The Gulf-Houston Region is situated in one of the most ecologically diverse major urban areas in the country. The forests, prairies, savannahs, bayous, bottomlands, coastlines and ocean around Gulf-Houston Region comprise ten ecoregions: seven land-based and three water-based. Ecoregions are large areas of land or water that contain geographically distinct assemblages of species, natural communities, and environmental conditions. Click on the links below to learn more about our local natural world.