Big Thicket Reporter - 2005/09/16

BRADY SECURES $2 MILLION FOR BIG THICKET EXPANSION

Washington, D.C., July 28, 2005 - U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-The Woodlands) today announced that the Big Thicket National Preserve is slated to receive $2 million in federal funding to purchase lands along Village Creek, Big Sandy Creek, and the Canyonlands to help connect existing land parcels within the boundaries of the Thicket. The 2006 Interior Appropriations conference bill was approved in the House today.

“The Big Thicket is an East Texas treasure and provides our region with both natural and economic resources. This funding will help preserve the Thickets continuity and help strengthen the Preserve’s future,” said Brady.

Congressman Brady and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) worked to ensure that the funding was put in this year's interior appropriations bill. The Big Thicket preserve is the only National Preserve in the State of Texas.

“The National Park Service is excited that the Preserve is going to be able to continue the acquisition of valuable lands already authorized by Congress on behalf of the American public. We appreciate the diligence of Congressman Brady and Senator Hutchison in securing this important funding. These funds will be used to acquire lands from willing sellers. The NPS will add these lands and in the process protect some truly magnificent resources of the Big Thicket for the use and enjoyment of future generations,” said Art Hutchinson, Superintendent of the Big Thicket National Preserve.

The lands along Village Creek, Big Sandy Creek, and the Canyonlands were designated as a part of the Big Thicket National Preserve in 1993 and have been offered to the National Park Service for purchase.

Earlier this month the National Park Service, Centex Homes, and The Conservation Fund announced the purchase of an additional 4,000 acres of forestland for the Big Thicket National Preserve. The funding for that purchase was a collaboration of a capstone grant from Centex Homes Land Legacy Fund and federal support from the Land and Water Conversation Fund. Today's passage of the Interior Appropriations including a $2 million set aside for the Big Thicket will help this effort even further.

It is estimated that the available funds will add approximately 3,000 acres to the Big Thicket, which currently includes 87,000 acres in 7 counties.

The National Parks Conversation Association designation of Big Thicket National Preserve as one of America’s Ten Most Endangered Parks further underscores the importance to today’s announcement.

N.P.C.A. STUDY REPORTS ON BIG THICKET THREATS

Washington, D.C. – A new report by the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) says that the health of Big Thicket National Preserve in East Texas will be compromised by unplanned development and lack of funding if greater attention is not paid to this national treasure.

“Despite the efforts of Texas’s congressional delegation, Big Thicket is not out of the woods yet,” said NPCA Vice President for Government Affairs Craig Obey. “More money is needed to purchase the land that surrounds Big Thicket’s scattered units to protect this treasure from the effects of reckless development.”

Over the past few years, more than 2 million acres of timber-company land surrounding the preserve have been put up for sale. NPCA’s new State of the Parks report reveals that ad hoc commercial, industrial, and residential development of this land enables non-native and invasive plants and feral animals to invade the preserve; subjects the preserve’s delicate ecosystem to pesticides and fertilizers; interferes with fire management; and cuts off wildlife migration routes.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) requested $3.6 million for land acquisition needs at Big Thicket in the fiscal year 2006 Interior Appropriations bill to purchase the Village Creek Corridor, which was added to the park in 1993 as part of the Big Thicket National Preserve Addition Act. It is estimated that at least another $8 million is needed for the National Park Service to acquire all of the remaining lands provided within the 1993 legislation.

However, land added to the park as part of the 1993 legislation does not include 2 million acres of former timber company land surrounding the park that was recently sold to developers and other private interests. Big Thicket does not have the authority to purchase lands or hold conservation easements outside its congressionally authorized boundaries, so for the sake of protecting the park, NPCA is advocating that this change.

“More must be done to enable the Park Service to add threatened lands beyond Big Thicket’s current boundary,” Obey added. “Time is running out to protect this national treasure for our children and grandchildren.”

The report also calls attention to the potentially destructive effects of expanding U.S. Highway 69 to a 72-mile, four-lane highway near the preserve. The proposals to construct Fastrill Reservoir and Rockland Dam would affect water flows in the Neches River, which runs for 85 miles through Big Thicket. The preserve’s ecosystems depend on healthy flows in the Neches. NPCA believes that such urban development could be devastating for wildlife and would compromise the experiences of visitors, as wildlife watching and hunting opportunities would be negatively affected. The public has been invited to comment on the Neches River proposals, which are part of regional plans that the State of Texas is developing to address water needs throughout the state.

