The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) and The Aransas Project (TAP) have formalized their continuing relationship that began in 2016 to support conservation efforts in the Guadalupe River Basin.
“We are pleased to continue our cooperation with The Aransas Project,” said Darrell Nichols, General Manager and CEO of GBRA. “Relationships like this help strengthen conservation efforts that benefit both the environment and the communities that depend on these resources.”
TAP, a non-profit dedicated to protecting the Texas coast and the endangered whooping crane, has worked with GBRA for nearly a decade to promote conservation strategies that benefit conservation in the region. While TAP’s work and GBRA’s Guadalupe River Habitat Conservation Plan (GRHCP) are separate efforts, both organizations recognize the importance of protecting at-risk and endangered species, including the whooping crane, demonstrating the synergy in conservation efforts.
“I continue to be amazed,” said Jim Blackburn, President and lead attorney for TAP. “First, we were opponents in court, and now, over the years that we have worked together through these agreements, we have come to trust each other in ways that many would have thought to be impossible. We have found a way to put aside our differences and work to find common ground. I honestly believe that the whooping cranes and the water users within the basin will both benefit from this effort.”
GBRA is currently developing the GRHCP, a comprehensive, multi-species conservation initiative designed to encompass the entirety of the Guadalupe River Basin. The plan aims to balance sustainable water resource management with the conservation of both at-risk and endangered species, ensuring regulatory compliance under the Endangered Species Act.
GBRA and TAP reaffirm their shared commitment to protecting threatened and endangered species and the Guadalupe River habitats. By maintaining an open dialogue, the organizations will continue to work toward mutual cooperation supportive of efforts that promote responsible water management and habitat protection.