Product Code Database
Example Keywords: robots -energy $4-157
   » » Wiki: Big Thicket
Tag Wiki 'Big Thicket'.
Tag

Big Thicket
Search for texas thicket
 ( ) 

 C O N T E N T S 
Rank: 100%
Bluestar Bluestar Bluestar Bluestar Blackstar
  1. Wiki
  2. Comments
  3. Media

The Big Thicket is the name given to a somewhat imprecise region of a heavily forested area of in the United States. This area represents a portion of the mixed pine-hardwood forests or "" of the Southeast US. The National Park Service established the Big Thicket National Preserve ( BTNP) within the region in 1974 and it is recognized as a biosphere reserve by . Although the diversity of animals in the area is high for a temperate zone with over 500 vertebrates, it is the complex mosaic of and plant diversity that is particularly remarkable. Biologists have identified at least eight, and up to eleven, in the Big Thicket area. More than 160 species of trees and shrubs, 800 herbs and vines, and 340 types of grasses are known to occur in the Big Thicket, and estimates as high as over 1000 flowering plant species and 200 trees and shrubs have been made, plus ferns, carnivorous plants, and more. The Big Thicket has historically been the most dense forest region in Texas.

(1994). 9780890965962, Texas A&M University Press. .
(1979). 9780890960646, Texas A&M University Press. .

Existing literature states that Native Americans were known to have lived and hunted in the area nomadically, but did not establish permanent settlements there before the Alabama–Coushatta settled in the northeast about 1780. However, there is insufficient archaeological evidence to support this claim. What records that do exist could suggest human occupation dating back to the 13,400–12,700 years ago, with numerous era diagnostic being found in all but one of the counties commonly considered to be in the Big Thicket. Spanish explorers and missionaries had a sporadic presence in the region, however colonization and settlement was not their aim, preferring to establish forts outside of the Region where the French were encroaching from the east (namely around Natchitoches, Nacogdoches, and the lower Trinity river valley). Logging in the late 19th and 20th centuries dramatically reduced the forest concentration. Efforts to save the Big Thicket from the devastation of oil and lumber industries started as early as the 1920s with the founding of the East Texas Big Thicket Association by Richard Elmer Jackson.

Conservatively the area occupies all of Hardin County, most of Polk, and Tyler Counties, and parts of Jasper, Liberty and San Jacinto Counties, including areas between the on the east, the Trinity River on the west, Pine Island Bayou on the south, to the higher elevations and older geological formations to the north. Broader interpretations have included the area between the Sabine River on the east and the San Jacinto River on the west including much of Montgomery, Newton, Trinity, and Walker Counties, as well.

(2025). 9781574411751, University of North Texas Press. .
(2025). 9781574412147, University of North Texas Press. .
Several attempts to define the boundaries of the Big Thicket have been made, including a biological survey in 1936 which included over covering 14 counties. A later botanical based study in 1972 included a region of over . This same habitat extends into Louisiana and eastward.

Geography
Physical geography
Geology: The Big Thicket is notable for the unusually high diversity of plants concentrated in a relatively small area. A major factor enabling this diversity is an unusually high diversity of soils. The exposed surface soils are relatively recent, late , predominantly , , , and Epoch formations. Other than some slight and uniform tilting, the are not greatly deformed. The strata were laid down in several cycles of and warmer interglacial interludes. Although glaciers never extended as far south as Texas, it was during these cold periods that enough water was frozen in polar regions to lower sea levels and the Big Thicket area was dry land well above sea level. Conversely, during the warmer interludes, enough ice melted to increase sea levels and submerge Southeast Texas in the sea. It was during those warmer periods of submersion that and delta deposits from the streams and rivers of the continent laid down the succession of strata, each new layer burying and compacting the previous. At some point there was an approximately 1% tilting of the layers. Some say it was caused by the rising of the Rocky Mountains,Fritz, Edward C. (1993) Realms of Beauty: A Guide to the Wilderness Areas of East Texas, revised edition. University of Texas Press, Austin. 120 pp. while others say it was the weight of the successive deposits that eventually caused the Gulf of Mexico to subside. The older Pliocene, Miocene, and formations are exposed in the north (Polk, San Jacinto, and Tyler counties), while the more recent Period formations are exposed in the south (Hardin and Liberty counties).Geology of Texas, Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas, Austin (Accessed 7 December 2019)

Soils: The of the various formations at the surface have shifted and intermingled through erosion and other factors over time and can be locally quite complex. The Big Thicket contains a greater variety of soils than any area of comparable size in the United States. Sources vary, but from 50 to 100 are said to occur in Hardin County alone. The surface soils tend to be slightly to strongly acidic, and only occasionally neutral in much of the Big Thicket Basin. However, calcareous or alkaline soils do occur in the region, particularly along the Trinity River, in the Beaumont Formation to the south, the Fleming Formation to the north, and northern areas of the Willis Formation where the layer is thin and erosion and road cuts have exposed the Fleming Formation. Most plants are sensitive to soil pH levels (acidic, neutral, or alkaline) and many species will only grow in areas with a specific soil type. Claude A. McLeod's study stated that the Big Thicket was "an edaphicmesophytic climax forest" – , meaning the soil is a greater influence on the plants than the climate, and meaning a medium moisture level.

[[File:Big Thicket Map.jpg|left|thumb|Texas county map with five interpretations of the Big Thicket:

  • Dark green area = Traditional "Hunter's Thicket"
  • Light green area = Biological survey
  • Solid black line = Ecological analysis
  • Dotted black line = Primitive Big Thicket Region
  • Solid red line = Big Thicket Basin, geological/ecological analysis]]
Topography: The Big Thicket Basin has been described as shallow bowl or dish, tilted to one side, with the high rim on the interior north and low rim on the coastal south. Eastern and western rims consist of the low ridges that divide the Neches River and Sabine River drainage on the east and the Neches River and Trinity River drainage on the west. Elevations range from about in the north to in the south, dropping as low as at confluence of the Neches River and Pine Island Bayou. Northern regions are characterized by low gently rolling hills and well-formed drainage systems of streams and creeks in the landscape. The southern regions are comparatively flat, with poor drainage and support moderately extensive .Cozine (2004) p. x.

Hydrology: Hardin, Tyler, western Jasper and southeast Polk counties are drained by the and its tributaries: Village Creek and its smaller tributaries (Beach, Theuvenins, Turkey, Hickory, Kimball, Big Sandy, and Cypress creeks) in the north; Pine Island Bayou and its smaller tributaries (Little Pine Island Bayou and Mayhaw Bayou) in the south. Eastern regions, including eastern Jasper and Newton counties, are drained by several relatively short creeks running into the Sabine River. Western regions including central Liberty, northeastern San Jacinto, northern Walker counties and southwest Polk County (via Kickapoo, Long King, and Menard creeks) are drained by the Trinity River. Areas farther west are drained by the San Jacinto River, with east and west forks. Additional wetlands are extensive, including innumerable nameless swamps, cypress sloughs, , wetland , and bogs. Floodplains and bottomlands in the south, can retain surface water for days and weeks after rain. The Sabine and Neches rivers flow into , a natural occurring , just southeast of the Big Thicket. The other large lakes in the region were constructed in the decades following the Second World War, including B.A. Steinhagen Lake (1947–53) and Sam Rayburn Reservoir (1956–65) on the Neches River drainage, (1966–69) on the Trinity River, (1953) and (1970–73) on the San Jacinto River.

Climate: The proximity to the Gulf of Mexico gives the region a climate of mild winters, hot summers, and high humidity most of the year. Average precipitation is a year,Big Thicket National Preserve: The Climate of Big Thicket (accessed 7 December 2019) with northern areas receiving about , and southern areas receiving about . However, tropical storms and can increase annual rainfall to over . Humidity stays well above 60% most of the time and exceeds 90% often. Winters are mild, with nighttime lows averaging and daytime highs . Winter cold fronts can drop temperatures to freezing, but freezes rarely last for more than a few days, sometimes only hours, averaging about 20 mostly nonconsecutive days each year. Snow is rare, occurring only once every ten years or so. Summer temperatures are hot, with nighttime lows averaging and daytime highs averaging . Temperatures exceed about 110 days each year and days with temperatures above and even above are not uncommon. The high summer temperatures with high humidity levels can produce very high numbers.US Climate Data: Climate, Kountze, Texas (accessed 7 December 2019)

Human geography
Population: In 2010, the United States Census Bureau reported a population of 54,635 for Hardin County, with an average of in a county of . The larger towns (and populations from 2010 census) in Hardin County are Kountze, the county seat (2,123), Lumberton (12,448), Silsbee (6,611), and Sour Lake (1,813). Smaller unincorporated communities in the Hardin County include Batson, Honey Island, Saratoga, Thicket, Village Mills, and Votaw. United States Census Bureau (Accessed December 2019)

Tyler County had a total population of 21,766, with an average population of in . The larger towns in Tyler County are Chester (312), Colmesneil (596), Warren (757), and Woodville, the county seat (2,586) with smaller unincorporated communities including Doucette, Fred, Rockland, and Spurger.

Polk County had a total population of 45,413, with an average of in an area of in 2010 including Livingston (5,335), the county seat and the largest town in the county.