According to the report, Big Thicket is also plagued by a lack of sufficient annual funding. The park has just three law enforcement rangers to patrol the park’s 15 units to ensure visitors are safe, plants and wildlife are not poached, and illegal dumping is halted. Experts are needed to manage the park’s archival and museum collections and maintain historic buildings and sites that tell the stories of Big Thicket's human history. Currently the park’s dedicated staff provides educational opportunities for 4,000 schoolchildren annually; with greater resources the park could reach many more of the children in Houston, Beaumont, and other communities within 100 miles of the preserve.

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-8-TX) is considering legislation that would provide greater protection to the preserve and aid the National Park Service in its efforts to teach visitors about Big Thicket’s natural wonders, human history, and educational and recreational opportunities.

The 97,000-acre Big Thicket National Preserve—consisting of 15 small units scattered across seven Texas counties—was created in 1974 to protect the precious remnants of a vast and unique landscape of incredible biological diversity that once covered more than 3.5 million acres of East Texas. The park was named to NPCA’s 2003 and 2004 lists of America’s Ten Most Endangered National Parks.

Conferees are expected to meet in the next two weeks to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the fiscal year 2006 Interior Appropriations bill, which include funding for National Park Service operations and land acquisition needs at Big Thicket. The bill is expected to pass Congress and on the president’s desk for his signature before the beginning of August.

NPCA launched the landmark State of the Parks program in 2000 to assess the health of national parks across the country. The product of a year-and-a-half-long analysis, “Big Thicket National Preserve: A Resource Assessment,” is the 24th NPCA State of the Parks report. The full report and additional information about NPCA’s State of the Parks program are available at: www.npca.org/stateoftheparks

You can also obtain copies from BTA either write BTA at P.O. Box 198 Saratoga 77585 or e-mail johnmx@quik.com.

PARTNERS IN LAND LEGACY

The Conservation Fund and NPS-BTNP joined forces on July 19 to honor Dallas-based Centex Homes for their gift of $600,000 for land acquisition in Big Thicket. Centex, a home building entity, leads that industry with its Land Legacy Fund that has now contributed more than $5,000,000 for land conservation initiatives since 1999. The announcement was made in the Hardin County Room at Ford Park followed by a luncheon and tour.

The CF news release aptly identified the project as a "creative conservation partnership," involving not only Centex, but also "elected officials, public agencies and conservation groups."

Andy Hannigan, Centex CEO, expressed the company commitment to protect "native habitats and sensitive lands." TCF president Larry Selzer noted threats to Big Thicket landscapes and thanked partners for "extraordinary leadership, vision and support." In behalf of BTA, Dr. Bruce Drury, Conservation Chair, thanked TCF, Centex and BTNP for their work

Once again, that redoubtable team of Andy Jones and Charles Hunt engineered a major triumph aided by support from their organizations and the largesse of Centex. BTA tips its collective hat to creative partnerships like this!

Among the guests were Lydia Damrel of Cong. Kevin Brady's office and Holley Rivers of Cong. Ted Poe's office. County Commissioners Ken Pelt and Bobby Franklin attended and nine BTA directors were present.

GHOST ROAD EVENT

Saturday, June 6, the troops gathered at the south end of Ghost Road Scenic Drive, a Hardin County Park, to unveil a Historical Marker authorized by the Texas Historical Commission, and to dedicate Ghost Road as a County park. Now visitors can find the Road easily and learn about its history.

A partnership of organizations combined to "interpret" the Road including Hardin County Commissioners Court, BTA, Kountze Chamber of Commerce, and Kountze Middle School. Dallas Terminal Railway donated rails and Saratoga Timber Company donated entrance signs. Grant funds came from the Texas Historical Commission and the Pineywoods Foundation. All these partners deserve a round of applause!

Dr. F. E. "Ab" Abernethy

Keynote speaker was Dr. F.E. "Ab" Abernethy, Dean of Texas Folklore, whose rousing rendition of "Praise the Lord, I Saw the Light!" brought a few chuckles. County Judge Billy Caraway welcomed the crowd and formally dedicated the park. Commissioner Ken Pelt presided, and former Eagle Scout - now Commissioner Bob Burgess, led the pledge to the flag. Rev. Alvin Tomlinson gave the invocation. Howard Perkins, Lamar University Press, also told a few yarns.

