Our Legacy - Our Promise
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BIG THICKET ASSOCIATION�1964-2009
--Where is the Big Thicket?� --BTA roots …1930s� --The path to preservation, 1964-1974 � BTA leadership� The Congress� The Media blitz� --Problems and progress, 1975-2009� The leadership� The Addition Act� --Opportunities for expansion� --Summary: BTA track record� --Challenges ahead
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Where Is It?
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B.C. Tharp in Handbook of Texas (1st ed.) says “the name
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.”
The original “Big Thicket” was said to encompass 3,350,000 acres.
“Progress” whittled away the forest – farms, towns, commerce, timber
harvests, oil fields, pipelines, power lines,reservpors. subdivisions. By the 1960s less than 500,,000 disjunct acres remained, and most of that was cutover.
Big Thicket may be defined:
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The “Traditional” or Bear Thicket
The Ecological Big Thicket
Indians called it the
Big Woods
Abernethy: Tales from the Big Thicket
Mapped by Prof. Claude McLeod
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1930s: Early efforts to protect the area
Sen. Morris Sheppard
(1913-1941) probably
introduced legislation
for a park in the 1930s.
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Jackson’s Big Thicket
Early Preservationists:�East Texas Big Thicket Association
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H.B. Parks and
V.I. Cory conducted a
Biological Survey of
the East Texas Big
Thicket Area in 1936,
sponsored by the Texas Academy of Sciences.
Other leaders include Bessie Reid, Corrie Hooks, John Knight, Fount
Simmons, Judge A.L. Bevil, J.R. Keig, Pete Lawson, P.A. Winkler,
Dr. S. R. Warner, Joe Combs, and …
… one of ETBA’s biological survey guides …
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Lance Rosier – later known as
“Mr. Big Thicket” … plus
Geraldine Watson
Larry Jene Fisher, Secretary ETBA & Official Photographer
Texas Governor Proposes State Park
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In 1962 former Governor Price Daniel promoted a Big Thicket State Park. He held a conference in Beaumont March 29 followed by a tour, and he appointed a Big Thicket Study Commission chaired by Dempsie Henley.
Daniel was not re-elected Governor, but he later supported a 100,000-acre national park as U.S. Senator.
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Big Thicket Association formed in 1964
At the second meeting, the name changed from Big Thicket Historical Society to Big Thicket Association. Lance Rosier was Acting President.
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PATH TO PRESERVATION:
1964-1974
The first president of BTA was elected November 8, 1964: Dempsie Henley, Liberty mayor.
Henley stumped the State telling everyone that Big Thicket was vanishing at the rate of
Dempsie Henley
President, 1964-69
.. and he wrote a book
called Murder of Silence
In 1966 Sen. Ralph W. Yarborough introduced a bill to establish a Big Thicket National Park of not less than 100,000 acres and he brought in NPS study teams.
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Dempsie Henley with U.S. Senator Ralph W. Yarborough and Charles Wilbanks
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Reception for NPS Study Team, 1965
With the aid of Sen.
Ralph W. Yarborough,
Henley toured media
and public officials and
brought in an NPS
Study Team
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Geraldine Watson Naturalist / author / artist
Watson with Geyata Ajilvsgi, author / photographer, of Wildflowers of the Big Thicket
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Charles Wilbanks
President, 1969-71
The Association purchased the
old Saratoga School plant in 1965.
The mortgage was burned with ceremony during Wilbanks tenure.
Wilbanks succeeded in getting for the Association an American Heritage Society award of $10,000 which was used to renovate the cafeteria building as a Museum.
BIG THICKET MUSEUM
The Museum opened on weekends with volunteers in 1969.
Hours were expanded, and the Museum operated until 1994.
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Pete Gunter
President, 1971-73
Philosophy professor / author
Gunter set a record for longevity in Big Thicket activism. From his first letter to Senator Ralph Yarborough in 1958 until the present spans 51 years.
As president, he testified at Congressional
hearings, appeared on national TV shows,
and talked to hundreds of groups. He recorded “The Last Big Thicket Blues,” and energized students to campaign to “Save the Big Thicket.” He has written numerous articles and two books on Big Thicket.
