Big Thicket Reporter - 2006/12/28

BIG THICKET DAY, Oct. 14: Cong. Kevin Brady will attend

You are expected in Saratoga, Saturday, October 14, 9:00-3:00, Saratoga, BTNP Field Research Station. It's the annual Big Thicket Day, and we will focus on the BTNP Strategic Plan, prepared by BTA. You will hear about all the exciting activity and projects underway. Stand by for an announcement of historic and impressive proportions! Members, friends, and Big Thicket stakeholders should attend.

A brief membership/board business meeting is scheduled for 9:00 AM, and the official "program" begins at 9:30 with an annual report from President Ellen Buchanan, presentation of awards and life memberships, as well as reports from Supt. Todd Brindle, BTNP and Dr. Jerry Cook, President, ATBI Executive Council.

Cong. Kevin Brady promised to keynote the event, unless some Congress activity (top priority) interferes. He asked what the Big Thicket should be like in five years, and we've tried to provide a roadmap.

Tony Schetzsle, the new Deputy Regional Director, NPS Intermountain Region, will be on deck to comment on the NPS perspective of the Strategic Plan. Schetzsle's background includes Superintendent, Canyonlands National Park; Deputy Superintendent at Rocky Mountain National Park; and Superintendent at Big Hole National Battlefield and Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site.

Two panel discussions begin around 10:15. The first addresses "Elements of the Strategic Plan" moderated by Dr. Bruce Drury, with panelists, Janice Bezanson (TCONR) and Andy Jones (TCF). The second panel looks at "Community Support for the Strategic Plan" and is moderated by former BTA president and present Hardin County Commissioner Kenneth Pelt. Invitations to participate on the panel have been extended to Hardin County Judge Billy Caraway, ETTA Asst. Executive Director Tucker Conley, and DETCOG Executive Director Walter Diggles.

Publication date for Geraldine Watson's Big Thicket Plant Ecology is October 14, and an autograph party is scheduled from 2:00-3:00 PM. The book will be $14.95. A University of North Texas Press announcement and order blank for the "Temple Big Thicket Series "accompany this newsletter.

THICKET OF DIVERSITY

All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory

by Dr. Jerry Cook, President, Executive Council

The Big Thicket All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) is ready to move from the planning stages into becoming a functioning program that will provide data to biologists and managers of the Big Thicket. The primary goal is to document the diversity of life in the Big Thicket. The scope of this inventory ranges from microorganisms, to plants, to fungi, to animals; and the diversity found in the Big Thicket may be as great as anyplace in the continental United States. This is an area where western species meet eastern species, and where temperate and tropical species can both be found. Therefore, this is a monumental task that will require the expertise of many scientists and support of the public. It is a project that will take years to complete, but even the first discoveries will be important, and will begin to give us a better understanding of the Big Thicket.

The Big Thicket ATBI began with Curtis Hoagland, BTNP Chief of Resource Management, who called together a group that he thought might be interested in starting an ATBI. The response was overwhelming and from this first meeting we have progressed to an organization ready to study the “Thicket of Diversity.” Among those participating are Biological Research Institute, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, Houston Area Research Center, Lamar University, Louisiana State University, Mercer Arboretum, Sam Houston State University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas A & M University [CESU, TCWC Units], U.S. Geological Survey NWRC, and individual scientists and consultants.

The ATBI consists of an executive board and four committees that function as advisory groups for different functions of the ATBI. The executive board consists of a President, Vice President, Secretary, two Big Thicket Association Board members, two community members, media representative, chairs of each of the four advisory committees, and two ex officio Big Thicket staff members. The advisory committees are Science, Data Management, Education/Outreach, and Funding.

Although still in the planning stage, work has begun. David Lewis led the first official event of the ATBI with a "mushroom walk" to discover Fungi species in the Big Thicket. The collection was a one-day event conducted on a small portion of the Lance Rosier Unit. This endeavor resulted in the documentation of 17 new records of species for the preserve. These results are indicative of both how little we currently know about the diversity of the Big Thicket, as well as how diverse this area really is. How many more species of Fungi are to be found in the Big Thicket? How many of these will be unnamed and new to Science? The answers to these questions are obviously unknown, but the ATBI promises to begin to work toward these answers. Why are we doing this? There are many answers to this, but the most obvious is that it is hard to properly manage things that you don’t know exist.

The method of discovering and studying the diversity of the Big Thicket will involve Taxonomic Working Groups (TWIGs) that are headed by scientific experts of their respective taxa. The TWIGs will have a leader to organize efforts and other scientists and naturalists to help in the collection and documentation of species. Some TWIGs will also be assisted by interested volunteers. Data collected from these efforts will be compiled by data managers, who will make the dissemination of this data possible.

The question now becomes, what is holding us back? There are a few groups of organisms whose TWIG leaders have not yet been found, and the biggest challenge we have now is to obtain funding to offset travel and supplies for researchers. But we are on our way to meeting these challenges and documenting the Thicket of Diversity.

BTA NEWS

Election: The ballots reflecting Nominating Committee recommendations for officers and directors, 2007-2008 were mailed by BTA Secretary Judy Allen to the membership. The Committee (Ann Roberts, Chair; Jeff Pittman and Rosalie Rogers) will tabulate the results and report at the annual business meeting.