Harold Willis, former chair of the Hardin County Historical Commission, claimed he heard a train whistle - and so did we! Then Jimmy McKim and Rep. Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton unveiled the historical marker.

There are four pull-offs with message boards, and "interpreters" were stationed at each site. These included Wanda Landrey, Mary Catherine Johnston, Geraldine Watson, and James Williford.

This outstanding event could not have happened without Commissioner Pelt's leadership, and his exceptional staff delivered in fine style.

Planning ahead for longevity, those message boards are mounted on railroad rails, framed in angle-iron welded to steel plate and covered by Lexan glass.

A Big Thicket-size THANKS to all!

N.P.S FUNDING FY06

Recently, 78 House members and 37 Senators signed off on letters asking Interior Appropriations Subcommittees to increase the park operations budget for FY06 to $150 million. Texans who signed on the letters include Reps. Henry Cuellar, Gene Green and Sheila Jackson-Lee. The Senate on 6/29/05 called for a conference committee to resolve differences.

Senate Report 109-080 recommends $86,005,000 for land acquisition and state assistance from LWCF - a decrease from the enacted level but an increase over budget requests as well as the House recommendation.. Thanks to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Big Thicket funding for land acquisition includes $3.6 million.

CENTENNIAL ACT PROPOSED

The Goal of the Centennial Act (HR 1124 introd. 3/3/05 by Rep. Mark Souder, and S 886, introd. 4/21/05 by Sen. John McCain) is to make the NPS "healthy" again by its 100th birthday in 2016. NPS suffers from a multi-billion backlog and a $600 million annual operating deficit.

The Act proposes a National Park Centennial Fund enabled by a voluntary check-off on federal income tax returns. The fund would expire in 2016. The Fund would direct 60% for non-road backlog, the remaining to be addressed under the transportation bill, which funds roads, bridges, bike paths and trails. Reduction of natural and cultural resource backlogs would require 40% of the Fund.

In a poll conducted by Americans for National Parks in April 2005, 61 percent of likely voters expressed willingness to donate to the national parks if given the option on tax returns.

There are 48 co-sponsors in the House and five in the Senate. Didn't spot any Texans among them.

BLACK BEAR GROUP MET JULY 18

The final meeting of the East Texas Black Bear Working Group was held at Martin Dies State Park on July 18. Nathan Garner, Chair, distributed the final printed version of the Management Plan and commented on the results of ten public meetings held as well as the Opinion Survey mailed to 3,000 households.

Plans were laid for a new East Texas Black Bear Task Force to implement the Plan. Funds and services have been donated to help cover costs. Updates on recent bear activity were given.

WATER PLANNING GROUP - REGION I

Water Planning Groups throughout the State hosted public meetings recently, and Region I, the East Texas Group, scheduled three: Tyler, July 12; Nacogdoches, July 13, and Beaumont, July 14. BTA Conservation Chair Bruce Drury spoke at the Nacogdoches meeting, and Maxine Johnston represented BTA in Beaumont.

Engineer Gary Graham presented a power-point on the plan. The Executive Summary of the plan for 20 counties comprising Region I is online and "identifies" shortages totaling 172,662-feet per year. Counties reporting. shortages in acre-feet in excess of 20,000 acre-feet include Anderson, Jefferson, Nacogdoches, Orange, and Rusk counties.

Most of the speakers opposed the proposed reservoirs, which together would inundate more than 150,000 acres. Rockland Reservoir is considered an alternative strategy. Region C recommended construction of Fastrill, formerly called Weches.

Among the con-speakers were Judy Aronow, Center for Big Thicket Studies; Cathy Johnston, Big Thicket Natural Heritage Trust; Bill Tetley, GT Sierra and Texas Forestry Association; Judy Allen, BTA secretary; Michael Black, nature photographer; Christopher Brown, National Wildlife Federation; and Wendy Ledbetter, Nature Conservancy. John Robinson, a Silsbee engineer, and an LNVA spokesperson, favored planning for more reservoirs. Kathleen Jackson (Southeast Texas Plant Managers Forum) talked about industry water needs.