Larger towns and cities in the greater region include Beaumont, Jefferson County, located at the southeast corner of the Big Thicket area with a population of 118,296 and Liberty, Liberty County (8,397), on the southern edge of the Big Thicket area. , Harris County, with a population of 2,320,268 (greater metropolitan area over 7,000,000) is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the US with its central, downtown area located by air southwest of the town of Kountze, Hardin County.

Economy: Timber, oil and gas, and agriculture continue to be significant to the economy of the area. Many people commute to work in oil refineries and related industries in the Beaumont area. Other sources list industries providing significant employment in Hardin County as: educational, health and social services, construction, recreation, accommodation and food services, finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing.City-Data.com: Hardin County, Texas (Accessed 10 December 2019)

Biology
Ecosystems
On a larger scale of ecoregions of the United States, the Big Thicket is part of the . Piney Woods forests . Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 1 July 2020 The Big Thicket is located in the southwest of the Piney Woods and transitions into the Western Gulf coastal grasslands Western Gulf coastal grasslands . Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 1 July 2020 immediately to the south. To the west are the Texas Blackland Prairies and East Central Texas forests East Central Texas forests . Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 1 July 2020 (a.k.a. post-oak savanna). Within the Big Thicket, a major component in the high diversity of plants and animals is the variety of present in a relatively small area. The National Park Service identifies eight plant communities in Big Thicket National Preserve.National Park Service, Big Thicket National Preserve, Plant Communities Some biologist and plant ecologists identify as many as nine, ten, or eleven ecosystems in the Big Thicket. In nature these ecosystems are not always found in pure, large tracts of land, and often occur in intertwined and checkerboard mixes and , transitioning into one another. Ecosystems do not have universal standardized names. Many ecologist, botanist, zoologist and others have studied and classified ecosystems in the Big Thicket region (and elsewhere), defining and naming these communities as relevant to their own disciplines and studies.P. A. Harcombe, P. A., J. S. Glitzenstein, R. G. Knox, S. L. Orzell, & E. L. Bridges. (1993). Vegetation of the Longleaf Pine Region of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. 83-104 pp. In Hermann, Sharon M. (ed.). Proceedings of the Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference J. No. 18, The Longleaf Pine Ecosystem: ecology, restoration and management. Although the exact names, definitions, and boundaries might vary (subdivided, compounded, or overlapping), below are summaries of ten major ecosystems recognized by most who have studied and written about the Big Thicket, starting with higher elevations in the north, and in a generalized way, moving to lower elevations in the south.

Uplands (aka: longleaf pine-bluestem uplands; dry upland forests;Bridges, E. L. and S. L. Orzell. 1989. Longleaf pine communities of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Natural Areas Journal 9:246-263. longleaf pine uplands) In its natural state, this ecosystem is often described as having a park-like appearance, with widely spaced pine and oak trees, and grasses growing in the partially shaded open areas. Longleaf pine-bluestem grass uplands are most extensive in northern areas, on higher elevation plateaus between streams and dry upper slopes, where the soils of the Catahoula, Fleming, Willis, and Bentley formations often have several feet of moderately coarse sand over an iron oxide clay or stratum. The permeable sands and topography provide good drainage in the uplands which are relatively dry. Smaller fragments of this type are also found throughout the south where higher ridges, hills, and knolls occur. Longleaf pine ( ) is a common species in this ecosystem and one of the dominant trees along with shortleaf pine ( ) and a variety of oaks ( ). Understory shrubs include flowering dogwood ( ) and American holly ( ). Plant ecologist Geraldine Watson stated the U.S. Forest Service grass herbarium in Louisiana has over 200 species of grasses from this range and various bluestem grasses ( ) are the dominant ground cover. Wildflowers like purple pleat-leaf ( Alophia drummondii) and bird-foot violet ( ) grow in the lighter, semi-shaded areas, while Texas Dutchman's-pipe ( Aristolochia reticulata) and false foxglove ( Aureolaria grandiflora) grow in the deeper shade. Streams flowing through these areas can support large stands of southern bracken fern ( Pteridium aquilinum). Longleaf pine, bluestem grass, and many other plants in these areas are (adapted and resistant to wildfire), and wildfires are a critical factor in maintaining this ecosystem. Historically, naturally occurring fires would periodically eliminate non-pyrophytic plant species encroaching on this plant community. However, decades of fire suppression has allowed a wide mixture of species to invade and in time has turned many of the upland localities into beech-magnolia-loblolly slope forest or oak-hickory forest. Additionally, many areas for lumber have been replanted with rows of the faster growing, non-native slash pine ( ) eliminating much of the longleaf pine-bluestem grass uplands from Texas.

Sandylands (aka: arid oak-farkleberry sandylands; sand ridge savanna; sandhill pine forests; arid sandylands): Sandylands resemble and have much in common with upland forest, with open grassy areas and widely spaced trees. However, the fundamental difference lies in the soils. These areas reside on deep sand dunes deposited by ancient seas and rivers. In contrast to the uplands where a few feet of coarse sand sits on a stratum, sandylands sit on layers of fine sand with thin layers of silt that can be over a hundred feet deep, with little clay and low fertility. Although these areas receive the same rainfall as the rest of the region, water drains quickly in the deep sand which dries in the sun leaving an arid surface. The ground cover can be meager in places with sparse grasses, lichen, or even exposed sand in some spots. Plants adapted to arid environments like Louisiana yucca ( Yucca louisianensis) and prairie prickly pear ( Opuntia macrorhiza) are conspicuous indicators of sandylands in the humid Big Thicket climate. Although found throughout the region, some of the largest and best examples are in the vicinity of the Neches River and Village Creek. In the more arid sites bluejack oak ( ), sand post oak ( Quercus margaretta), north blackjack oak ( Quercus marilandica), post oak ( ), black hickory ( ), and mockernut hickory ( ) are dominant hardwoods. With increasing moisture levels longleaf pine ( ) and loblolly pine ( ) emerge over the oaks. Longleaf pine is characteristic of sandylands, but not always dominant. Farkleberry ( Vaccinium arboreum) is the dominant shrub in the understory. Several rare wildflowers with limited distributions in Texas can be found in this environment; examples include Oklahoma prairie clover ( Petalostemum griseum), Carolina vervain ( Stylodon carneus = ), Hooker palafoxia ( Palafoxia hookeriana), green-thread ( Thelesperma flavodiscum), and trailing phlox ( ) which is also an endangered species. Like the uplands, periodic wildfires are essential to keeping the understory open and preserving this ecosystem. These areas are said to have been preferred habitation sites for the nomadic people in Pre-Columbian times.

Savannas (aka: longleaf - black gum savannahs; wetland longleaf pine savannas; wetland pine savannas; pine savannah wetlands) If the sandylands described above resemble a well drained and arid version of the uplands, the savanna wetlands might be described as a poorly drained, wet version. This ecosystem is characterized by the same open spaces with widely spaced pine trees as uplands and sandylands, but differs in being very flat, with a relatively thin layer of low nutrient, fine, packed sand, sitting on which is very near the surface. The nearly impervious hardpan both inhibits drainage in wet periods as well as prevents moisture from rising in dry periods. The severity of the fluctuating water table, along with occasional low-intensity ground fires that are necessary to sustain this ecosystem, limit the plants that can grow there. Savanna wetlands are most often found to the south of the uplands, on the Montgomery and recent Bentley formations, although they are not entirely restricted to this zone. Longleaf pine ( ) along with black gum ( ), often stunted, make up much of the overstory, being among the few trees that grow in the severe conditions. Ground cover is dominated by rushes, sedges ( and ), and grasses including , , , and little bluestem ( Schizachyrium scoparium). Within the flat savannas, the slightest change in elevation can produce significantly different vegetation. Occasional mounds with two or three feet of sand, support upland habitat, while depressions of just a few inches can hold acid bogs, with low pH levels and low levels of nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Even the peripheral areas around acid bogs, distinguished by subtle sloping elevations of only an inch or two, sustain a distinct zone of vegetation. mosses and carnivorous plants are adapted to these environments, including the pitcher plant ( ), annual sundew ( Drosera brevifolia), rush bladderwort ( Utricularia juncea), and small butterwort ( Pinguicula pumila). A number of orchids are found in savannas including the grass pink orchid ( Calopogon tuberosus), yellow fringed orchid ( Platanthera ciliaris), snowy orchid ( Platanthera nivea), and snake mouth orchid ( Pogonia ophioglossoides).

