Grand Bay Reserve, Mississippi

Location: The reserve is located in Jackson County in southeast Mississippi between Pascagoula and the Alabama state line. Total Acreage: 18,400 Designation: 1999 Lead State Agency: Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. Mailing Address: Grand Bay Reserve 6005 Bayou Heron Road Moss Point, MS 39562 Phone: 228-475-7047

The Grand Bay Reserve is one of the most biologically productive estuarine ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico region, supporting several rare or endangered plant and animal species, numerous important marine fishery resources, diverse habitat types and archaeological sites

The reserve encompasses coastal bay, expansive saltwater marshes, maritime pine forest, pine savanna and pitcher plant bogs. It supports extensive and productive oyster reefs and seagrass habitats. It also serves as nursery area for many of the Gulf of Mexico's important recreational and commercial marine species, such as shrimp, blue crab, speckled trout, red fish.

As part of the Grand Bay Savannah Conservation Partnership, the Grand Bay Reserve is participating in a prescribed burn management program for the East Mississippi Sound Region. This project is widely supported by local and state government agencies as well as the oil and gas industry with facilities in adjacent fire-dependent woodlands.