Big Thicket Reporter - 2005/10/05

BIG THICKET DAY, OCT. 8

BTA members and friends gather for Big Thicket Day on October 8 at the BTNP Field Research Station in Saratoga, according to Mary Catherine Johnston, Program Chair.

The day begins with a general membership and board meeting at 9:30 in which organization members will elect officers and board members for 2006-2007 and will adopt a program of work and position statements for the coming year.

The program begins at 10:00 with President Ellen Buchanan giving a power-point report that highlights events and progress in 2005. Annual awards will be presented (see Awards). Darrell Shine of Silsbee, surveyor-historian (and incidentally a talented banjo picker), will talk about "Land Surveys and East Texas History." During and following lunch, Wesley Lewis and his Gospel group will perform.

The Hardin County Historical Commission meets Sept. 8 and a decision is pending on installation of a historical marker honoring the late Lance Rosier of Saratoga, a.k.a., "Mr. Big Thicket," possibly at 2:00 PM. Check newspapers for details.

THE CONERVATION FUND ACQUIRES LAND

Lower Neches River Conservation Project

Protection of the scenic Lower Neches River now seems an exciting prospect. The Conservation Fund worked with a third party who acquired the 375-acre Moss Tract along the Neches River between the Salt Water Barrier and Beaumont. The third party agreed to hold the tract pending the outcome of an NAWCA grant The Conservation Fund submitted in July. If the grant is awarded, The Conservation Fund may purchase an adjoining 210-acre Temple-Inland tract. [The North American Wetlands Conservation Act was enacted in 1989 and provides Federal cost-share funding to support the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. NAWCA is a non-regulatory, incentive-based, voluntary wildlife conservation program.]

Once again The Conservation Fund delivered amazing results with this third party acquisition. The owner intended to log the entire tract (cypress-tupelo), and the logger recently approached The Fund to log the property, so the threat was very real.

The outcome of the grant request should be known by late 2005-early 2006. The Conservation Fund will seek to add these lands to the Preserve (donation) along with the 562 acres to be donated by Mr. Eddie Arnaud on the opposite side of the river (west).

Update on The 1993 Addition Act Implementation - Brady and Hutchinson Get Appropriation

Temple-Inland land within the boundaries of the Addition Act totaling 3,504 acres were acquired in August 2005. Another 961 acres should be purchased by the end of the year (pending environmental clean-up).

Thanks to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Cong. Kevin Brady, the Congress appropriated $2 million for FY06. This funding will be used to acquire as much International Paper land as possible. Top priority for purchase is IP tracts between US69 and the Neches River as well as the IP tract within the Canyonlands Unit. Acquiring the IP tracts between US69 and the Neches River will essentially complete the 1993 Addition Act acquisitions in the Village Creek Corridor Unit, leaving only 205 acres of former Louisiana-Pacific land to acquire in that Unit. Acquisition of the IP tract in the Canyonlands Unit will result in 870 acres in Preserve ownership out of the 1,709 to be acquired (about 51% complete). Much work will remain to acquire the remaining former LP tracts along Big Sandy Creek and in the Canyonlands.

The Conservation Fund purchased 472 acres along the Village Creek/Big Sandy Creek Corridors. About one-half of the land is within the boundary. The Conservation Fund is fundraising in order to donate the remaining land outside the boundary to the Preserve. This donation would increase the accessibility of Corridor lands (off FM943).

Update on Timber Company Divestitures

Molpus Timberlands Management, LLC is selling its holdings to John Hancock. IP is selling all of its remaining East Texas lands. The Conservation Fund and Nature Conservancy are exploring a wide variety of options with these companies to conserve large sections of these lands.

BRADY AIDE TOURS AREA

Bruce Drury, Chuck Hunt, Mike George, Pete Gunter, Matt Fagan, Tammy Fisher

Tammy Fisher, Legislative Assistant to Cong. Kevin Brady, toured Big Thicket with Preserve and BTA officials Wednesday, Sept. 24. Trip notes prepared by Chuck Hunt briefed the group that included Acting Superintendent Mike George, Chief of Resource Education Matt Fagan, TCONR Big Thicket Task Force's Pete Gunter, BTA's Conservation Chair Bruce Drury and your editor.

Chuck Hunt, Fulton Jeansonne, Matt Fagan, Tammy Fisher, Bruce Drury, Pete Gunter; Sitting: Mike George, Maxine Johnston

The tour started at Riverfront Park in Beaumont in boats coxed by Rangers Johnny Stafford and Mike Hughes. The group explored potential acquisitions on the Neches. Above the LNVA saltwater barrier, the tour covered Pine Island Bayou Corridor and the Beaumont Unit's Scatterman Lake and Cook's Lake.

