The Big Thicket Association

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

The 2022 Neches River Rally was held September 10. Here is a video.

BTA60

Current News

1. BTA is NOW HIRING part-time River Boat Captains and Deckhands. For more information on these paid and volunteer positions, click this link: Ivory Bill Crew

2. In celebration of our 60th Year, BTA is offering our 60th logo T-shirts. Our shirts make a lovely CHRISTMAS GIFT while supporting BTA. Cost is $20 plus tax and S&H.

T-Shirt

3. Purchase "surplus" 2024 Neches River Rally T-Shirts. We have PLENTY OF STOCK for the Holidays. Click Here to PURCHASE

4. Saturday Public Tours return on March 22, 2025. Charters are available all year. Book on our website.

We thank our past Neches River Rally Sponsors:

PortBmt

AmerAir

AmerV&H

BigTHPlum

Bmt CVB

ExxonMobil

Munros's Cleaners

Manna

.. and ELLEN TEMPLE

60th 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. Charters available year round.

Neches River Adventures

The Big Thicket Association began 60 years ago! ...Where is the "Big Thicket"? "the name originally applied to the area between the Old San Antonio Road and the coastal prairie of South Texas from the Sabine River on the east as far west as the Brazos River... As settlement progressed, it became evident that the impenetrable thickets stopped far short of the Brazos, and the Trinity River came to be considered their western border. To East Texas sportsmen of 1900 the Big Thicket meant northwestern Hardin and southeastern Polk counties. It was, and by many continues to be, considered to extend eastward to include all of Tyler, Jasper and Newton counties; most of Sabine, San Augustine and Angelina counties; eastern Trinity and Montgomery and north Liberty counties. "The area is almost coextensive with that which originally supported stands of long-leaf yellow pine..."

60th Anniversary Year

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

Latest stories

featured image thumbnail for post BTA Debuts the Neches River Series Playlist

BTA Debuts the Neches River Series Playlist • August 26, 2021

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…

Keep Reading →