Beginning in 1973 he served as Chair of the Big Thicket Coordinating Committee.
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MEDIA BLITZ ---
Lance Rosier was good copy for reporters, and they made him into a Thicket icon. Louis Hofferbert (Houston Post) dubbed him “Mr. Big Thicket.” Texas columnists wrote about him and quoted him frequently. Mary Lasswell, Justice William O. Douglas, Berton Roueche, Campbell Loughmiller and many others wrote about him in their books.
Big Thicket books were published by F.E. Abernethy, Blair Pittman, Pete Gunter, Roy Hamric, Michael Frary, Geyata Ajlvsgi, Thad Sitton, Bill Brett, Howard Peacock and Wanda Landrey.�
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Newspapers chronicled Big Thicket battles. Among the reporters were Syg Bird (Houston Chronicle), Frank X. Tolbert (Dallas Morning News) Sara Marsteller, Milton Turner, and T.T. Hunt (Beaumont Enterprise). Geraldine Watson wrote columns for the Pine Needle (Silsbee) and also became a Big Thicket icon. Archer Fullingim (Kountze News editor) fired “both barrels” weekly.�
Radio personalities Gordon Baxter (KTRM) and Joe Coffer (KPRC) covered the battlefront. There were documentaries from KUHT-TV and KERA-TV and frequent interviews with local media including Bill Houston and Tom Wright (KFDM-TV).
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BTA played host to reporters from San Antonio Express, Denton Record-Chronicle, Austin American-Statesman, Corpus Christi Caller-Times; San Francisco Chronicle, National Observer, Wall Street Journal, New Orleans Times-Picayune. Stories appeared in National Geographic, Life, Audubon, National Parks Magazine, Living Willderness, Sierra Bulletin, Texas Monthly, Texas Observer…
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And the mystique of Big Thicket added spice to mix.
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Maxine Johnston, Pres., 1973-75
Big Thicket
Day 1973
HEARINGS
1966-1973
Bills were been introduced by Sen.Ralph Yarborough, Reps. John Dowdy, Earle Cabell, Bob Eckhardt, George Bush, Charles Wilson (succeeded John Dowdy), Jack Brooks, Jake Pickle, Jim Wright, Dale Milford, Alan Steelman, and Sens. John Tower and Lloyd Bentsen (who replaced Sen. Ralph Yarborough).
Hearings were held, 1970-74
Big Thicket National Preserve PL 93-439 authorized by U.S. Congress, Oct. 11, 1974
Visitor Center / Headquarters, PL 98-489, authorized Oct. 17, 1984
Addition Act hearings [introd. 1986]
PL 103-46 Addition Act authorized July 11, 1993
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Cong. Bob Eckhardt
Cong. Bob Eckhardt worked with the Big Thicket Coordinating Committee to define areas to be included in his 1968 legislation proposing 191,000 acres including river corridors.
Other bills followed.
Congressional bill authors
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AD HOC COMMITTEE
TO SAVE THE BIG THICKET
The Chicago Tribute reported in 19__ that Professor Tom Eisner, Cornell University, at a conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) recruited scientists for an Ad Hoc Committee and gathered petitions for a Big Thicket National Park.
He wrote articles, submitted testimony at hearings, and actively supported the Eckhardt bill.
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HAROLD NICHOLAS
Eisner encourage John Noble Wilford, New York Times, to explore Big Thicket with Harold Nicholas of Saratoga. Wilford wrote a lengthy story for the Times and the Times endorsed the Eckhardt bill for 191,000 acres on Feb. 18, 1971.
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Big Thicket Day, 1976: Bentsen visits with
Dempsie Henley.
Sen. Lloyd Bentsen,
1971-1993
Bentsen reintroduced the Yarborough bill in 1971, and after the passage of PL 93-439 in 1974 continued to seek funds for purchasing land. He assisted Wilson in the effort to protect over 3,000 “endangered acres” with a supplemental appropriation.
Cong. Charles Wilson, 1973-1996
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Taking office in 1973, one of Wilson’s election promises was to resolve the debate over a Big Thicket National Park. He introduced legislation for 75,000 acres.
House hearings were held in 1973, and a compromise was reached with Cong. Eckhardt for 84,500 acres. Senate hearings followed in 1974. The bill became law October 11, 1974.