Slope forests (aka: beech-magnolia-loblolly slopes; mesic upland forests: lower slope hardwood pine forest; beech-magnolia-loblolly pine association): Slope forest have a wide mix of conifers, deciduous, and evergreen broad-leaved trees occupying the gentle slopes between the wet bottomlands and the dryer uplands. Small spring-fed streams drain the slopes before reaching the larger creeks. The closed canopy filters the light reaching the forest floor where an ample layer of leaf litter holds water, creating a understory. The soils are relatively fertile with fine, loamy, sands and are well to moderately drained. The purest examples of slope forest are found on the soils of the Willis Formation with red clay in Jasper, Newton, Polk, and Tyler counties, but they extend well into the lower, southern regions where soils and topography are suitable, particularly along the slopes of the waterways. A variety of trees co-dominate slope forest and these can vary with elevation and moisture. In higher and less humid areas, forest shortleaf pine ( ), loblolly pine ( ), white oak ( ), and southern red oak ( ) co-dominate, but sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua) and blackgum ( ) are also common. More humid areas tend to shift to American beech ( Fagus grandifolia), southern magnolia ( Magnolia grandiflora), and American holly ( ) co-dominating with loblolly pine ( ), but include a wide variety of other hardwoods such as white oak ( ) and sugar maple ( ). In the lowest, flatter areas of the south, beech trees tend to drop out and are replaced by chestnut oak or basket oak ( Quercus michauxii) and laurel oak ( Quercus laurifolia). Understory trees and shrubs include Hercules-club or toothache tree ( Zanthoxylum clava-herculis), hoary azalea ( Rhododendron canescens), redbud ( Cercis canadensis), and silver bell ( ). A rich diversity of wildflowers are found in slope forest such as three jack-in-the pulpits ( Arisaema dracontium, A. quinatum, A. triphyllum), Indian pipe ( Monotropa uniflora), and wake-robin ( ). Orchids include the yellow lady's-slipper ( Cypripedium calceolus), spring coral-root ( Corallorhiza wisteriana), whorled pogonia ( Isotria verticillata), southern twayblade ( Listera australis), crippled crane fly ( Tipularia discolor), and three birds ( Triphora trianthophora). Wildfires are much less important to the ecology of the humid slope forest than in the uplands and sandylands, both of which will slowly revert into slope forest when fire is suppressed and slope vegetation that is not tolerant of fire takes hold and fills in the open areas.

Floodplains: (aka: sweet gum - oak floodplains; wet forests: floodplain hardwood forest; oak-gum floodplain; stream floodplains): Often referred to as bottomlands, floodplains are low laying areas adjacent to the larger creeks, bayous, and rivers which overflow and flood with some regularity. The floodwaters deposit rich alluvial soils, moderately permeable silty, sandy loams that support a wide diversity of vegetation. The major floodplains in the region were formed during the Wisconsin glaciation, when sea levels were low and great rivers cut deep and wide channels in the landscape. These channels are now largely filled with sediment and deposits through which the present day rives, much smaller than in the past, wind and meander. Floodplains often occur in terraces with various swales, ridges, and levees stepping down in tiers to the water level. Some ecologists subdivide these terraces into separate ecosystems, including but not limited to, baygalls on the outer margins of higher terraces, and cypress sloughs in the lowest areas. Pine trees are uncommon or absent in the floodplains, which are dominated by deciduous canopy trees including water oak ( ), chestneu or basket oak ( Quercus michauxii), willow oak ( ), cherrybark oak ( ), and red oak ( ). Other important trees include the overcup oak ( ) which can grow in and around standing water, sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua), blackgum ( ), water hickory ( ), and red maple ( ), often with a dense mid-story of ironwood ( Carpinus caroliniana). Among the many wildflowers are three irises, yellow iris ( ), southern iris ( ), and short-stem iris ( ), as well as the fragrant ladies tresses orchid ( Spiranthes odorata), blue jasmine ( ), and the aquatic spatterdock ( ). Although the floodplains in the region share much in common with one another, each river varies with some unique elements and plant species. The Trinity River basin in particular stands out in contrast to others with , relatively high pH, alkaline soils supporting vegetation that is seldom seen in other watersheds, including bois d'arc also called horse apple ( ), blueberry hawthorn ( Crataegus brachyacantha), cedar elm ( Ulmus crassifolia), and Texas sugarberry ( ).

Baygalls (aka: bay-gallberry holly bogs in part; Acid bog baygalls): With dense undergrowth and twisted vines growing in stagnant, , acid bogs, under a shadowy canopy of swamp tupelo and cypress, are often said to exemplify and epitomize the Big Thicket. Baygalls typically form at the base of slopes where seeps, springs, and rainwater drain onto the margins of the flat floodplains and bottomlands, away from the main channels. The drainage from the slopes maintain saturated, muddy soils in these already damp and humid areas, where pools, bogs, and stagnant drainages form in depressions on the flat landscape. With sphagnum mosses and high peat content, baygall soils and water have very high acidity, pH levels of 4.5 are common. The high acid levels are a significant factor in distinguishing baygalls from the floodplain and flats ecosystems. Although baygall waters are generally shallow and torpid, they sometimes form small, highly acidic , slowly moving into the larger creeks and bayous. Hanging bogs occur where water pools on irregular flat and low areas on the slopes above the bottomlands. The name baygall is derived from sweet bay magnolia ( Magnolia virginiana) and sweet gallberry holly ( ). These and swamp titi ( Cyrilla racemiflora) are dominant and other common shrubs include southern bayberry ( ), water willow ( Decodon verticillatus), red bay ( ), and Virginia sweetspire ( ). Vines like muscadine grape ( Vitis rotundifolia), supplejack or rattan-vine ( Berchemia scandens) can grow impressively large. Larger trees include swamp tupelo ( ) and bald cypress ( Taxodium distichum). In addition to the prominent fragrant water-lily ( ), baygalls harbor many small and obscure wildflowers such as four species of carnivorous bladderworts ( ), and species like burmannia (Burmannia biflora) and nodding-nixie ( ). Some baygalls and hanging bogs are no more than a small pool, while others can be a mile across. One author states that the Jack Gore Baygall Unit of the BTNP, at , is the largest baygall in the world.

Flats (aka: palmetto-oak flats; wet forests; palmetto-hardwood flats): Dense stands of dwarf palmettos ( ) are an indicator of this ecosystem and it can have an exotic and tropical look with draping from the trees, like Spanish moss ( Tillandsia usneoides) and resurrection fern ( Pleopeltis polypodioides). Some of the most extensive and well preserved palmetto-oak flats are found around Pine Island Bayou and Little Pine Island Bayou, the area known as the "Traditional Thicket" or "Hunter's Thicket". Flats, often several miles wide, are old river channels and floodplains and their associated bars and levees, filled with centuries of sediments and deposits. They are some of the flattest and lowest areas in the Big Thicket. Flats are typically poorly drained areas with very deep soils of a high clay content having properties, meaning the soil moves, shrinking and swelling with moisture content. Palmetto-oak flats alternate between flooded and dry conditions, with a few inches of water standing for days, weeks, even months after rains, to dry periods in which the soils dry, leaving large and deep cracks in the hard baked surface. The canopy is made up of several hardwoods species of which the swamp chestnut oak or basket oak ( Quercus michauxii), laurel oak ( Quercus laurifolia), overcup oak ( ), swamp post oak ( ), and cedar elm ( Ulmus crassifolia) are dominant species. Other trees and shrubs filling in the canopy and understory include sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua), Carolina ash ( Fraxinus caroliniana), blueberry hawthorn ( Crataegus brachiacanthua), and arrowwood viburnum ( Viburnum dentatum). The shade of the canopy and the severity of the wet and dry conditions limit the species that grow in the understory. However the dwarf palmetto ( ) thrives, typically growing to about , although occasional specimens can be found up to tall. Some regard the larger specimens as a different species or variety, the Louisiana palmetto ( ), others do not recognize it a valid species. Other understory species found on the flats are creeping spot-flower ( Spilanthes americana), Missouri ironweed ( Vernonia missurica), lance-leaved water-willow ( Justicia lanceolata), and inland sea oats ( Chasmanthium latifolium). The ancient levees and bars deposited along the old river channels, varying in size from less than an acre up to , are slightly higher with better drainage supporting stands of loblolly pine ( ) and water oak ( ) with understory species such as Hooker eryngo ( ), and sharp-sepal penstemon ( ). Bald cypress ( Taxodium distichum) and water tupelo ( ) grow in and near permanent or semi permanent water and the disc water-hyssop ( Bacopa rotundifolia) may be found floating or growing at the water's edge. Drainage patterns are significant in shaping and maintaining these ecosystems and drainage alterations have reduced the historical size of this community.United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ecological Site Description: Clayey Flat

Cypress slough (aka: sweet gum - oak floodplains in part; swamp-cypress tupelo forest; slough, oxbows, and cypress-tupelo swamps): Recognized as a distinct ecosystem by some, regarded as a component found within the flats, floodplains, and baygall bogs by others, cypress sloughs with older bald cypress ( Taxodium distichum) and their buttresses and protruding knees are impressive environments. Cypress sloughs occupy low laying areas in the floodplains of creeks and rivers set back from the main channels, with still or very slow moving permanent, or semi permanent, water, like secondary channels, , sloughs, and ponds. Cypress sloughs are found throughout the region but, are perhaps more extensive in the low laying south. The dominant trees are the bald cypress ( Taxodium distichum) and the water tupelo ( ). Water tupelo often grow in deeper water and bald cypress in shallower parts or at the periphery, although both are adapted to growing in permanently submerged areas or on dry land with sufficient moisture. Understory trees and shrubs found growing around cypress sloughs include water or Carolina ash ( Fraxinus caroliniana), water elm ( ), river birch ( ), eastern hop-hornbean ( Ostrya virginiana), and buttonbush ( Cephalanthus occidentalis). Plants like lizard's tail ( ) and burhead ( Echinodorus cordifolius) can be seen growing in shallow water with cardinal flower ( Lobelia cardinalis) and sensitive fern ( Onoclea sensibilis) at the water's edge. Bald cypress trees typically live for 600 years or more and some are known to have lived 1,200 years. Cypress is a valuable hardwood, particularly prized for its resistance to rot and highly valued for shipbuilding, docks, and bridges. Consequently, this ancient swamp forest, once common in the region, have been greatly reduced because of logging in the nineteenth century. Trees over 100 years old are rare in the area now.Texas Parks and Wildlife: Bald Cypress ( Taxodium distichum )

Mixed-grass prairies: Prairies (small patches are sometimes called coves), are sometimes included as a Big Thicket ecosystem. These are isolated fragments of coastal prairie more typical of Chambers and Jefferson counties to the south, in areas mostly found where the forest and coastal prairies transition. Prairies are dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, some are the same as those found longleaf pine savannas, but others are distinctive like Indian grass ( Sorghastrum nutans) and prairie bluebell ( Eustoma grandiflorum). Common grasses of these areas include Indian grass ( Sorghastrum avenaceum), eastern gama-grass ( Tripsacum dactyloides), and tall dropseed ( ). One author distinguished prairies from longleaf pine savannas by the presence of pimple mounds or . Prairies and coves were once found in the Big Thicket with some consistency, particularly in higher elevations in the south, and specifically in higher southwestern areas between the Pine Island Bayou and the Trinity River drainages. However, natural wildfires are an important factor in maintaining these areas and when fire is suppressed, trees and shrubs quickly grow in and fill in these areas. The Chinese tallow tree ( Triadica sebifera) is a particularly aggressive and problematic in prairie habitat in the region. Prairies are also often the first areas to be developed for farming and residential housing. Unfortunately, prairies in the Big Thicket are now rare.

