The Big Thicket Association

... a Friend of the the Big Thicket National Preserve

Members-only Quarterly Photo Contest: Submit your PhotoPrevious Winners
The 2022 Neches River Rally was held September 10. Here is a video.

Current News

This quarter's photo contest theme is "People in the Big Thicket". Deadline is February 3rd. Winner will receive 4 free passes on IVORY BILL and have photo published in an upcoming BULLETIN.

BTA announces Neches River Rally for 2023. We have moved this event to Saturday May 6. Early bird registration opens March 15th.

BTA announces 2023 Big Thicket Day, our Anniversary Celebration and General Membership Meeting. We have scheduled this event for Saturday October 7th, again a FREE family-friendly event at Collier's Ferry Park in Beaumont. More details in coming weeks.

58th Anniversary of the Big Thicket Association.

The Big Thicket Association (BTA) is committed to expanding, enhancing and protecting the Big Thicket National Preserve, in order to assure the preservation, conservation and protection of the natural, scenic and recreational values of a significant portion of the Big Thicket region of southeast Texas.

The Big Thicket Association operates the "Ivory Bill", a covered excursion boat on the Neches River for school field trips, social events and Nature classes. The boat operates on the open river, and is capable of navigating the shallows of cypress-lined backwater channels.

Neches River Adventures

The Thicket of Diversity project is dedicated to biological field research in the Big Thicket National Preserve, coordinating activities of field biologists doing species inventory and research projects.

Thicket of Diversity

Established in 1999, the Big Thicket Natural Heritage Trust has worked to "Save the Big Thicket" piece by piece. To date, the small non-profit has raised over $100,000 and acquired over 241 acres. The lands become donations to the Big Thicket National Preserve of the National Park Service.

Big Thicket Natural Heritage Trust

"Big Thicket Association is pleased to announce the winner of our quarterly photo contest, "Scenes from the Big Thicket, People in the Big Thicket". Rebekah Foster submitted her winning photograph of children enjoying a hike on the Kirby Nature Trail at Village Creek in the Big Thicket National Preserve. Rebekah will receive four free passes for a cruise on Neches River Adventures - Ivory Bill. Congratulations Rebekah! Our next quarterly photo contest theme will be "Scenes from the Big Thicket, Flowering Plants'. Watch Big Thicket Association's website in early April for information about entering this fun contest!"

See full-size photo on the Contest Results Page

Latest stories

After 9 months of searching, the Executive Committee is pleased to announce that we have a new Executive Director, Diane Thompson. Thompson will start work July 1, 2022. She has strong family ties to this area having grown up in Southeast Texas, "mostly in the woods and on the water" she says, and spent her youth in and around the Big Thicket Preserve. She is a recently retired educator having…

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The Big Thicket Association is pleased to share the debut of the Neches River Series Playlist on our YouTube channel, a collection of education/ information and scenic videos for students, teachers, and the public. Generous funding by BASF Total Energies Petrochemical, LCC. and the Mamie McFaddin Ward Heritage Foundation made this project possible. Big Thicket staff and volunteers worked with…

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