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BILLY HALLMON
“Architect” of the Big Thicket
Hallmon invested time, talent and energy resulting in informative brochures that defined ecosystems and addressed issues. He engineered mailouts to every member of Congress, House and Senate Committees and public officials in USDI and USDA
As compromises continued to whittle away acreage, he began efforts to map the best representation of Big Thicket biodiversity – eliminating pine farms, homes, and other development. Then he wrote reports for each unit mapping draingage, identifying plant associations, recommending trails and interpretation.
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Author / Naturalist who chaired the Arid Sandyland Committee charged to prepare a report for Temple-Eastex on management of the proposed sandyland preserve.
During his term as President the Association kept a “timber watch” to monitor spite-cutting and beetle infestations as well as to work for land acquisition funding.
Howard Peacock, 1975-76
(a.k.a. “Tush-Hog”)
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Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary Dedication
1977
Preserve legislation omitted the contested “arid sandyland” component of the “biological crossroads.” Thanks to Arthur Temple, Jr., Temple-Eastex donated a superb representation of sandylands to Nature Conservancy.
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Whether in or out of office, Yarborough fought valiantly to preserve and to protect the Big Thicket.
While serving as Senator, he passed bills establishing Padre Island National Seashore, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
As president of BTA he sought funding for land acquisition and focused on getting a state park established in the Big Thicket area.
Ralph W. Yarborough
U.S. Senator, 1957-70
President of BTA, 1977-79
State Parks Campaign
Pres. Yarborough appointed a committee chaired by Bill Hallmon that prepared site recommendations, but TP&W chose another site. Scenic Village Creek offers superb canoeing adventures and protects a diverse area --. a superb example of Big Thicket ecosystems
TP&W developed plans and held public meetings– followed by floods that required reivision of plans
Dedication of Village Creek State Park
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Village Creek State Park (1979)
Davis Hill State Park
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BTA also encouraged acquisition of Davis Hill State Park –arguably the most diverse park in the TP&WD system.
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Gene Feigelson
President 1978-1981
Big Thicket Retreat Campfire circa 1970 --
Feigelson in T-shirt at center.
During Feigelson’s tenure, efforts
continued to fund Preserve land
acquisition and to secure staff and
funding for the Big Thicket Museum.
Goals and Pathways
From 1981-1994, Big Thicket Association concentrated on development of the Big Thicket Museum. In 1994, the Association donated most of its assets to the Big Thicket National Preserve. The group reorganized in 1994 with new bylaws.
Conservationists formed a Big Thicket Conservation Association and worked actively from 1981-1999 on conservation goals.
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Floyd Landrey, President, 1981-83
Billy Tomlinson, President, 1983-85
Tomlinson gave BTA a 20-acre property near Batson
Dyli Martin, President, 1985-87
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Kenneth Pelt,
President, 1991-94
David Hartman, President, 1989-91
Houston Thompson,
President, 1987-89
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BTA property and assets transferred to NPS-BTNP In 1994
BIG THICKET CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION�1981-1999
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PRESIDENTS
Billy Hallmon, 1981-83
David Snell. 1984-85
Robert Finch, 1986-90
Fred Allen, 1991
Sarah Duck Loudermilk, 1992-95
David Berkshire, 1996-99
Supt. Pete Peterson and David Berkshire
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When Cong. Wilson proposed the Addition Act in 1986, the BTCA mapped areas to include and worked to pass the legislation in 1993 [PL 103-46].
BTCA supported legislation to purchase the Visitor Center site at US 69-287 and FM 420 [PL 98-489].
The group succeeded in getting Rockland Dam deauthorized.
Sarah Duck Loudermilk, BTCA President, presents the Conservationist of the
Year Award to Bill Jewell.
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Cong. Charles Wilson introduced the Addition Act in 1986 omitting homes. He met with conservationists March 2, 1991 to discuss compromises for the Addition Act.
1993 Addition Act added Big Sandy Creek and Village Creek corridors as well as Canyonlands Unit.
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Sen. Phil Gramm insisted that land acquired must exclude “private” property (homesites were already excluded in the Wilson bill) and that timber company acreage be exchanged for US Forest Service acreage.