BTA NEWS

Issues Workshop: About 30 BTA members and friends assembled at Village Creek State Park Recreation Hall on July 9 to review issues and problems. Dr. Bruce Drury, Conservation Chair, presided. Among the presenters and their topics were:

• Continuing Issues/Problems, Dr. Pete Gunter, BTA past-pres., TCONR Task Force
• Fragmentation/Land Acquisition, Chuck Hunt, BTNP
• Fire Management/Longleaf pine habitat, Wendy Ledbetter, TNC
• Non-native Species/Bear Reintroduction etc., Curtis Hoagland, BTNP
• Habitat Restoration, Dr. Jeff Pittman, Lamar
• Visitor Use / Ecotourism, Kathi Hughes, BVCB
• Oil / Gas / US 69, Dr. Bruce Drury, Dr. Pete Gunter and Maxine Johnston
• Air / Water Quality, Dr. Richard Harrel, Lamar
• Water Planning / Reservoirs / National Wildlife Refuges. Flooding, Dr. Bruce Drury, Lamar; Allison Stamatis, UNTx), and Janice Bezanson, TCONR
• Alliances and Networks, Janice Bezanson

Recorders included Joe Liggio, Ann Roberts, Judy Allen, Rosalie Rogers, Judy Aronow, Marion Holt, Jan Ruppel, Cathy Johnston, and Rose Ann Jordan. Draft position statements will be prepared and considered at the annual meeting October 8.

Big Thicket Day, the annual membership and program meeting, is scheduled October 8 and will be held at the BTNP Field Research Station in Saratoga. Cathy Johnston is Program Chair.

BIG TREES

Tom Bean reported a reeeaaallly big cypress located on Cypress Creek near Kountze. We contacted TFS. Their report: "At one time, this tree was our state co-champion, measuring 422" in circumference, 100' in height, with an average crown spread of 61 feet."

The Texas champion baldcypress is in Real County - 438 inches in circumference, 96 ft. high with a crownspread of 112 inches. The National Register of Big Trees reports an individual in Cat Island LA at 644 inches / 83 ft. high / crown spread 85 ft.

Maybe this one is not a champ, but it's a big-un! Cypress Creek actually has a lot of big cypresses, and one wonders, has anyone ever walked the Creek - maybe from FM1003 to SH326 - or from there to US 69?

PINE ISLAND BAYOU TRIP

Dr. Grover Loughmiller and cousin Max decided to canoe Pine Island Bayou from SH 105 at Bevil Oaks to the Neches early in May. (Grover is the son of Campbell and Lynn. Remember BT Legacy?) Grover reports:

The first half of the section between 105 and 96 we had 22 major obstructions and about as many minor ones ... It took us 1-1/2 days to negotiate this section. The water was so low that we never saw any tributaries - only dry gulches …

By good fortune or Providence, we came to a huge obstruction about 5:30 Wednesday ... The last obstruction from then on ...

We encountered "night visitors" - a cat of some kind who came into our camp (probably attracted by our empty smoked oyster can that we foolishly brought along) and "screamed" his "breathy" scream, and then proceeded to circle our camp, letting out screams at about 3:00, 6:00, 9:00 and 12:00. I chose not to challenge him, and he eventually left us alone.

Another "encounter" involved a water moccasin ... my walking stick stirred him up, and he reared back with his "cottonmouth" open; however, when I nudged him with the stick, he slithered off to a pile of brush.

We traveled up Cooks Lake… past the Madonna tree, then up the other channel beside it - gorgeous! The water was too low to get from Cooks Lake to Scatterman, so we went down the Bayou to the Neches and up to Scatterman Lake … then reversed the water trail toward Cooks Lake ... eventually blockaded by cypress knees. However, the scenery up there and the quiet were breath-taking. A great trip!

WILSON HONORED BY THE V.A.

On July 7, the Veterans Administration renamed the DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Lufkin to honor former Cong. Charles Wilson. A large crowd gathered at Pitser Garrison Civic Center for the ceremony, and the platform was overloaded with dignitaries, starting with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson, Cong. Louie Gohmert, Lufkin Mayor Louis Bronaugh and other VA officials. Tribute followed tribute - a veritable tsunami.