Fisher joined Judge Billy Caraway, Commissioner Ken Pelt, and Mayor Fred Williams at Mama Jack's for lunch, then the tour continued to Hickory Creek Savannah Unit. After a stop at the Woodville Fire Office, Fire Specialist D.W. Ivans led a hike at Rush Creek Ravines.

Brady is fortunate to have an alert, perceptive, responsive and capable aide in Tammy Fisher. Furthermore, she weathered 95-degree heat without a complaint!

Cong. Brady (R-8th Dist.) is an unusually "involved" and energetic leader who brought his entire staff to the Big Thicket for instruction last January 10th. After touring the Visitor Center and a brief hike, his party continued their visit by meeting with public officials in the Big Thicket area.

Best of all - Brady plans to introduce legislation allowing NPS to acquire some of the former timber company lands now on the market. Stay tuned.

AWARDS

BTA awards for 2005 will be presented at the program meeting on Oct. 8 in Saratoga.

JANICE HUDSON RECEIVES LUBBERT SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Each year the Thomas E. Lubbert Superior Achievement Award recognizes a Big Thicket National Preserve employee with at least three years service whose performance is outstanding, whose contributions to the Preserve are significant, and whose work exemplifies exceptional dedication over a sustained period.

Janice Hudson

Hudson is one of the few remaining staff who actually worked with Tom Lubbert, superintendent of the Preserve from 1974-1986. A veteran BTNP employee, she has provided effective and enthusiastic service in early years as a receptionist for headquarters, then in the Information Station, and today in the Visitor Center, representing Big Thicket to visitors. As such she garnered and shared a vast store of information about the Preserve, and she goes beyond the call of duty to supply information needed by visitors. She also works with BTNP's cooperating association, Western Parks and Monuments Association, selecting and ordering books for sale in the Visitor Center.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD: CHARLES E. HUNT

The Distinguished Service Award, like the Jackson Award, is not an annual award; indeed, only one other DSA award has been presented (to Andy Jones, The Conservation Fund, in 2004). BTA award recognizes exceptional and major contributions to preservation of our Big Thicket natural heritage. This year BTA honors Charles E. "Chuck" Hunt.

Conservation Chair Bruce Drury proposed the recognition, citing Hunt's performance record from 2000-2005 as nothing short of phenomenal. Originally tabbed as "Regional Issues Coordinator" and later "Management Assistant," Hunt's achievements always outstrip and overshadow the moniker. Whatever the issue - fragmentation, urban sprawl, water and highway projects - his approach is logical, methodical, systematic, meticulous - and impassioned. Remarkably, his colleagues, public officials, conservationists, and community leaders respond constructively to his low-key, resolute leadership. Hunt is not a dogmatic, knee-jerk advocate. His style is to make certain that decision makers have all of the facts and consider the long-range consequences of proposals.

Among his achievements are drafting and submitting successful requests for funding to acquire the Village Creek/Big Sandy Corridors and Canyonlands Units - approximately 5,000 acres now largely under the protection of the National Park Service. Requests written by Hunt for the acquisition of critical habitat in the Village Creek Corridor, Canyon Lands and other areas have raised some $14-15 million dollars. He has brokered general agreements among stakeholders upon priorities for acquiring timber company lands now on the market, thus, addressing the problems of fragmentation and charting a course to achieve goals.

His effectiveness, in part, involves ability to cultivate and energize a network of folks who are passionate about the Big Thicket. One of the current catchwords in government and public life is “partnerships,” and Hunt has initiated partnerships throughout the region. He works closely with the Big Thicket Association, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), The Conservation Fund, Houston Wilderness, Temple-Inland, Hardin County and others to weld mutually advantageous agreements benefiting the Big Thicket National Preserve. One can talk partnership, but Hunt has continually used the concept with great skill and perseverance.

Much of Big Thicket's future depends on Hunt's extraordinary commitment and vision at a critical time in our history.

FORMER CONG. CHARLES WILSON HONORED WITH JACKSON AWARD

Charles Wilson

The R. E. Jackson Conservation Award this year honors former Cong. Charles Wilson of Lufkin. A native of Trinity County, Wilson attended Sam Houston and received his BS from the U.S. Naval Academy. He served in the Navy from 1956-60 before serving as a representative in the Texas Legislature, 1960-66 and in the Texas Senate, 1966-72. He was then elected to the Congress as Representative for the old 2nd district and served from 1973-1996.