Roadsides and river edge: Although not a natural or even stable plant assemblage, some have recognized roadsides as an ecosystem in the Big Thicket. Proponents of the concept have identified a number of distinguishing characteristics of roadsides from the other ecosystems. Sunlight and heat can reach the ground along the clear highway easements, unlike most areas where the light is filtered by the forest canopy before it reaches the ground. Roadsides receive more rainwater, diverted from the pavement and often retained for a time in roadside ditches. Soil types not normally found at the surface are often exposed with the construction of roads, particularly deep road cuts in the low hills in the north that expose soils or where the formations are thin near transition zones supporting the growth of plants not normally occurring in the surrounding habitat, allowing for more diverse plants species to grow. The "corridor effect" of traffic, both human (vehicles, tourists, and road crews) and birds and other animals, inadvertently dispersing seeds and roots along roadsides from other areas. And finally, regular cycles of mowing and cutting, as well as the use of herbicides can both inhibit and benefit various wildflowers and plant species growing there. Most plant species at any given roadside represent the association immediately adjacent to that locality, but often have a few odd of species from other areas. Roadsides are a convenient and accessible places to view wildflowers, regardless of whether they are true ecosystems. In the past some (including the National Park Service) have discussed the river edge as an ecosystem in the Big Thicket however, most ecologist do not recognize river edges as an ecosystem distinct from the one a river runs through.

File:Pine uplands after a fire, Big Thicket NP, Hickory Creek Unit, Tyler Co. TX; 23 Mar 2020.jpg|Longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris) upland habitat after a recent fire. Big Thicket National Preserve, Hickory Creek Unit, Tyler Co. Texas; 23 Mar 2020 File:Big Thicket National Preserve, Hickory Creek Unit, Tyler Co. TX.jpg| The same vicinity as previous image five months after the fire. Big Thicket National Preserve, Hickory Creek Savannah Unit, Tyler Co. Texas; 20 Aug 2020 File:Sphagnum Bog, Big Thicket NP, Turkey Creek Unit, Tyler Co. TX; 1 May 2020.jpg| or "acid bogs" with pH levels as low as 4.5 occur in the region. Big Thicket National Preserve, Turkey Creek Unit, Tyler Co. Texas; 1 May 2020 File:Blackwater and muddy water, Big Thicket NP. Jack Gore Baygall Unit, Hardin Co. TX; 3 Apr 2020.jpg|Baygall blackwater (left) mixing with typical muddy water (right). Big Thicket National Preserve, Jack Gore Baygall Unit, Hardin Co. Texas; 3 April 2020 File:Village Creek floodplain. Roy Larson, Sandyland, Hardin Co. TX ; 30 Apr 2010.jpg|Lush vegetation in the Village Creek floodplain. Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary, Hardin Co. Texas; 30 April 2010 File:Evening on the Bayou (1ca881a7-a125-414a-abbd-789cb1bd8b8d) (cropped).JPG|Kayakers in the Big Thicket National Preserve

Exact numbers of plant and animal species occurring in the Big Thicket region are difficult to state objectively due to a number of factors including: the imprecise boundaries of the area; which (if any) accidental and to count; whether to count and ; whether to count introduced and ; migratory vs. resident species; frequent taxonomic changes and taxonomic instability. These and other factors all contribute to what sometimes appear as inconsistent or contradictory counts and numbers.

Flora
The area contains over 100 species of trees and shrubs, with longleaf pine ( ) once dominating the region. Big Thicket National Preserve has introduced programs to re-establish this dominance, including one of the US's most active programs. With the National Park Service's centennial occurring in 2016, efforts were made to plant between 100,000 and 300,000 longleaf pines. The National Park Service lists more than one thousand species of and that can also be found in the thicket, including 20 and four types of carnivorous plants.

File:Coral Bean (Erythrina herbacea) photographed in Tyler County, Texas, USA (12 May 2012).jpg|Coral bean ( Erythrina herbacea) Tyler County File:False Gromwell (Onosmodium bejariense) photographed in Walker County, Texas, USA (26 April 2014).jpg|False gromwell ( Onosmodium bejariense) Walker County File:Rose Mallow (Hibiscus sp.) photographed in Hardin County, Texas, USA (6 November 2019).jpg|Rose mallow ( sp.) Hardin County File:Pinewoods Lily (Alophia drummondii) photographed in Hardin County, Texas, USA (11 May 2012).jpg|Pinewoods lily ( Alophia drummondii) Hardin County File:Turkcap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii) photographed in San Jacinto County, Texas, USA (16 August 2014).jpg|Turkcap ( Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii) San Jacinto County File:Ladies'-tresses Orchid (Spiranthes sp.) photographed in Tyler County, Texas, USA (11 May 2012).jpg|Ladies'-tresses orchid ( sp.) Tyler County File:Turnsole (Heliotropium indicum) photographed in Liberty County, Texas, USA (21 October 2017).jpg|Turnsole ( Heliotropium indicum) Liberty County File:Southern Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum), photographed on 11 May 2012, Tyler County, Texas, USA, by William L. Farr.jpg|Southern arrowwood ( Viburnum dentatum), Tyler County File:Broad-leaf Snoutbean (Rhynchosia latifolia), photographed on 22 May 2020, Polk County, Texas, USA, by William L. Farr.jpg|Broad-leaf snoutbean ( Rhynchosia latifolia), Polk County File:Grass-pink Orchid (Calopogon sp. (oklahomensis or tuberosus)), photographed on 1 May 2020, Tyler County, Texas, USA, by William L. Farr.jpg|Grass-pink orchid ( sp.), Tyler County File:Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia alata), photographed on 1 May 2020, Tyler County, Texas, USA, by William L. Farr.jpg|Pitcher plant ( ), Tyler County File:Butterfly Pea (Centrosema virginianum), photographed on 22 May 2020, Polk County, Texas, USA, by William L. Farr.jpg|Butterfly pea ( Centrosema virginianum), Polk County File:Lance-leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata), photographed on 12 May 2020, Hardin County, Texas, USA, by William L. Farr.jpg|Lance-leaved coreopsis ( Coreopsis lanceolata), Hardin County File:Short-stem Iris (Iris brevicaulis), photographed on 12 May 2020, in Polk County, Texas, USA, by William L. Farr.jpg|Short-stem iris ( ) Polk County

Fauna
During the last glacial period, plant and animal species from many different moved into the area. Before their extinction, the Big Thicket was home to most species of North American megafauna.

Well over 500 species of vertebrates occur in the Big Thicket region, including more than 50 mammals, 300 birds, 60 reptiles, 30 amphibians, and over 90 fishes. The records and numbers below for mammals, reptiles, and amphibians are based on county records for Hardin, Jasper, Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Tyler, and Walker counties, which in a few cases may reflect marginal, peripheral, and records for a given species in the region and not all of the species are ubiquitous or evenly distributed throughout the Big Thicket.Schimidly, David J. (2004) The Mammals of Texas, 6th revised edition. University of Texas Press, Austin. 501 pp. Dixon, James R. (2013) Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas: with keys, taxonomic synopses, bibliography, and distribution maps. Texas A&M University Press, College Station. 447 pp.

Mammals: About 54 species of mammals occur in the Big Thicket (not counting extirpated species), including such species as the Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana), nine-banded armadillo ( Dasypus novemcinctus), short-tailed shrew ( Blarina carolinensis), American beaver ( Castor canadensis), Baird's pocket gopher ( ), southern flying squirrel ( ), white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus), eastern spotted skunk ( Spilogale putorius), American mink ( ), river otter ( Lontra canadensis), coyote ( ), gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus), bobcat ( ), and Rafinesque's big-eared bat ( Corynorhinus rafinesquii) a threatened species in Texas.Texas Parks & Wildlife, Federal and State Listed Species in Texas , accessed 2 November 2019 Although many of these species are common, they can be highly secretive and are seldom seen in the dense woodlands. Many prominent species that once occurred in the Big Thicket have been from their historical ranges. Examples include hog-nosed skunks ( Conepatus leuconotus), red wolves ( ), ocelots ( Leopardus pardalis), and jaguars ( ). In 1902 ornithologist Harry Church Oberholser reported what he considered reliable accounts of jaguars in east Texas, including one killed south of Jasper a few years earlier, along the Neches River near Beaumont, and in the timber south of Conroe.