The Committee nominated Dr. Bruce Drury (now Conservation Committee Chair) for President and Rosalie Rogers for Vice-President. The Committee recommended extended terms as directors for Fred Allen, Judy Aronow, Dr. Don Blanton, Mary Catherine Johnston, Rose Ann Jordan, Dr. Jeffrey Pittman and Jan Ruppel. Also nominated were Catherine Albrecht and Elaine Allums. Additions to the list of Associate Directors and Advisory Board include Dallas J. Barrington, Gene Feigelson, and Geraldine Watson.

Strategic Plan: Members received copies of the Strategic Plan Summary together with the last issue of the Reporter. The Plan and appendices are on the internet, but if you would like a hard copy of the appendices, just ask.

FIRE MANAGEMENT FACILITY PLANNED

The Environmental Assessment for a new fire management facility in Woodville just arrived and is posted on the internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. The facility will be located 6.25 acres on CR 1040 and and US 69-287. Public comments must be postmarked by Oct. 10 or hand delivered to the Preserve at 6044 FM 420 north of Kountze.

TEMPLE-INLAND FOUNDATION SPONSORS SCIENCE CONFERENCE

Wendy Ledbetter, Chair of the Big Thicket Science Conference Planning Committee, announces a gift from the Temple-Inland Foundation to sponsor the next conference, March 22-25, 2007. Ledbetter observed that four conferences have been held to date, and Temple-Inland has been a sponsor of all of them. Their generous support continues to be a source of pride, including the active participation of T-I foresters in the Conference.

The 2007 conference will focus on the impacts from large-scale disturbance on the conservation efforts of the Big Thicket and West Gulf Coastal Plain region. The Planning Committee met at Saratoga September 8th. The Program Committee chaired by Dr. Paul Harcombe, outlined plans for two plenary sessions and four sessions for contributed paper. On December 22, 2006, the final announcement will be mailed with final schedule and registration information. Abstracts for contributed papers are due December 22.

ANY ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLES OUT THERE?

by Howard Peacock (a.k.a. "Tush Hog")

The Big Thicket Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macroclemys temmincki) group is now open for applicants.

What makes the BTAST unique among organizations is that it involves no meetings, no by-laws, no constitution or mission statements, no dues, and probably other no-nos to be thought up. The hard-shell requirements are: beyond age 65 with 25 years of service and dedication to the preservation, sustenance, and overall grandeur of the Big Thicket. One must bear battle scars.

The BTAST was founded on a poke-around in the Canyonlands one recent afternoon during a general cussin' and fussin' about all the meetings, agendas, minutes, treasury reports, and such stuff then hanging fire.

If a general purpose for the organization must be stated, it would go something like this: "For Big Thicket veterans of the olden days to happen upon each other and start telling stories, laughing a lot, and expressing indignation typical of Alligator Snapping Turtles toward forces that would harm the Big Thicket in any manner."

The founders include Maxine Johnston, Howard Peacock and Ann Roberts. Geraldine Watson declared herself in a special category: Ornery Turtle.

BIG THICKET DAY

Saratoga, October 14, 2006, 9:30-3:00

9:00 AM General Membership Meeting, Ellen Buchanan, President, Presiding

BIG THICKET DAY PROGRAM:

    9:30        BTA Annual Report, Awards, Life Memberships 
                Big Thicket National Preserve Report, Supt. Todd Brindle  
                "Thicket of Diversity," Jerry Cook, Chair, Executive Council 

    10:15 - 10:30  BREAK

    STRATEGIC PLAN FOR BIG THICKET NATIONAL PRESERVE

    10:30       "Elements of the Plan," moderated by Dr. Bruce Drury, Conservation Chair; panelists: 
                Andy Jones, Executive Director, TCF and Janice Bezanson, Executive Director, TCONR

    11:00       "Visitor Use and Community Support," Panel moderated by Hon. Ken Pelt; 
                panelists: Hon. Billy Caraway, Hardin County Judge; Tucker Conley, East Texas 
                           Tourism Association; Walter Diggles, Deep East Texas Council of 
                           Governments          

    11:30:      Big Thicket  in 2011 

                "NPS Perspective on the Strategic Plan," Tony Schetzsle, Deputy Regional Director, 
                NPS Intermountain Region

                "The Road Ahead," The Honorable Kevin Brady, MC, 8th Congressional District

    12:00       Break for Lunch

    2:00-3:00   Autograph party:  Geraldine Watson, Big Thicket Plant Ecology

EVENTS

October 7, 2006, TCONR's 2006 Annual Meeting: 1:00 PM, Staton Family Center near Jacksonville 4:00-7:00 PM, Field trip to Neches River National Wildlife Refuge

October 14, Big Thicket Day, Saratoga (see article)

October 15, Rush Creek Field Trip (tentative) Call 936-262-8522

Oct 21, 2006 Audubon Birding Sabine Pass & Sabine Woods. Meet at 8:00 AM in Sabine Pass. FMI: Steve Mayes @ 409-722-5807

Nov 11, 2006 ATBI Mushroom Hike: FMI: David Lewis @ 409-423-3776

November 18, Old Wagon Road Trail, Jack Gore Baygall Unit: BTA-Houston Sierra Group Workday. Call 936-262-8522

Nov. 18-19, 2006 Trail Between the Lakes Hike: GT Sierra. Schedule depends on Mushroom Hike. FMI: Kathryn Walker @ 554-0203

Nov 26, 2006 Martin Dies, Jr. SP - Cowboy Campfire - Big Thicket Voyagers plan an evening of cowboy songs, poetry and sing-alongs. Dining Hall in the Walnut Ridge Unit. 6 p.m. FMI: (409) 384-5231.