Wilson promised voters to resolve the prolonged struggle to establish a Big Thicket National Preserve, and when elected, he became immediately embattled in confrontations with local landowners, timber companies, and conservationists.

Amazingly, in October 1974, the Congress approved and President Gerald Ford signed the Big Thicket National Preserve enabling act (PL93-439) for 84,550 acres. By 1986, he determined to add corridors on Village-Big Sandy Creeks, and legislation was approved in 1993 (PL103-46) and authorized acquisition of 10,766 acres.

Thanks to Charlie, we have a Preserve of approximately 97,000 acres of diverse flora and fauna - a magnificent legacy of our natural heritage.

Previous winners of the Jackson Award include Geraldine Watson, Claude McLeod, Archer Fullingim, Sen. Ralph W. Yarborough, Dr. Paul Harcombe, Arthur Temple, Edward C. Fritz, Charles Hunt, and Pete Gunter.

Unfortunately, Wilson has a speaking engagement in Virginia on October 8th, so arrangements to present the award in Lufkin are pending.

AWARDS SEASON CONTINUES

ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION AWARDS

The Citizens' Environmental Coalition of Houston announces that eleven individuals will receive Synergy Awards as well as the Rice Design Alliance and Chevron who will receive Synergy awards for Environmental Excellence. The awards will be presented at a reception on Tuesday, October 11, at the Crowne Plaza, 1700 Smith Street, Houston. Among the honorees are:

Media award, Dina Cappiello of the Houston Chronicle for outstanding efforts in the field of environmental reporting

Lifetime Service Award: Geraldine Watson for her work on Big Thicket preservation

KOKAK GREENWAYS AWARD

Kodak American Greenways Award 2005 - presented by Dr. David Kiser, Eastman Kodak Company

Word comes from The Conservation Fund that the Big Thicket Association received a 2005 National Kodak American Greenways Award for its work in support of the Big Thicket National Preserve. The prestigious national award recognizes leadership and success in helping to protect and expand one of the nation's most endangered parks. The award partnership includes Eastman Kodak, the National Geographic Society, and TCF.

The award was presented at a reception at the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC on Sept. 8. Maxine Johnston accepted the award in behalf of the Association.

CONSERVATION OUTLOOK

STATE PARKS

Big Bend Ranch

The Houston Chronicle ran an article by John W. Gonzalez regarding a proposal pending at TP&W to sell as many as 46,000 acres of Big Bend Ranch State Park to Houston developer John Poindexter in order "to generate money to improve more accessible sections of the park." Poindexter owns an adjoining 25,000-acre spread, the Cibolo Creek Ranch. Reportedly, "the proposed selling price was about $44 an acre and would enable the buyer to use up to 10 percent of the acreage for commercial development."

The TP&W Commission unanimously REJECTED the proposal after a hearing that lasted almost three hours of testimony by people who asked the Commissioners to either reject the proposal and/or at least delay for further consideration until after a wide-ranging public debate on the pros and cons of the proposal.

Park Closures?

But the Bad News was not far behind. On Aug. 31, the Houston Chronicle reported that Robert Cook, Executive Director of TP&WD informed Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Speaker Tom Craddick that the Department has targeted nine state park sites for transfer or closure unless more money is found [the parks were not identified.] Furthermore, unless $2 million more annually becomes available in state funding, 40 jobs necessary to run the state parks will be eliminated, Cook said.

For a state that ranks 49th in state parks, Texans should demand and Texas legislators should provide adequate funding, additional employees, and more parks - not cut budgets, reduce employees and close or transfer parks.

HOFFMAN URGES CHANGES IN N.P.S. PARK MANAGEMNT

Felicity Barringer reports in the New York Times on August 26, that "A high-ranking appointee of the Interior Dept. proposed fundamentally changing the way national parks are managed, putting more emphasis on recreational use and loosening protections against overuse, noise and damage to the air, water, wildlife or scenery. But a group of senior NPS employees rejected the proposal at a meeting this month."

The revisions of a policy document of 194 pages suggested by Paul Hoffman, deputy assistant secretary of DOI, would have major impacts, such as opening new opportunities for off-road use of ATVs; illegal uses must "irreversibly" harm park resources - not just harm them; and instead of eliminating impairments to resources, park managers would "adequately mitigate or eliminate" the problems. Hoffman was formerly director of a local Wyoming chamber of commerce and a former aide to Dick Cheney.

T.R.N.W.R. BAT PROJECT

Trinity River NWR has the second largest colony of Rafinesque's big-eared bats (40-55) in Texas. The species reaches its Westernmost range in the bottomland hardwood forests of East Texas. If large hollow trees are not available, the bats may use abandoned buildings, bridges, culverts, cisterns, etc. The Southeastern myotis bat also uses hollow trees.

