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July-August-September 2014 Reporter Issue #123

50–40th Anniversary Celebrations Scheduled Oct. 11

Pres. Jan Ruppel Walles Chair of Art, has held commit- . tee meetings and After lunch, visitors led discussions will enjoy the - to plan for cele- Coushatta Tribal bration of BTA’s Dancers. At BTA’s first deigned to celebrate 50 years of work annual “Get Together” and service for Big Thicket causes as January 9, 1965, a well as BTNP’s 40w year record of highlight of that program achievement. Activity gets under- included the Indian way on Oct. 11 at 9:00 AM with the dancers, and they have membership’s annual business meet- performed at most of our ing. The President, Treasurer and subsequent anniversary committees will report–maybe pass pro­grams, becoming a The Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Dancers will a few resolutions. tradition. perform at the Oct. 11 anniversary celebrations. The Program (draft inserted) At 1:45 members report on that project. Michael Hoke, begins at 9:30 AM with recognition and visitors may choose between BTA Board Member, will talk about of guests and presentations of awards. numerous activities. Big Thicket plans for the Neches Adventure Speakers include The Hon. authors will autograph books sold aboard the “Ivorybill”! Adrian Van Jim Turner former district in the Preserve Visitor Center. Dr. Dellen, author of Let the River Run Representative; Andy Jones, Pete Gunter, Dr. F.E. Abernethy, Wild; Saving the Neches, will discuss Office Director, The Conservation Adrian Van Dellen, Renee Hart, Hon. proposals for a Neches Wild and Fund; Dr. Pete Gunter, former Ken Pelt, and Wanda Landrey have Scenic River. BTA President/ confirmed attendance; others are There will be conservation group Author/Profes­ pending. exhibits, including the sor; and. Colin Concurrently, four presentations Black Bear Task Force. Among the Campbell, begin in the Visitor Center attractions are: Kids Crafts (provided Deputy Regional Auditorium with Ellen Buchanan, by Shangri La), Earth Caching, Director NPS/ BTNHT president, presiding. Jerry Hiking, and Walking History with IMR (not Rashall, Village Creek State Park the Cowboys. confirmed). Supt., will report on the Park’s th Keynote speaker 20 anniversary. Mona Halvorsen, (continued, page 3) Hon. Jim Turner is Keith Carter, Thicket of Diversity Director, will Conservation Outlook

Longleaf Ridge Conservation Wildlife Department and the , Big Thicket Association, Easement Purchased Wild Turkey Federation to restore Beaumont Convention & Visitor’s By Janice Bezanson (TCA) more acreage in Longleaf Ridge. Bureau, and LNVA. Campbell Global and The Nature Cook’s Lake to Scatterman Longleaf Ridge … is a large block of Conservancy hope to jointly seek Paddling Trail provides an mostly undeveloped forestland, rec- funding for additional conservation opportunity to experience the ognized by Texas Parks and Wildlife easements in the area. biological diversity of the Big Thicket Department and other public and National Preserve. These two oxbow private organizations for its natural Sierra Group lakes are abandoned river channels. diversity and scenery… Hosts Environmental Attorney Paddlers experience a beautiful The Longleaf Ridge easement Jim Blackburn, environmental attor- moss-draped bald cypress and water was purchased with funding from ney and co-founder of Galveston Bay tupelo forest that will make them feel the federal Forest Legacy Program, Foundation, will speak at the Golden like early explorers without actually administered by the U.S. Forest Triangle Sierra Group meeting on paddling too far from civilization. Service, as well as funding from The Thursday, September 11, at 7:00 Entry fees and sponsorships will Nature Conservancy. The Forest PM. His topic is “Landscape-Scale support BTA’s mission of promoting Legacy Program prevents lands that Green Space Solutions for Hurricane conservation, environmental are important for timber production Surge Damage Reduction.” A recep- education classes, and scientific and unique environmental tion begins at 6:00 PM at the Unity research in the Big Thicket National importance from being converted Church, 1555 S. 23rd, Beaumont. Preserve. Additional information and to non-forest uses… The talk covers two landscape- on-line registration is on the web-site The land under easement scale projects developed at the www.bigthicket.org . The registration is managed by Campbell Global SPEED Center at Rice University. fee includes a T-shirt and lunch. Call (formerly The Campbell Group), that The first project is the Lone Star 409-790-5399 for other information. manages large forestland holdings Coastal in Longleaf Ridge. The easement (LSCNRA) that would create a unit Workshop November 15 will allow existing land uses such of the NPS by connecting existing A Workshop will be as timber harvest and hunting to preserved areas along the upper held on November 15 from 10:00 continue, but prohibits all future Texas coast in Chambers, Galveston, AM-4:00 PM organized by the subdivision and development. Texas Brazoria and Matagorda counties. Neches River Watershed Sentinels Forest Service will enforce the The second project proposes a [501(c)(3)]. easement… Texas Coastal exchange to create The meeting will be held inside The Longleaf Ridge area contains a system for buying and selling the Group Dining Hall in the Walnut other scenic attributes – more ecological services from restored Ridge Unit of Martin Dies, Jr. State than a dozen pristine watersheds, coastal prairies, bottomlands, Park, north of US 190. Coffee and waterfalls, and hilltop views. Unique marshes and oyster reefs in these lunch will be provided. An alert features protected by the easement counties. in October will request RSVPs. include a clear sand-bottom creek, The Workshop will focus on the rock outcrops, beech forests, and Neches River Rally & Steinhagen Lake issue, including bogs which are home to wild orchids Paddling Trail threats, opportunities and solutions. and insect-eating pitcher plants... On Sept. 6 BTA will host the Neches The land protected by the new River Rally. The TP&WD will des- East Texas Black Bear Task easement was long managed by ignate an Official Paddling Trail – Force Meeting, August 27 Temple-Inland, Inc. About one- a loop trail from the Neches River Nathan Garner, Interim Chairman, fourth of the easement is in natural through Cooks Lake and Scatter- reported that the Task Force met or planted . Campbell man Lake within the National Pre- August 27 at Saratoga from 10:00 Global has ongoing partnership serve’s Beaumont Unit. Community AM- 3:00 PM at the Big Thicket agreements with Texas Parks and Partners are Big Thicket National Field Research Station. Speakers

