Virtually no public access currently exists by land to the landscapes on this part of the coast, except for a federal wildlife refuge, although two major projects are planned here: a 2,300-acre Powderhorn Ranch State Park and a 6,400-acre Green Lake Park.

“There is a lot of focus on all kinds of different aspects of conserving those natural resources now, while we still can,” said James Dodson, founder of the San Antonio Bay Partnership. “There are a lot of proposed new industrial facilities and things.”

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Most of this area was once grazed by cattle, Dodson said. Dredging of a ship channel offshore altered the coastline. Thirsty upstream cities have dried up the rivers that used to spill their regular freshwater floods over all of this region.

But in general, it retains its natural shape and many of its old trees, as it was never cleared and flattened for agriculture.