Although once common in the Big Thicket, the American black bears ( ) was the target of a concerted effort to extirpate them from east Texas in the late nineteenth century. Reports of field naturalists in 1902 indicated:

  • Conroe: "A few still found in the big thicket 15 mile south of here."
  • Beaumont: "A few still found in the forest northwest of here."
  • Sour Lake: "Still common in the swamps near here; a few killed every year."
  • Rockland: "Now very rare or quite extinct."
Vernon Bailey, chief naturalist for the U.S. Biological Survey, interviewed a hog farmer and bear hunter named Ab Carter in 1904. Carter reported that in 1883, he and a neighbor set out to exterminate the bears in the Tarkington Prairie area of Liberty County that preyed on their free ranging hogs in the forest. That same year 182 bears were killed within a radius of Tarkington Prairie and annual hunting continued until 1900 when the last two bears were killed in that area. Currently, extremely rare bear sightings in east Texas are believed to be wandering individuals from reintroduction efforts in adjacent areas of Louisiana. They are now a threatened species in Texas and the National Park Service list them as "probably present".

Conversely other species have been introduced to the area like the nutria ( ) from , now common in the area. Feral pigs ( ) "constitute one of the most serious conservation threats in Texas." They prey on natural populations of invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, ground nesting birds, and rodents and are known to play a role in the transmission of disease including , , and . Their forging habits involve rooting up and disturbing soils, reducing both the numbers of individual plants and animals and the number species in any given area.

File:Rafinesque big-eared bat 5476130-SMPT.jpg|Rafinesque's big-eared bat ( Corynorhinus rafinesquii) File:Southern Flying Squirrel-27527-3.jpg|Southern flying squirrel ( ) File:North American beaver (Castor canadensis) (3dfe84e0-29eb-4039-afec-95d92c513338) (cropped).JPG|North American beaver ( Castor canadensis), Big Thicket NP, camara trap File:A herd of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) (5db1cb2b-e72c-4f15-a4d1-662e91c83945) (cropped).JPG|White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus), Big Thicket NP, camara trap File:River otter (Lontra canadensis) (5f5ce9db-2d2f-4ed0-a712-c85b8c32f389) (cropped).JPG|River otter ( Lontra canadensis), Big Thicket NP, camara trap File:Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) carrying a rabbit (19206b2f-0a3d-4886-af42-24f92fc7682e) (cropped).JPG|Gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus) with rabbit ( S. aquaticus or S. floridanus), BTNP, camara trap File:Bobcat (Lynx rufus) (142ee3a2-767a-4ab8-a10f-d7303a426d01) (cropped).JPG|Bobcat ( ), Big Thicket NP, camara trap

Birds: Three hundred species of migratory and nesting occur in the Big Thicket including the red-cockaded woodpecker, a state and federal endangered species. The extinct ivory-billed woodpecker once occurred in the Big Thicket.

File:Picoides borealis USMC2005729133853B.jpg|Red-cockaded woodpecker File:Bachman's Sparrow, Hal Scott Reserve, Florida 3.jpg|Bachman's sparrow ( Peucaea aestivalis), Hal Scott Reserve, Florida File:Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) Walker Co. TX. photo W. L. Farr.jpg|Scissor-tailed flycatcher ( Tyrannus forficatus) in Walker County File:Painted Bunting - Texas - USA H8O2367 (23443730189).jpg|Painted bunting ( Passerina ciris), Texas File:Yellow-crowned Night-heron (Nyctanassa violacea) Harris Co. TX. photo W. L. Farr.jpg|Yellow-crowned night-heron ( Nyctanassa violacea) in Harris County File:White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) showing adult (left) and immature (right) plumage, Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, Texas.jpg|White ibis ( Eudocimus albus) adult and immature plumage, Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge File:Wood ducks (Aix sponsa) (a557702f-eab3-43fd-bef4-837c129b7775) (cropped).JPG|Wood ducks ( ), Big Thicket NP, camara trap

Reptiles: Sixty-one species of reptiles are known from the Big Thicket area including the alligator, 15 turtles, 12 lizards, and 33 snakes. Along with birds, reptiles are among the more commonly seen wildlife and they are an important part of the forest community or ecosystems. The American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis), although somewhat uncommon, occurs throughout the Big Thicket where sufficient water is found. However, alligators are abundant in the open marshland of Chambers and Jefferson counties to the south, where they bask in the sun unobstructed by forest trees.

Turtle diversity in the American Gulf Coast states is among the highest in the world. The red-eared slider ( Trachemys scripta) is the most common of the pond and river turtles, although river cooters ( Pseudemys concinna), Mississippi map turtles ( Graptemys pseudogeographica), Sabine map turtles ( Graptemys sabinensis), and the rare chicken turtle ( Deirochelys reticularia) all occur there. The worldwide distribution of the Sabine map turtle is limited to the Sabine and Neches rivers and adjacent drainages of southwest Louisiana. The once ubiquitous and abundant three-toed box turtle ( Terrapene carolina) is still occasionally encountered in east Texas but its numbers plummeted in the late twentieth century, while the ornate box turtle ( ), at its eastern range limits, is known from a few county records in the area, as is the yellow mud turtle ( Kinosternon flavescens). The Mississippi mud turtle ( Kinosternon subrubrum), razorback musk turtle ( Sternotherus carinatus), and common musk turtle ( Sternotherus odoratus) spend much of their time foraging at the bottom of the murky waters but, occasionally can be seen basking or even on land moving between streams and ponds. Powerful swimmers, the largely aquatic spiny soft-shelled turtle ( Apalone spinifera) is found throughout the region, while the smooth soft-shelled turtle ( ) prefers the larger rivers, creeks, and bayous.Ernst, Carl H. and Jeffrey E. Lovich (2009) Turtles of the United States and Canada, second edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 827 pp. The snapping turtle family () is found only in the New World with two genera, both represented in the Big Thicket, the common snapping turtle ( Chelydra serpentina) and the alligator snapping turtle ( Macrochelys temminckii). The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America and one of the larger freshwater turtles in the world. One record sized individual with a shell has been documented, and another captive specimen recorded, however, and is the typical adult size. Alligator snapping turtles are protected as a threatened species in Texas.

Lizards commonly seen include green anoles ( Anolis carolinensis), five-lined skinks ( Plestiodon fasciatus), broad-headed skinks (Plestiodon laticeps), ground skinks ( Scincella lateralis), and prairie lizards ( Sceloporus consobrinus). Six-lined race runners ( Aspidoscelis sexlineatus) are not uncommon, but limited to open areas with sandy soils,Axtell, Ralph W. (1994) Interpretive Atlas of Texas Lizards: No. 13. Cnemidophorus sexlineatus. Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. 31 pp. whereas the legless western slender glass lizard ( Ophisaurus attenuatus) prefers areas of dense grasses with sandy soils. Three lizards barely range into peripheral counties, including two rare skinks, the southern prairie skink ( Plestiodon septentrionalis) in the west and the coal skink ( Plestiodon anthracinus) in the northeast; and the Texas spiny lizard ( Sceloporus olivaceus), common to the west, but rare in a few western Big Thicket counties. Most records of the state reptile, the Texas horned lizard ( Phrynosoma cornutum), from east Texas are from the early and mid-twentieth century when they were popular pets, and are thought to represent released or escaped pets and not the species natural range.Axtell, Ralph W. (1996) Interpretive Atlas of Texas Lizards: No. 16. Phrynosoma cornutum. Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. 52 pp. Two invasive species, the brown anole ( ) and the nocturnal Mediterranean gecko ( Hemidactylus turcicus), are found there.

File:American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) Chambers Co. Texas. photo W. L. Farr.jpg|American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis) in Chambers County File:Razorback Musk Turtle (Sternotherus carinatus) Hardin Co. Texas. photo W. L. Farr.jpg|Razorback musk turtle ( Sternotherus carinatus) in Hardin County File:Sabine Map Turtle (Graptemys sabinensis) Orange Co. Texas. photo W. L. Farr.jpg|Sabine map turtle ( Graptemys sabinensis) in Orange County File:Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) Walker Co. Texas. photo W. L. Farr.jpg|Three-toed box turtle ( Terrapene carolina) in Walker County File:Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) Liberty Co. Texas. photo W. L. Farr.jpg|Five-lined skink ( Plestiodon fasciatus) in Liberty County File:Prairie Lizard (Sceloporus consobrinus) Hardin Co. Texas. photo W. L. Farr.jpg|Prairie lizard ( Sceloporus consobrinus) in Hardin County File:Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) Polk Co. Texas. photo W. L. Farr.jpg|Green anole ( Anolis carolinensis) in Polk County