Exchanges (predictably) failed, and alternatives were employed that allowed land to be acquired through The Conservation Fund.
Conservationists and homeowners met with Sen. Phil Gramm to discuss the Addition Act.
Reorganization, 1994
After transferring assets (property and funds) to the Preserve in 1994, the Association reorganized with revised Articles and bylaws.
Since then, BTA received funding in excess of $1 million from foundation grants for renovating the Field Research Station, purchasing land, launching the Thicket of Diversity, and publishing Big Thicket books.
BTA supported appropriations to acquire lands authorized in the Addition Act.
The Conservation Fund worked with partners to add additional lands and to foster eco-tourism through its Pineywoods Initiative.
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Maxine Johnston, 1994-98
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Upon leaving office, Maxine
appointed herself first as
“Project Manager” then as
“Grants Administrator” and
meddled, sometimes productively
and indiscriminately, wherever
an opportunity appeared.
Marysee Prairie
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In 1998 four individuals purchased a 2.8-acre wooded tract north of the Marysee Prairie Preserve and donated the property to the BTA. Marysee Prairie is owned by Texas Land Conservancy, a land trust. The BTA property provides a textbook example of the transition from prairie to woodland.
Fred Allen, 1999-2002
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In addition to serving as President,
Allen has served twice as treasurer
During his tenure …
Thanks to the generosity of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, the Big Thicket Association co-published with the University of North Texas Press the Temple Big Thicket Series. ��No. 1 Abernethy’s Tales from the Big Thicket�No. 2 Loughmiller’s Big Thicket Legacy�No. 3 Watson’s Reflections on the Neches�No. 4 Cozine’s Saving the Big Thicket�No. 5 Watson’s Big Thicket Plant Ecology�Coming soon:�No. 6 Bonney’s Backroads of the Big Thicket�
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Projects: Publications
Projects: Field Research Station completed 2000
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With the aid of the Preserve and $214,000 in grants from foundations and family trusts, BTA renovated this building (formerly a Museum) for use as a Field Research Station, providing accommodations, classroom, a laboratory and other amenities.
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Ellen Buchanan, 2003-2006
The BTA received a grant from the Brown Foundation of $250,000 to apply to the purchase of 681 acres adjoining the Visitor Center. The purchase 1) protects the VC from development thus enhances visitor experience and
2) provides habitat that could be restored for longleaf pine.
Left: National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) supported preservation of Big Thicket’s “Biological Crossroads” and the BTA from Day One. In August, 2001 NPCA’s David Simon (center) conducted a workshop to chart BTA’s future.
Right: Leadership Southeast Texas event; Ted Eubanks (Fermata) speaker
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During Buchanan’s tenure, the Association launched efforts to work with Gateway communities and to expand eco-tourism and environmental education in cooperation with Pineywoods Experience.
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From 2000-to date,
Buchanan also served as
President of Big Thicket
Natural Heritage Trust.
The Trust has acquired
Several tracts at the confluence
Of Beech Creek and Village
Creek transferred to BTNP.
Bruce R. Drury, 2007-2010
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All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory
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The “Thicket of Diversity” is a joint project of BTA and BTNP. BTA manages the project and has secured grants exceeding $500,000 in the first three years.
BTA plans to form a consortium of organizations that support Big Thicket biological / cultural / environmental / research and activities.
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EXPANSION LEGISLATION
Connect – Preserve – Revitalize
Supported Cong. Kevin Brady’s legislation to expand Preserve up to 100,000 acres from willing sellers
�Supported a Neches Scenic River�
Neches River was designated an Endangered River by the American Rivers Association –
Impacted by
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BTA Staff
To manage an increasing volume and range of activities that exceed the capacity of volunteer officers and board members, the Association employed an Executive Director (Linda Brindle), Administrative Assistant (Ann Roberts),
and Database Manager (Mona Halvorson).
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From the 1960s into the 21st century BTA enjoyed the support of other Texas conservation groups
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Among our active, committed friends are
the Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club and Texas Committee on Natural Resources (now Texas Conservation Alliance).
Brandt Mannchen takes time out for talk on the Turkey Creek Trail
Science Conferences
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BTA volunteers registered participants and managed accounting for Big Thicket Science Conferences in 1996, 1999, 2003
and 2007.