Wife Barbara looked mighty pretty and proud. Former Cong. Jim Turner was there and so was his former aide Trent Ashby. Many of Wilson's former staff showed up, including Peyton Walters and Shaun Davis. We heard that Arthur Temple came, but we didn't get to say "howdy."

After the program, Charlie's greeting? "Maxine, we've got to find an ivory-bill in the Big Thicket!

PRESERVE OVERSIGHT

By Ann Roberts (a.k.a, BT Butterlfy)

Superintendents

Since March Supt. Art Hutchinson has been commuting between Beaumont and Washington on assignment at WASO. The Inter-Mountain Region assigned George Helfrich as Interim Supt. for 6-8 weeks, then Helfrich accepted a position in Alaska. The new "Interim" Superintendent reported for duty July 18 for an undetermined period of service. He's Mike George, who logged several months at Big Thicket as "interim" resource management chief after Doug Neighbor's move to American Samoa.

Cultural Resources

An Intermountain Region Cultural Resources Team came to tackle resource / artifact problems from May 23-27. Matthew P. Wilson, curator from Denver, and Heather Young, curator from Santa Fe, worked with Preserve staff to prepare a checklist of properties in storage or on exhibit, and provided on-site technical assistance for curatorial issues and collection management. Lisa Jameson has been designated Collateral Duty Curator.

SCHOLARS INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF FLOODING ON NECHES RIVER BOTTOMLAND TREES

Reported by Bruce Drury, Conservation Chair

Three scientists presented preliminary reports of their on-going studies concerning the role of floods on trees in the Neches River basin to a group of Big Thicket National Preserve officials and other interested supporters of the Big Thicket.

Paul Harcombe of Rice University began the presentation by noting that plant inventories indicated a fluctuation in the population of trees in the bottomland that may or may not be associated with flooding. Of specific interest are the effects of Dam B on the Neches, completed in 1951 and the Sam Rayburn Dam on the Angelina completed in 1965. Prior to the creation of these two dams, flooding was common and often severe in the bottom lands of the lower Neches. Flooding became less frequent and less severe but unusual circumstances produced a 1989 flood inundated the bottomland from mid-May until late August. Harcombe reported that subsequent plant inventories showed a significant decline in ironwood trees (Carpinus caroliniana) and an equally significant increase in Chinese tallow trees (Sapium sebiferum). Dr. Harcombe’s tentative judgment was that the tallow increase was not due to the direct effect of the prolonged flood, but more the result of reduced competition from ironwood, the floodplain species which is least tolerant of waterlogged conditions.

Theron Palmer of the University of North Texas presented a floodplain model of the Neches Bottom Unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve. He noted that topographical maps do not provide a good representation of the movement of water in the bottom lands during flooding conditions. Observation indicates that the floodplain slopes to the south and east of the river, piling up in small lakes adjacent to the eastern terrace near and beyond the eastern boundary of the BTNP unit. Water depth can reach four feet in the storage lakes.

Allison Stamatis

Allison Stamatis, also with the University of North Texas, is interested in the relationship between flooding and carbon flux. Her hypothesis is that flooding moves both dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC), making both more available for plants and microorganisms. Borrowing a technique used in Georgia, she will use siphon samplers to draw water samples during a rising flood. The samples will then be collected and analyzed for DOC and POC.

BAX MAKES FINAL EXIT

A lot of us were, according to Gordon Baxter, his "hand-raised" listeners. Certainly, no more colorful, outspoken, sometimes outrageous character ever filled our air waves with such riveting commentary and unmitigated language. One of a kind! We began missing him during his prolonged illness. The sense of loss is now compounded.

Okay! So he was sometimes on the opposite side of issues. Big deal! He made us think, whetted our interest, and got the tired blood energized.

While we drove down the freeway to work on a rainy day, Bax would exhort us to "sit up close to the windshield and pay attention!" Often he would counter-attack a call-in complainer, and we got to know his advertisers like old friends. I've often wished I had a tape of a few of the hilarious songs he used to play ("little boxes / little boxes / little boxes made of ticky-tacky" and "Freda on the Freeway.")

To Diane and all the Baxters, you've been privileged to share the life of an exceptional personality!

EVENTS

Sept. 24, Bear Thicket Trail, workday

Oct. 8, Big Thicket Day / General membership meeting, BTNP Field Research Station, Saratoga