Snakes: With 33 species, the highest diversity among the reptiles are the snakes. Some of the more common species include the eastern hognose snake ( Heterodon platirhinos), brown snake ( ), western ribbon snake ( Thamnophis proximus), and the rough greensnake ( Opheodrys aestivus). Two large, common, but harmless species, the coachwhip snake ( Masticophis flagellum) and the Texas rat snake ( Pantherophis obsoletus), both commonly grow to ; individuals are not rare, and they occasionally grow even larger. The North American racer ( Coluber constrictor) occurs in three color variations in the Big Thicket, some recognize them as subspecies, the buttermilk racer ( C. c. anthicus), the yellow-bellied racer ( C. c. flaviventris), and the tan racer ( C. c. etheridgei). The harmless watersnakes bear a resemblance and share habitats with venomous cottonmouths, including three common species, the yellow-bellied watersnake ( Nerodia erythrogaster), southern or broad-banded watersnake ( ), diamondback watersnake ( Nerodia rhombifer), and the uncommon Mississippi green watersnake ( Nerodia cyclopion). Some less common species that are occasionally encountered are the western mud snake ( ), prairie kingsnake ( Lampropeltis calligaster), speckled kingsnake ( Lampropeltis holbrooki), Louisiana milk snake ( Lampropeltis triangulum), and Slowinski's cornsnake ( Pantherophis slowinskii). The rare and endangered Louisiana pine snake ( Pituophis ruthveni) is known form historical records in the Big Thicket but might be extirpated from the area now. The Louisiana pine snake is closely associated with the Baird's pocket gopher ( ), both for prey and its burrows for shelter, and both species occupy longleaf pine uplands, savanna, and sandyland, habitat which is dependent on periodic cycles of wildfires to maintain an open understory.Himes, John G., Laurence M. Hardy, D. Craig Rudolph, and Shirley J. Burgdorf (2006) Movement patterns and habitat selection by native and repatriated Louisiana pine snakes (Pituophis ruthveni): implications for conservation. Herpetological Natural History. 9 (2): 103–116.Werler, John E. and James R. Dixon (2000) Texas Snakes, Identification, Distribution, and Natural History. University of Texas Press, Austin. 437 pp.

There are five species of venomous snakes in the area. Two rattlesnakes, the pygmy rattlesnake ( Sistrurus miliarius) and the canebrake or timber rattlesnake ( Crotalus horridus) are both uncommon to rare. Timber rattlesnakes are a threatened species in Texas, as they are in most states where they occur and are protected by state laws. The Texas coral snake ( ) is not uncommon however, they are secretive, often , and seldom seen. Two of the most common snakes, venomous or non-venomous, are the copperhead ( Agkistrodon contortrix) and cottonmouth ( Agkistrodon piscivorus). Venomous snakes deserve caution and respect, but are safely observed when distances of 15–20 feet are maintained.

File:Diamondback Watersnake (Nerodia rhombifer) photographed in San Jacinto Co., Texas. W. L. Farr.jpg|Diamondback watersnake ( Nerodia rhombifer) in San Jacinto County File:Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus) photographed in Tyler Co., Texas. W. L. Farr.jpg|Rough greensnake ( Opheodrys aestivus) in Tyler County File:Texas Rat Snake (Pantherophis obsoletus) photographed in Liberty Co., Texas. W. L. Farr.jpg|Texas rat snake ( Pantherophis obsoletus) in Liberty County File:Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster) photographed in Tyler Co., Texas. W. L. Farr.jpg|Prairie kingsnake ( Lampropeltis calligaster) in Tyler County File:Texas Coral Snake (Micrurus tener) photographed in Houston Co., Texas. W. L. Farr.jpg|Texas coral snake ( Micrurus tener) in Houston County File:Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) photographed in Liberty Co., Texas. W. L. Farr.jpg|Copperhead ( Agkistrodon contortrix) in Liberty County File:Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) photographed in Liberty Co., Texas. W. L. Farr.jpg|Cottonmouth ( Agkistrodon piscivorus) in Liberty County

Amphibians: There are 31 species of amphibians found in the Big Thicket area, including 11 species of and 20 species of and . Some of the more commonly encountered salamanders in the region include the smallmouth salamander ( Ambystoma texanum), dwarf salamander ( Eurycea quadridigitata), and central newt ( Notophthalmus viridescens). The three-toed amphiuma ( Amphiuma tridactylum) is one of the larger salamanders in the world and can grow over . Three salamanders, including the three-toed amphiuma ( Amphiuma tridactylum), Gulf Coast water dog ( ), and lesser siren ( ), retain their gills from the larva stage and live their entire lives in the muddy waters of east Texas and consequently, although not rare, are seldom seen except by an occasional fisherman or those who specifically go look for them. Likewise, mole salamanders (members of the genus ), including the spotted salamander ( Ambystoma maculatum), marbled salamander ( ), mole salamander ( Ambystoma talpoideum), and tiger salamander ( Ambystoma tigrinum) spend much of their lives underground and are infrequently seen except for few short weeks each year during their breeding seasons. The southern dusky salamander ( Desmognathus auriculatus), once widespread in Southeast Texas, now appears to be in serious decline.Petranka, James W. (1998) Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington. 587 pp.

Common toads and frogs include the Gulf Coast toad ( Incilius nebulifer), Blanchard's cricket frog ( ), green tree frog ( ), squirrel tree frog ( ), spring peeper ( Pseudacris crucifer), eastern narrow-mouth toad ( Gastrophryne carolinensis), American bullfrog ( Lithobates catesbeianus), bronze frog ( Lithobates clamitans), and southern leopard frog ( Lithobates sphenocephalus). Two other frequently encountered tree frogs, Cope's gray tree frog ( Hyla chrysoscelis) and the gray tree frog ( ), are identical in appearance and can only be distinguished by subtle differences in their calls or by laboratory analysis. The East Texas toad, commonly seen in the Big Thicket, has been controversial among herpetologist and taxonomist, some arguing that it is a distinct species ( Anaxyrus velatus) while others argue that it is a hybrid between Woodhouse's toad ( Anaxyrus woodhousii) found to the west and Fowler's toad ( ) found to the east. Two rare and highly secretive frogs are the pickerel frog ( Lithobates palustris) and the southern crawfish frog ( Lithobates areolatus) which is a species, spending much of its time in crayfish burrows and other small cavities in the ground. One , the small Rio Grande chirping frog ( Syrrhophus cystignathoides), is native to the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico but, it does not appear pose an ecological threat to other species as invasive species often do.Dodd Jr., C. Kenneth (2013) Frogs of the United States and Canada, Vol. I & II. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 982 pp.

File:Small-mouthed Salamander (Ambystoma texanum) Liberty Co. Texas. photo by W. L. Farr.jpg|Small-mouthed salamander ( Ambystoma texanum) in Liberty County File:Dwarf Salamander (Eurycea quadridigitata) Polk Co. Texas. W. L. Farr.jpg|Dwarf salamander ( Eurycea quadridigitata) in Polk County File:Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) Walker Co. Texas. photo by W. L. Farr.jpg|Eastern newt ( Notophthalmus viridescens) in Walker County File:East Texas Toad (Anaxyrus velatus or woodhousii x fowleri) Hardin Co. Texas. photo by W. L. Farr.jpg|East Texas toad ( Anaxyrus velatus or woodhousii × fowleri) in Hardin County File:Eastern Narrow-mouth Toad, (Gastrophryne carolinensis) Liberty Co. Texas. photo by W. L. Farr.jpg|Eastern narrow-mouth toad, ( Gastrophryne carolinensis) in Liberty County File:Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) Montgomery Co. Texas. photo by W. L. Farr.jpg|Gray treefrog ( Hyla versicolor) in Montgomery County File:Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea) Hardin Co. Texas. photo by W. L. Farr.jpg|Green treefrog ( Hyla cinerea) in Hardin County

Fishes: Well over 90 species of fishes are known from the area. The Big Thicket National Preserve inventoried 92 species in the preserve's waters and another 20 species are noted as possible occurrences.National Park Service: Big Thicket National Preserve, Fish The National Park Service checklist includes 104 species.National Park Service: Big Thicket, Park species list (accessed 4 November 2019) Others source note 98 species and 94 species.Thomas, Chad, Timothy H. Bonner, and Bobby G. Whiteside (2007) Freshwater Fishes of Texas. Texas A&M University Press, College Station. 202 pp. In the smaller tributaries the most abundant species are minnows, killifishes, darters, bass, and bullhead catfish, while larger creeks and bayous are dominated by channel, blue, and flathead catfish, sunfishes, largemouth and spotted bass, and crappie.

Insects: Studies have documented nearly 1,800 species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) in the Big Thicket.Big Thicket National Preserve, Research in the Big Thicket

Dragonflies and damselflies (): Damselflies typically sit with their wings together, closed over their backs. Dragonflies sit with their wings spread. Collectively over 120 species occur in the Big Thicket area. They are often associated with water where they lay their eggs. Most species have preferences in the water they frequent, such as moving water vs. still water, streams, ponds, marshes etc. The Needham's skimmer ( Libellula needhami) lay their eggs in flight, while the ebony jewelwing ( Calopteryx maculata) submerges for up to two hours while depositing eggs. The nymphs are aquatic. Both the larva and adults are fierce predators, feeding primarily on insects. They are frequently sexually dimorphic and males and females may have different colors and patterns. Some species like the roseate skimmer ( Orthemis ferruginea) and common green darner ( ) can be seen in their adult form year round. Others are limited to a few weeks or mouths each year like the calico pennant ( ) flying April - August and Needham's skimmer ( Libellula needhami) flying May - September. The Texas emerald ( Somatochlora margarita) and the rare and sarracenia spiketail ( Cordulegaster sarracenia) are endemic to southeast Texas and adjacent areas of Louisiana.Abbott, John (2011) Damselflies of Texas, A Field Guide. University of Texas Press, Austin. 266 pp. Abbott, John (2015) Dragonflies of Texas, A Field Guide. University of Texas Press, Austin. 448 pp.