� � ��Big Thicket has been fortunate to have Senators and Representatives who care about the Preserve…��… who have worked cooperatively to get funds for the Addition Act , to build the Visitor Center, and to provide administrative offices. �
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Cong. Jim Turner
Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison
Cong. Kevin Brady
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Challenges ahead …
Between 2001-06 International Paper, Louisiana-Pacific and Temple Inland divested over 3,000,000 acres in the Big Thicket area. The lands divested are now managed by timber management organizations (TIMOs). Opportunities exist to add land to the Preserve if legislation and funding were available.
In 2003 the National Parks Conservation Association designated Big Thicket as one of America’s Ten Most Endangered Parks citing fragmentation, urban sprawl, water projects, highway projects, and oil exploration.
IN 2007 American Rivers Association listed the Neches River as one of America’s Ten Most Endangered Rivers. BTA works with Texas Conservation Alliance to get a feasibility study authorized for a Neches Scenic River.
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Progress is still possible …
Fragmentation
US 69 expansion
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�Other impacts …�
Divested timberlands on market
Urban sprawl
Water projects
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On the agenda …
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The challenges ahead require the support, commitment, vigilance, and vision of all our members. Please continue your support and volunteer your services.
BIG THICKET ASSOCIATION
October 10, 2009
1964 Founded Oct. 4, 1964, Articles of Incorporation filed November �1966 Senator Ralph W. Yarborough introduced the first Big Thickett National Park bill. �1967 NPS recommended a Big Thicket National Monument. �1970 Yarborough bill passes Senate only; Cong. Bob Eckhardt (D- Houston) introduced national park bill for 191,000 acres �1971 Sen. Lloyd Bentsen succeeded Sen. Yarborough; reintroduced his bill. �1970-72 Numerous bills introduced by Congressmen Jack Brooks, George Bush, Sr., Jim Wright, Alan Steelman, and Senator John Tower. �1973 Cong. Charles Wilson (D-Lufkin) elected in 2nd District; introduced bill for 75,000 acres. �1974 Big Thicket National Preserve Bill signed into law October 11, authorizing 84,550 acres, omitting Village Creek�
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BTA Track Record
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1976 - Temple-Eastex donated to Nature Conservancy
approximately 2,300 acres as the Roy E. Larsen
Sandylands Sanctuary.
1974-79 - Campaigned for state park to complement the
National Preserve; Village Creek State Park established
in 1979.
Sen. Phil Gramm demanded exclusion of private properties
and proposed exchanges of lands between corporate timber
interests and the US Forest Service.
1993 - Big Thicket Addition Act authorizes 10,766 acres
to be added to Preserve.
1994 - BTA transferred property and assets to Big Thicket
National Preserve; reorganized in November.
1996 Co-sponsored Big Thicket Science Conference.
2003 Brown Foundation Grant for $250,000 to purchase land adjoining the Preserve Visitor Center; Co-sponsored Big Thicket Science Conference.
2004 Acquisition of Visitor Center land completed in partnership with the Preserve, The Conservation Fund, Entergy, and other private donors.
2004 Participated in a partnership with the Conservation Fund to purchase area surrounding Visitor Center with gift from the Brown Foundation.
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2005 Interpreted with message boards Ghost Road Scenic Drive County Park with partners including Hardin County Commissioners, Texas Historical Commission, Pineywoods Foundation, and Saratoga Timber Company.
2006 Prepared a Strategic Plan for the Big Thicket National Preserve and presented it at the annual meeting.
Sponsored the organization of an All Taxa Biodiversity (Thicket of Diversity) Inventory involving universities, observatories, museums, government agencies, and individual researchers
Received grants (2006-2009) from Brown Foundation, Meadows Foundation, T.L.L. Temple Foundation, Temple- Inland Foundation and Stark Foundation to fund the Thicket of Diversity.
2007 Co-sponsored Big Thicket Science Conference.
2008 Began efforts to add to the Preserve up to 100,000 acres from willing sellers.
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Produced by Big Thicket Association,
Box 198, Saratoga, Texas, 77585
2009
www.bigthicket.org