POLK COUNTY, Texas — Enjoy some quality time planting trees with the ones you love at Big Thicket’s Annual longleaf tree events.
The non-profit association Big Thicket is inviting you to join them for their winter planting events being held on Saturday December 10, 2022, on Monday Martin Luther King Day, January 16, 2023 and on Presidents’ Day, February 20, 2023.
The Big Thicket Association (BTA) is committed to expanding, enhancing and protecting the Big Thicket National Preserve, in order to assure the preservation, conservation and protection of the natural, scenic and recreational values of a significant portion of the Big Thicket region of southeast Texas.
Two centuries ago, longleaf pine forests stretched across the southeastern United States, from east Texas to Virginia. Longleaf pine was the dominant tree species on an estimated 60 million acres, and an important part of the mixes of tree species on another 30 million acres, according to an article written by the National Park Service.
Each winter Big Thicket plants thousands of longleaf pine seedlings in various areas of the preserve. These events are what help restore the longleaf pine forest habitat for all of the endangered species that the habitat houses.
The events will be held at the Big Sandy Creek Unit, in Polk County. The National Park Service states in a description on their site that, The Big Sandy Creek Unit is a large piece of parkland in the northwest corner of the Big Thicket region.
The Big Thicket Association welcomes volunteers to help with the restoration by planting the pines.
The event is for all age groups and all the equipment needed to plant the pines will be provided.
Registration is required and you are invited to sign-up at volunteer.gov or call Big Thicket at 409-951-6700.