2 July-August-September 2014 Big Thicket Reporter #123 Conservation Outlook (continued from page 2) included Bruce Walker (BTA); Mona NWR Events may join in the “Big Sit” – a 17-foot Halvorsen (ATBI-ToD); Dave Hold- On July 19 Trinity River National diameter circle – and identify all ermann (TP&W); Gary Calkins Wildlife Refuge held its second annual the they see and hear. (3) Oct. (TP&W); Stuart Marcus (Trin- Moth Night Out at the Refuge head- 25 during National Wildlife Week, ity River NWR); Dr. Chris Comer quarters in Liberty. The Refuge has the Refuge volunteers will count (SFASU); Gilbert Adams (Bear Trust documented over 500 species of butterflies in the Tarkington Prairie International). moths around their building. and Gaylor Lake area, meeting at 9:00 Topics covered included East Texas Three activities are scheduled for AM at the Valero Gas station at SH105 black bear conservation, research coming months: (1) On Sept. 27 the and Hwy 321 south of Cleveland. For and management activities and other Refuge and its Friends group will more information, please call Stuart wildlife conservation issues. Updates host a trash cleanup day at the SH Marcus at 936-336-9786. were provided on East Texas Black 105 bridge on Saturday as a part of Bear Task Force activities since the National Public Lands Day events. last meeting. (2) On Sunday, Oct. 12, participants

th 50–40 Anniversary Celebrations (continued from page 1)

Jackson Award The R.E. Jackson Conservation Award for 2014 honors Buddy and Ellen Temple of Lufkin. The Temples have a long and exceptional record for preservation of our natural heritage in East Texas and beyond for over 50 years – as individuals, through corporate initiatives, and through foundations. From 2006 to the present, the T. L. L. Temple Foundation has contributed generously to the BTA/BTNP partnership for an All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory— Thicket of Diversity. That support has enabled the identification of new species to the Preserve, to Texas, and to science. That’s only ONE example of a long and remarkable record. The catalog of their preservation work is too extensive to chronicle here, but we will make an attempt to cover the highlights on Oct. 11.

Lubbert Award The Thomas E. Lubbert Superior Achievement Award for 2014 recognizes Ful- ton Jeansonne for his outstanding services to the Big Thicket National Preserve. Buddy and Ellen Temple are the Under his direction fire has been used as a management tool to maintain native recipients of the 2014 R.E. Jackson plant communities and to control non-native species. His work has contributed Conservation Award. to restoration of longleaf pine uplands in Hickory Creek Savannah and Turkey Creek Units. Jeansonne worked with architects to plan a fire office in Woodville. The building was dedicated in 2008. In addition to Preserve duties, Jeansonne has been assigned by NPS to fight fires in numerous wildfires nationwide.

