PREFACE 



The refuges on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico contain some of the most 

 productive marsh and estuarine systems for fish and wildlife in the Nation. 

 Many of the refuges support a wide variety of land-use practices and have a 

 history of oil and gas activities. Energy development, not only on the re- 

 fuges, but also on adjacent lands and waters, and on the Outer Continental 

 Shelf (OCS), will place additional stress on the refuges; therefore, it is 

 necessary to devise methods and standards of operation to minimize impacts of 

 the energy development program. 



The objective of this study was to develop a report which describes and 

 documents the management of oil and gas development on wildlife refuges along 

 the Louisiana and Texas coasts through an analysis of guidelines, standards, 

 and stipulations imposed on development activities in these areas. The report 

 will also assist land managers and other decisionmakers in planning and manag- 

 ing oil and gas development on other public lands; it will help them prepare 

 and review environmental impact statements and permits. 



This refuge manager's manual is the third of three products. The first 

 is a comprehensive technical report (printed in limited number for refuge man- 

 agers) that describes and evaluates former and present practices on wildlife 

 refuges to prevent and alleviate adverse impacts of oil and gas operations. 

 The second product is a 66-page illustrated handbook, intended as an introduc- 

 tory reference that briefly highlights the activities and impacts associated 

 with oil and gas development. 



The refuge manager faced with decisions about petroleum development on 

 his lands needs additional and more detailed information than is present in 

 the handbook. On the other hand, the long-report is comprehensive and bulky, 

 containing information essential to the study itself but not crucial for re- 

 fuge management decisions. In recognition of these facts, the extended report 

 has been condensed into a manager's manual, the third product. Four categories 

 of information have been removed: 



1) Ecosystems Diagrams (ESD's) - The analyses in this study were based on 

 ecosystem diagrams, with on base diagram constructed for each coastal 

 ecosystems type (coastal uplands, salt marsh, brackish marsh, fresh marsh. 



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