Conservation Successes

To further its mission, the Trust identified priority lands to reduce fragmentation, expand wildlife corridors and their fragile ecosystems, protect water resources and mitigate the negative effects of flooding through the expansion of undeveloped wetland areas.

Village Creek/ Beech Creek Corridors/ Pine Island Bayou

Significant biodiversity could be found along creek corridors in the numerous white sandbars and tupelo-cypress sloughs. The Trust worked to acquire gaps between the Big Thicket National Preserve and The Nature Conservancy's Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary and coordinated debris clean up after Hurricane Harvey. 

Fragmentation

The divestiture of 1.5 million acres in East Texas by timber companies furthered fragmentation through subsequent land sales that exposed fragile ecosystems to development, trash dumping, chemicals, increase of invasive species, and "edge effects."  The Trust encourages legislation to expand the Preserve and identifies and acquires land buffers in sensitive areas to protect units and corridors. A relationship was cultivated with the TLL Temple Foundation.  A grant was given for land purchases in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service. The Trust works to minimize negative environmental impacts and to improve the viewshed on US 69, Preserve Parkway and other roadways. The Trust encourages the planting of native wildflowers and trees.

Water Resources in Southeast Texas

A goal of the Trust is to select projects that support wetland conservation.  The Trust initiated a project with a company and The Conservation Fund resulting from mitigation through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ, and plans to hold an eventual conservation easement on 500 acres. Members share input and comment on flooding projects.  In 2020 the Dogwood Trail along Theuvenins Creek was purchased for restoration in partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife Trails Grant program, The Nature Conservancy and Texas A&M Forest Service.