Big Thicket Reporter #123 July-August-September 2014 3 Preserve Overview Ann Roberts | Co-Editor upt. Douglas Neighbor has returned to Big Thicket after serving as interim superinten- dent at Carlsbad Caverns while NPS-IMR searched for a new superintendent there. SHere are the highlights of a report Neighbor provided at the BTA meeting on July 12. During the last couple of months, 3 Fire Management Environmental Assessment. Feral tracts totaling approximately 719.5 Prescribed burns have been com- Hog Management Plan FONSI has acres were added to the Big Sandy pleted at Hickory Creek, Solo Tract, been completed; we can now begin Creek Corridor Unit. The acquisition North Turkey Creek, and at the Ranch addressing hog damage problem with project has also begun for three of the House. Staff assisted Texas Forest a hog removal program. The Pre- tracts owned by the Big Thicket Natu- Service in teaching Beaumont Fire serve works with Stephen F. Austin ral Heritage Trust near Canyonlands Department’s firefighting class. A fire University to conduct archeological Unit, Turkey Creek Corridor Unit, crew is preparing a prescribed burn inventories for the Preserve; close to and Menard Creek Corridor Unit. for Big Sandy Creek Unit. 7,000 museum catalog records entered into ICMS. Volunteers from Administration Interpretation, Education, Zoo Alternative Spring Break group For FY14, the Preserve received an and Partnerships planted seeds purchased for Native additional $132,000. Kenneth Hyde Mary Kay Manning attended a science Plant Nursery Project at Kountze arrived to serve as Chief of Resources teachers’ convention in Port Arthur High School. DESCO, a Company Management in July, having previ- contacting 125 teachers, as well as a doing work for NEPA and other envi- ously served as Chief of Resources number of high school students and ronmental projects, completed tallow in three other NPS units. The search vendors who were interested in the treatment in Beaumont Unit. The for Chief of Interpretation should be Preserve. Three Teacher-Ranger- Exotic Plant Management Team con- complete soon. Summer seasonals Teachers have been hired with 2 tractors worked on tallow treatments were assigned to Interpretation, Main- from Kountze and 1 from Beaumont. in Lance Rosier Unit. tenance, Resource Management, Fire Christi Knapp, SCA intern, has made Management, and Administration. high-quality maps of the Kirby Nature BTNP Prohibits the Use of Trail, Turkey Creek Nature Trial, and Unmanned Aircraft Facilities Management the Sandhill Loop Trail. The e- In June Acting Supt. Merrick Moody Seasonals are working on board- Kiosk has been installed. Mary Kay announced that Big Thicket National walks, installing new pavilions at the Manning and Deanna Boensch are Preserve the Preserve will prohibit Visitor Center, and completing con- developing new wayside exhibits to the launching, operation, and land- crete work around 12 new vault toi- replace the two at the north end of the ing of unmanned aircraft from or on lets. Bicycle racks will be installed to Turkey Creek Trail. A new panel will lands and waters administered by anticipate the completion of the new replace the existing wayside panel on the within the Bicycle Path from Kountze. Land- the inner loop of the Sundew Trail. boundaries of the Big Thicket National scape restoration has been completed Preserve except as approved in writ- on the Kirby Nature Trail; ADA acces- Resources Management ing by the Superintendent. sible sidewalks for comfort stations The IMR agreed to provide funding are complete. to complete a Finding of no Signifi- cant Impact (FONSI) for the Fire