File:1. Common green darner (Anax junius), male, Liberty County.jpg|Common green darner ( Anax junius), male, Liberty County File:2. Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata), male, San Jacinto County.jpg|Ebony jewelwing ( Calopteryx maculata), male, San Jacinto County File:3. Needham's Skimmer (Libellula needhami) female, Harris Co County.jpg|Needham's skimmer ( Libellula needhami) female, Harris Co County File:4. Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa) male, Chambers County.jpg|Calico pennant ( Celithemis elisa) male, Chambers County File:5. Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea), male, Liberty County.jpg|Roseate skimmer ( Orthemis ferruginea), male, Liberty County File:6. Widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa), female, Houston County.jpg|Widow skimmer ( Libellula luctuosa), female, Houston County File:Sarracenia spiketail (Cordulegaster sarracenia) Rapides Parish, LA, USA (7 April 2019) 2.jpg|Sarracenia spiketail ( Cordulegaster sarracenia) Rapides Parish, Louisiana

History
In pre-Columbian times, people of the Caddoan Mississippian culture occupied areas just to the north of the Big Thicket region. The (including the subgroups Akiosa, Akokisas, Bidai, Deadoses, and Patiri) occupied the Big Thicket area, living nomadically along the Gulf of Mexico in Southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. They left evidence of hunting camps and such, although the Big Thicket area itself does not appear to have been the site of any significant permanent settlements comparable to the Caddo mound builders to the north. The Atakapa-Ishak speaking people were largely decimated by European diseases in the late eighteenth century, with only a few descendants surviving today. About the same time as the collapse of the Atakapa-Ishak people, the Alabama-Coushatta, originally two closely associated tribes living in adjacent areas of Alabama, began a westward migration about 1763 due to the encroachment of Europeans. The Alabama-Coushatta settled into the northern sections of the Big Thicket area by 1780, prior to the acquisition of their reservation in 1854.Hudson, Charles M. (1976). The Southeastern Indians. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press. p. 492. .Texas Historical Commission, Caddo Mounds History Atakapa-Ishak Nation, websiteLa Farge, Oliver (1956) A Pictorial History of the American Indian. Crown Publishers, Inc., New York. 272 pp.Alabama-Coushattas Tribe of Texas, website The Spaniards ruled the region 1521–1810, defining the Big Thicket's boundaries with the north as El Camino Real de los Tejas (Old San Antonio Road), a trail from to Nacogdoches; in the south as the Atascosito Road running from southwest Louisiana to Southeast Texas; to the west by the ; and to the east by the Sabine River. The Spanish established a settlement called Atascosito on the Atascosito Road at the Trinity River in 1756, renamed Villa de la Santissima Trinidad de la Libertad (Village of the Most Holy Trinity of Liberty) in 1831, later shortened to Liberty. However, this was little more than an outpost on the road and a stop on the river and interior areas were not developed in colonial times. Likewise, Beaumont (Tevis Bluff) was established in 1826 and Fort Teran, a long abandoned site in Tyler County on the Neches River were both primarily stops for river traffic.Tarpley, Fred (1980) 1001 Texas Place Names. University of Texas Press, Austin. 236 pp.

After Mexican independence (c. 1810–1836), the region remained largely undeveloped. One of the earliest European naturalists to survey Texas was Jean Louis Berlandier (1803–1851), a French naturalist who participated in a Mexican Boundary Survey from 1828 to 1829. Although Berlandier did not survey the Big Thicket area, he did travel to Robbins Crossing, where the El Camino Real (Old San Antonio Road) crossed the Trinity River and camped May 25–29, 1829, collecting information on the Trinity River among other things. Of the lower Trinity, Berlandier wrote in his journal "Every year in May or June the water overflows its banks. These banks are covered with dense forest where one finds many nut trees pecans, oaks, maples, elms, and pines. The banks are populated by various Indian nations of the United States of America, such as the Conchates Coushatta, Kichais, and Kicapoos, who have established their village there. One also finds two villages of colonist, known as Trinidad and Atascosito, which have achieved some growth at the present time".Berlandier, Jean Louis. 1980. Journey to Mexico: During the years 1826 to 1834, Vols. I – II. Texas State Historical Association in cooperation with the Center for Studies in Texas History, University of Texas at Austin, 672 pp. page Geiser, Samuel Wood. 1948. Naturalists of the Frontier. Southern Methodist University Press, Dallas. 296 pp. Lorenzo de Zavala (1788–1836) received land grants in 1829 and sought to interest capitalists in New York without success. In 1830, Zavala formed the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company in New York City with Joseph Vehlein and David G. Burnet (holding grants for in Texas) in hopes of colonizing the land, but they had minimal success. Stephen Jackson received in Hardin County, settling at Sour Lake Springs around 1835, the oldest extant town in the county. With Texas independence (1836), and the early years of statehood in the United States, Anglo-Saxon settlers began drifting into the area. Entrepreneurs bottled the water from the Sour Lake Springs and Jackson had developed a health resort with quality accommodations there by 1850. A Sour Lake post office was established in 1866 but discontinued in 1876. In the mid-nineteenth century the Big Thicket was sparsely populated by a few scattered inhabitants living in the woods off subsistence farming, hunting, and running free range hogs and cattle. It also had a reputation as a place for those avoiding conscription in the , , outlaws, and such.

The 1860 census showed there were about 200 sawmills statewide, but most were located near the Gulf Coast or north of the Big Thicket. Compared to other states, lumber production in Texas was small. As late as 1870, the majority of the forest of East Texas remained untouched. However that soon changed as the "bonanza era" (c. 1880–1930) of Texas lumbering began, facilitated by a rapidly developed railroad system. In 1877 Henry J. Lutcher and G. Bedell Moore started the first major mill in Orange, Texas. Others followed, many building in remote areas, where employees were often at the mercy of their employers. In the midst of the lumbering activity, oil was discovered at in January 1901, just south of the Big Thicket. The frenzy of activity that followed saw rampant drilling and exploration, the founding of , , and , and a rapid growth in population, development, and infrastructure. The population of Hardin County went from 1,870 in 1880 to 15,983 in 1920 according to the Census Bureau.Forstall, Richard L. ed. (1996). Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790–1990. U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC. 225 pp. John Henry Kirby "Prince of the Pines", started the Kirby Lumber Company about 1900 which ultimately held mineral and timber rights to a million acres in the region. By the 1920s East Texas timber was nearing depletion and most of the operations practiced a cut-out and get-out policy and moved on, many to the Pacific coast, leaving vast areas of clear-cut forest behind. The marked the end of the bonanza era for lumbering in East Texas. The population of Hardin County dropped to 13.936 (12.8%) in the 1930 census. Many of the towns in the Big Thicket emerged during this time in support of the , as evidenced by names like those of Lumberton (established in the 1890s), Kirbyville (1895, named after John Kirby), Silsbee (1894, named for Nathan D. Silsbee, an East Coast investor in the railroads). Others include Kountze (1882), Camden (1889), and Diboll (1894).

William Goodrich Jones (1860–1950), "the father of Texas forestry" was a bank president and civic leader in Temple, Texas. He had some exposure to good forestry practices in Germany and understood the commercial benefits of well-managed forests and he was appalled with what he saw in East Texas. He was not a conservationist, he advocated for sustainable forestry methods as a good business practice, including reforestation, maintaining soils, grasses, wildlife, and establishing parks. In 1898 the United States Bureau of Forestry asked Jones to write a report on the status of forestry in Texas. Jones condemn the destructive and wastefulness of the logging industry and predicted the forest would be gone in 25 years without changes. He recommended state and federal regulations with sustainable harvest and reforestation programs. In 1914 Jones formed the Texas Forestry Association with public officials, lumbermen, and conservationists. In collaboration with the United States Forest Service, the Texas Forestry Association drafted legislation to establish the Texas Department of Forestry, which, in 1926, became the Texas Forest Service.

What came to be a 50-year struggle to protect a portion of the Big Thicket for posterity begin in 1927 when R. E. Jackson, a railroad conductor, formed the East Texas Big Thicket Association (ETBTA) which sought to preserve . With Don Baird, of the Texas Academy of Science, the ETBTA instigated a biological survey that was conducted by Hal B. Parks and Victor L. Cory in 1936 defining the Big Thicket as a area of East Texas. With this survey and growing support of newspapers and the scientific community, the ETBTA lobbied the government for a national park. However, four national forests had recently been established in East Texas, more oil was discovered in Polk County, there was resistance from the lumber industry, and World War II brought an increased demand for lumber, all undermining their efforts. By the 1950s, the ETBTA existed primarily on paper and eventually expired. However the idea did not die. A new Big Thicket Association was founded in 1964 by Lance Rosier and continued pushing for protected land and the governor appointed Dempsie Henley to head a proposal for a state park. However, with changing officials in state elections, lackadaisical attitudes, opposition from timber firms, and several attempts without success, Henley enlisted the aid of U.S. Senator in 1965. Yarborough was enthusiastic and introduced a bill to establish a national park in 1966. Claude McLeod, a biologist at Sam Houston State College, had been studying the Big Thicket for several years and completed a manuscript about the time a National Park survey team arrived in 1966 to develop the proposal. McLeod's research, which mapped over acres across nine counties, was used as the basis for the National Park's report. It was only after seven years and another 27 Big Thicket bills were introduced in Congress, both pro and con, that a resolution was reached. Congress passed the Big Thicket National Preserve legislation in 1974 which was finally signed by President .

