surrounded by bottomland forested wetlands, such as those to the south of Houston or in the Wallisville area. At least 50 percent of these bottomland forests are threatened by wood chipping operations, agricultural uses, and residential development. The Foresight Committee recognizes that the ecosystems surrounding our region are our heritage. It is important that the region take responsibility for its own ecosystems and provide for their long-term health and vitality.