4 July-August-September 2014 Big Thicket Reporter #123 East Texas Miscellany Hardin County Hike and Bike Trail By Brandi Haskett (Excerpt from Beaumont Examiner August 7, 2014) When walking along what will be the cyclists from across the area. Eager According to Sarah Dupre, public new hike and bike trail in Kountze, locals will be excited to know that the information officer for Texas Depart- one can’t help but be mesmerized by completion of the new trail, which ment of Transportation, the project, colorful flowers and aromatic pines, runs parallel with North Highway 69, which broke ground Jan. 13, 2014, and along with the smell of sweet honey- is nearing completion. The paved path will cost approximately $2.7 million, suckle. The new hike and bike trail starts near Kountze Trade Days and is due to be completed at the end of will be the perfect outdoor place for cuts through the wooded area along this summer…. the residents of Kountze as well as the Big Thicket for nearly seven miles. 19TH Teaching Environmental Science Summer Institute For the 19th year Lamar University’s Prof. James Westgate organizes the testing kits and learn how to use them Dept. of Earth & Space Sciences held program, and each institute includes on-site to analyze stream quality. its 10-day institute for 12th grade teach- field trips into the Big Thicket National Participants also explored Shangri La ers in conjunction with Region 5 Sci- Preserve. On July 19 the group toured Botanical Gardens and Nature Center ence Collaborative, local industries the Neches River, in Orange. and environmental organizations. and Cooks Lake. Teachers use water PROMISE TO GERALDINE I made a promise were begun but not completed, the southern section, and the Road to Geraldine Wat- and in each BTA recommended the from Youngblood Road (formerly son, and I need restoration and maintenance of the ZigZagRoad) to Timber Slough Road help to keep it. historic Road. The pending GMP may not be recovered. After the Big includes the Old Wagon Road. After Hurricane Rita, the Preserve Thicket National As Geraldine’s health deteriorated, Maintenance personnel with seasonal Preserve became she confessed that she thought the trail workers tried to find the trail, and a reality, Geraldine Watson began to would be lost as pioneers perished and they called for help. The Jack Gore work for the Preserve, charged with Preserve personnel moved to other Baygall Unit southern area had been identifying plants in all of its disjunct parks. I promised to keep it flagged. devastated by the hurricane. We units and to interpret and record As a former Field Trip Committee located a felled tree with a blue relevant data. Her mission was not chair for the BTA, I have led numerous rectangle and for several weeks limited to nature. One outstanding groups down that trail and held worked ahead of the crew, reflagging example was the validation of an frequent “workdays” to maintain it – the route. Having lost forest cover, Old Wagon Road through Jack Gore usually with BTA and Houston Sierra shrubs soon began to reclaim the Baygall. With the help of pioneers – Club group volunteers. Occasionally, trail, and BTNP and local people have the Ards, Son Gordon, I.C. Eason, BTNP volunteers joined us, who attempted to keep the trail open. Ernest Spell and others, she flagged supplied paint to mark trees with However, the last half of the trail the route, and recorded its history in blue rectangles. On one occasion, a from the top of the Neches bluff line to her Reflections on the Neches. resource specialist joined us to clear Youngblood Road needs a lot of work. NPS requires that all development logs and silt from the Blue Springs Please join me on September 20 in an be established and approved in (there were three; now there are effort to reclaim this section. Bring General Management Plans. The two). The Springs provided water for water, lunch, repellent, and wear 1980 plan included a loop trail to the horses on the Wagon Road and also appropriate clothing. Let me know if Blue Springs, and half of the trail was water to wash clothing for nearby you can join us on Youngblood Road subsequently developed with bridges homes. [We once found a metal at FM 2937 at 9:00 AM. over streamlets – but never opened washtub and draped it over a stump.] –Maxine Johnston, Editor to the public. Several updated GMPs Unfortunately, we concentrated on ([email protected])

Big Thicket Reporter #123 July-August-September 2014 5 Big Thicket Association NONPROFIT ORG. P.O. Box 198 U.S. POSTAGE Saratoga, TX 77585-0198­ PAID PERMIT NO. 1

Big Thicket Reporter published bimonthly by Big Thicket Association (www.bigthicket.org) Editors Maxine Johnston | Ann Roberts ([email protected]) Layout Connie Blakley ([email protected]) Send address changes to address noted above

WEB SITES UPCOMING EVENTS Big Thicket Association September 6 www.bigthicket.org Neches River Rally / TPWD designates Official Paddling Trail:on-line Big Thicket National Preserve registration at website www.bigthicket.org . The registration fee includes www.nps.gov/bith a T-shirt and lunch. Call 409-790-5399 East Texas Black Bear Task Force www.bbcc.org September 11 6:00 PM: GT Sierra Club presents James Blackburn, environmental Conservation Fund www.conservationfund.org attorney, at the Unity Church, Beaumont Gulf States Mycological Society September 20 www.gsmyco.org BTA volunteer workday on Jack Gore Baygall’s Old Wagon Road Trail; contact [email protected] National Audubon Society www.goldentriangleaudubon.org September 27 www.houstonaudubon.org National Public Lands Day, 9:00-11:00 AM, Trash cleanup at Trinity National Parks Conserv. Assoc. River Bridge on 105, Trinity River NWR. Contact Stuart Marcus, www.npca.org 936-336-9786 Native Plant Society of Texas October 5 (Sunday) www.npsot.org 10:AM: Michael Eckenfels will lead a tour of Watson Rare Native Nature Conservancy Plant Preserve and talk about native bees. Contact Pauline Singleton www.nature.org/texas ([email protected]) Outdoor Nature Club, Houston www.outdoornatureclub.org October 11 50th – 40th anniversaries BTA and Big Thicket National Preserve Sierra Club Golden Triangle Group www.texas.sierraclub.org/triangle October 12 (Sunday) Texas Conservation Alliance “Big Sit” Week: Identify birds. www.TCAtexas.org October 25 Village Creek State Park Butterfly Count, 9:00 AM – Trinity River NWR. Meet at the Valero gas wwww.tpwd.state.tx.us.park station at SH105 and Hwy 321 south of Cleveland.

6 July-August-September 2014 Big Thicket Reporter #123