Bat Conservation International experimented with artificial hollow trees built with concrete. With various design experiments the artificial roosts have been used in Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and Texas. TRNWR installed two cinder block roosts near an old dilapidated farmhouse, and in July 18-20 bats were using the structures.

EUBANKS / JONES IN KOUNTZE

On August 11 at the Hardin County Courthouse Ted Eubanks (Fermata) and Andy Jones (The Conservation Fund) presented a fascinating power point choc-a-bloc with data on tourism and conservation opportunities in East Texas. Approximately 25 persons who represented chambers of commerce and organizations involved in tourism attended the meeting.

Eubanks has tentatively agreed to play a key role in a regional nature tourism study focusing on the environmental assets found in East Texas. The Neches River may be the organizing (central) feature for the study.

The Kountze meeting hosted by Judge Billy Caraway and Commissioner Ken Pelt followed a brief visit with Congressman Kevin Brady.

TEMPLE-INLAND GRANT FOR BIRD-BANDING PROJECT

Once again, our good neighbors at Temple-Inland delivered the goods. Big Thicket Association applied for and received a generous grant from the Temple-Inland Foundation to assist Resource Management in its bird-banding project. RM Chief Curtis Hoagland was elated, because Preserve funding for such projects runs from lean to non-existent.

The Preserve established a bird banding station as part of the Institute for Bird Populations’ (IBP) Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program. There are approximately 500 MAPS banding stations in the U.S. but there is a no station located anywhere near Southeast Texas. The data collected on this project helps Preserve staff make informed decisions on the management of the preserve’s habitat for birds that breed within the park. In addition to being used by the Preserve, the data will be provided to IBP to help determine the status of species of breeding birds across the nation. The project also serves as an outreach program to local schools and community groups to show how science is being used in the park to help guide management decisions.

EVENTS

• Sept. 24, Bear Thicket Trail, workday, 936-262-8522 or e-mail johnmx@quik.com
• Sept. 24, Trinity River Clean-Up; Friends of Trinity River NWR @ 936-258-5807
• Oct. 8, Big Thicket Day / General membership meeting, BTNP Field Research Station, Saratoga
• Oct. 10, Blue Elbow Swamp canoe trip, Orange; GT Sierra, Joe Murphy @ 409-883-6126
• Oct. 15, Tyrrell Park levee bike ride; GT Sierra, Bob Collier @ 409-892-6654
• Oct. 29, & Nov. 19 Trail Between the Lakes Maintenance; GT Sierra, contact Joe Murphy @ 409-883-6126

THE BIG THICKET NEEDS YOU (and your neighbor):

  During the 1960s and 70s the struggle to protect the 
  Big Thicket was carried on by dozens of active, involved 
  people, representing almost a thousand members of the Big 
  Thicket Association.  BTA members wrote letters, monitored 
  the activities of timber companies, and button-holed 
  politicians.  

  Once the Preserve was established and most of the timber 
  companies became allies of sorts, activism declined.  
  Today we are again in need of a large corps of activists 
  as the adjacent timber land is sold to speculators and 
  then is again sold to speculators and developers, as 
  metropolitan areas plot to grab the surface water that is 
  so critical to the Big Thicket ecosystems, as oil and gas 
  exploration companies search the Thicket for sources of 
  fossil fuels, and as funds needed to operate the National 
  Preserve are siphoned off for other functions.  

  All of this is documented in the recently published State 
  of the Parks: the Big Thicket National Preserve prepared by 
  the National Parks Conservation Association, which in 2003 
  placed the BTNP on its list of the “Ten Most Endangered 
  Parks”.  The report is available on line at www.npca.org or 
  you can write BTA for a copy.

  Please talk to your friends and neighbors about the threats 
  to the Big Thicket.  Encourage them to join BTA and become 
  active in the defense of the Big Thicket by writing letters 
  and emails, by soliciting support from civic groups, 
  churches, neighborhood associations and others, and by 
  reporting questionable activities in or adjacent to the 
  Preserve. 

  We also need to introduce the Big Thicket to students and 
  scholars, knowing that the more knowledge we have about the 
  Thicket the better the arguments in its defense.

  Bring a friend to the Big Thicket Day on October 8 and 
  become an active defender of the Big Thicket! 

  To receive periodic "conservation alerts" send your e-mail 
  address to bdrury@gt.rr.com

  Bruce Drury. Conservation Committee Chair