Protected and public land
The headquarters of Big Thicket National Preserve (BTNP) are located north of Kountze, Texas, and approximately north of Beaumont via US 69/287. It is administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. It consists of nine separate land units as well as six water corridors and as of October 22, 2019, the preserve includes spread over seven counties. Centered about Hardin County, Texas, the BTNP extends into parts of surrounding Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Orange, Polk, and Tyler counties. It was established in 1974 in an attempt to protect the many plant and animal species within. Along with Big Cypress National Preserve in , the BTNP became the first national preserve in the United States National Park System when both were authorized by the United States Congress on October 11, 1974. Senator was its most powerful proponent in Congress and the bill was proposed by Charles Wilson and that established the preserve. The BTNP was also designated as a biosphere reserve by in 1981. National preserves differ from national parks in that some public hunting, trapping, oil/gas exploration and extraction are permitted.

Ghost Road
A dirt road leading north out of the town of Saratoga is the core of the area's predominant . Bragg Road, as it is more formally known, was constructed in 1934 on the bed of a former railroad line that had serviced the lumber industry. In the 1940s, stories began to circulate about a mysterious light, sometimes referred to as the Light of Saratoga, that could be seen on and near the road at night. No adequate explanation of the light has been offered. The various ghost stories include reference to the , long-dead looking for their buried treasure, a decapitated railroad worker, and a lost night hunter eternally searching for a way out. Less explanations include , and automobile headlights filtering through the trees.

Notable people
  • John Alexander (born 1945, Beaumont, Jefferson County), American painter that often draws inspiration and paints the landscape of Southeast Texas
  • (born 1948, resident of Woodville, Tyler County) U.S. representative from Texas's 36th congressional district since January 2015
  • Annette Gordon-Reed (born 1958, Livingston, Polk County) historian and Pulitzer Prize winning author
  • George Glenn Jones (1931, Saratoga, Hardin County – 2013) country musician and songwriter
  • (1913, Livingston, Polk County – 1955) stage and theater director nicknamed "The Texas Tornado"
  • (1909, Polk County – 1967) known as "Moon Mullican, King of the Hillbilly Piano Players", country-western musician and songwriter

Bibliography
  • Abernethy, Frances Edward (2014) Let The River Run Wild! Saving The Neches. Stephen F. Austin University Press, Nacogdoches. ?? pp.
  • Ajilvsgi, Geyata (1979) Wild Flowers of the Big Thicket: East Texas, and Western Louisiana. Texas A&M University Press. College Station, Texas 361 pp.
  • Bowman, Bob (1990). The 35 Best Ghost Towns in East Texas and 220 Other Towns We Left Behind. Best of East Texas Publishers, Lufkin ?? pp.
  • Brock, Ronald G. (2022) The Thicket's Prodigy.Galt/Mirrin Publishing, LLC, Scottsdale. 390 pp.
  • Donovan, Richard M. (2006). Paddling the Wild Neches. Texas A&M University Press, College Station. 237 pp.
  • Douglas, William O. (1967) Farewell to Texas: a Vanishing Wilderness. McGraw-Hill, New York. 242 pp.
  • Fritz, Edward C. (1993) Realms of Beauty: A Guide to the Wilderness Areas of East Texas, revised edition. University of Texas Press, Austin. 120 pp.
  • Gunter, Pete A. Y. (1971) The Big Thicket: A Challenge for Conservation. Jenkins 172 pp.
  • Gunter, Pete A. Y. (1993) The Big Thicket: An Ecological Reevaluation (Philosophy and Environment, Vol. 2). University of North Texas Press, Denton. 229 pp. ,
  • Gunter, Pete A. Y. (2015) Finding the Big Thicket: A Cartographic Approach. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 74 pp.
  • Henley, Dempsie (1970) The Murder of Silence: The Big Thicket Story. Texian Press, Waco. 274 pp.
  • Landrey, Wanda A. (1976) Outlaws in the Big Thicket. Eakin Press, Woodway. 142 pp. ,
  • Landrey, Wanda A. (1990) Boardin' in the Thicket. University of North Texas Press, Denton. 216 pp.
  • MacRoberts, M.H., MacRoberts, B.R. and Rudolph, D.C. (2010). "Vertebrate Richness and Biogeography in the Big Thicket of Texas." The American Midland Naturalist, 164(1), pp. 37–43.
  • Maxwell, Robert S. & Robert D. Baker (2000) Sawdust Empire: The Texas Lumber Industry, 1830–1940. Texas A&M University Press, College Station. 256 pp.
  • McLeod, Claude A. (1972) The Big Thicket of Eastern Texas. Sam Houston State University Press, Huntsville. 33 pp.
  • National Park Service (2013) A Summary of Biological Inventory Data Collected at Big Thicket National Preserve: Vertebrate and Vascular Plant Inventories. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 76 pages
  • Parker, Lois Williams (1977) The Big Thicket of Texas: A Comprehensive Annotated Bibliography. Sable Publishing Corp., Arlington. 225 pp.
  • Peacock, Howard (1984) The Big Thicket of Texas: America's Ecological Wonder. Little, Brown and Co. Boston. 89 pp.
  • Peacock, Howard (1994) Nature Lover's Guide to the Big Thicket. Texas A&M. University Press. College Station, Texas. 169 pp.
  • Pittman, Blair & William A. Owens (1978) The Natural World of the Texas Big Thicket (Louise Lindsey Merrick Texas Environment Series #2). Texas A&M University Press, College Station. 100 pp.
  • Riggs, Rob (2001) In the Big Thicket on the Trail of the Wild Man: Exploring Nature's Mysterious Dimension. Paraview Press, Old Chelsea Station, New York. 188 pp.
  • Shafer, Harry J., Edward P. Baxter, Thomas B. Stearns, and James Phil Dering (1975) Archeological Assessment Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas A&M University Press, College Station.
  • Sitton, Thad (2008) Backwoodsmen: Stockmen and Hunters along a Big Thicket River Valley. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. 328 pp.
  • Sitton, Thad & James H. Conrad (1998). Nameless Towns: Texas Sawmill Communities 1880–1942. University of Texas Press, Austin. 271 pp.
  • Sitton, Thad & C. E. Hunt (2008) Big Thicket People: Larry Jene Fisher's Photographs of the Last Southern Frontier, revised ed. (Bridwell Texas History Series). University of Texas Press, Austin. 156 pp. ,
  • Todd, David & David Weisman, editors. (2010). The Texas Legacy Project: Stories of Courage and Conservation. Texas A&M University Press, College Station. 296 pp.
  • Truett, Joe C. & Daniel W. Lay (1994). Land of Bears and Honey: A Natural History of East Texas. University of Texas Press, Austin. 198 pp.
  • Wells, Renee Hart (2018) Big Thicket Region. Arcadia Publishing Library Editions. 130 pp. ,

University of North Texas Press, Temple Big Thicket Series

The University of North Texas Press, Denton, co-published with The Big Thicket Association and the assistance of T.L.L. Temple Foundation, a series of books on the Big Thicket (Maxine Johnston, series editor). The series included both new works and reprints of outstanding books of continuing interest, with subjects ranging from folklore, to cultural history, to biology and botany.University of North Texas Press, Temple Big Thicket Series

  • Francis Edward Abernethy, editor (2002) Tales from the Big Thicket (Temple Big Thicket Series #1). University of North Texas Press. 256 pp. ,
  • Loughmiller, Campbell & Lynn Loughmiller, editors (2002) Big Thicket Legacy (Temple Big Thicket Series #2) University of North Texas Press, Denton, TX. 256 pp. ,
  • Watson, Geraldine Ellis (2013) Reflections on the Neches: A Naturalist's Odyssey along the Big Thicket's Snow River (Temple Big Thicket Series #3). University of North Texas Press, Denton. 376 pp. , , Paperback
  • Cozine, Jr., James J. (2004). Saving the Big Thicket From Exploration to Preservation, 1685–2003 (Temple Big Thicket Series #4).University of North Texas Press. Denton. 272 pp. 4. ,
  • Watson, Geraldine Ellis (2006) Big Thicket Plant Ecology: An Introduction, Third Edition (Temple Big Thicket Series #5). University of North Texas Press. 152 pp.
  • Bonney, Lorraine G. (2011) The Big Thicket Guidebook: Exploring the Backroads and History of Southeast Texas (Temple Big Thicket Series #6). University of North Texas Press, Denton. 848 pp.

See also
  • History of Texas forests

External links

: , , , , , , , ,
Page 1 of 1
1
Page 1 of 1
1

Account

Social:
Pages:  ..   .. 
Items:  .. 
Click to view the UPC Scavenger App on google play.

Navigation

General: Atom Feed Atom Feed  .. 
Help:  ..   .. 
Category:  ..   .. 
Media:  ..   .. 
Posts:  ..   ..   .. 

Statistics

Page:  .. 
Summary:  .. 
1 Tags
10/10 Page Rank
5 Page Refs
9s Time