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| Wildlife Sanctuaries of Southeast Texas |
| Other Sanctuaries |
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 Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary This 5,600 acre preserve is managed by the Nature Conservancy of Texas. Various forest and wetland communities intermingle to make the sanctuary an ecologically diverse area in the Big Thicket region of Texas. Canoeing on Village Creek offers impressive views of the creek's bluff system and its pristine white sandbars. The sanctuary is part of a comprehensive effort to protect and restore the longleaf pine ecosystem on the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Longleaf pine forests are among the most rapidly disappearing ecosystems in the southeastern United States. Some 70 million acres of majestic longleaf pine forest once stretched from Virginia to Texas, but only 3 percent of this biologically rich natural system survives today. |
Sabine Woods Bird Sanctuary The Sabine Woods Bird Sanctuary is a 25-30 acre tract of land that was acquired in in 1988 by the Texas Ornithological Society (TOS). The area has been dedicated as a bird sanctuary. The Southwestern Bell Pioneers provided over 2,340 volunteer hours to construct a kiosk and approximately 800 feet of boardwalk including observation decks and benches to accommodate the physically challenged. A $20,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife along with $2,950 of funds raised by he Southwester Bell Pioneers paid for the materials used on the project. Other organizations have contributed both volunteer labor and funding to create a first-class birding sanctuary. Directions : From Port Athur take Highway 87 South to Sabine Pass. At the 4-way stop sign, turn right. Sabine Woods will be about 4 miles on the right. Signage is visible along the highway. |
Little Rocky This 134-acre preserve just 5 miles outside of the city of Jasper (in Jasper County) was established by the Texas Nature Conservancy. This handsome hardwood pine forest is rare in Texas and boasts a streamside beech-magnolia community. Also on the preserve are a longleaf pine savanna and hanging pitcher plant acid bog. |
Big Thicket Bogs and Pinelands Big Thicket Bogs and Pinelands is a 49-acre preserve located in Tyler County, Texas, near Warren set up the the Texas Nature Conservancy. The preserve contains two distinct forest communities. The dry upland pine community is dominated by longleaf (Pinus palustris) and loblolly pine (P. taeda), several shrub species, and a ground cover of grasses with many species of wildflowers. The wet pine savanna community is dominated primarily by shrubs, grasses, sedges, ferns, and pitcher plants (Sarracenia alata). |
Wilson Woods The J. Cooke and Mary Randolph Wilson Preserve is a 43-acre sanctuary located within the city limits of Beaumont, in Jefferson County. Located on a terrace of the nearby Neches River, the Wilson Preserve is an old-growth forest dominated by water-tolerant hardwoods such as basket oak (Quercus prinus), water oak (Q. nigra), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and black gum (Nyssa sylvatica). Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) are also present. |
WierWoods The 106-acre Wier Woods is considered one of the best examples of the beech-magnolia hardwood communities west of the Mississippi. Few good examples of this forest type areprotected in preserves, and nowhere else in Texas does such a well-developed site exist. These woods are considered a priceless treasure by not only The Nature Conservancy and the Wier family , butalso by a handful of scientists who, over the last 25 years, used the property for ecological research concerning species diversity and forest dynamics. Their numerous publications have influenced forest studies in other regions. This combination of valuable long-term research and rare beauty makes Wier Woods a unique preserve. |
By the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: J.D. Murphee Wildlife Refuge Located adjacent to the southwestern city limits of Port Arthur; the Murphree Area is a 13,267 acre block of fresh and brackish marsh on the upper Texas coast near the Louisiana border. The area is primarily managed to maintain high quality wintering waterfowl habitat and secondarily to provide public recreation through hunting and sport fishing. All access by boat only. Accessible from the boat landing at Taylor Bayou or from Big Hill, or from commercial boat launch on Keith Lake on Texas 87. For more information call 409/736-2540. |
Candy Abshier State Wildlife Management Area 207 acres located along Galveston Bay on Smith Point, Chambers County. Purchased in 1990 as a nongame area. During the spring migration, birds literally fall out of the sky at the area. Although not as spectacular as the spring "fall out," birds congregate on the area in the fall prior to beginning their winter migration. Wildlife observation tower available. No restroom facilities or potable water available on the Area. Visitors 17 years and older must possess either and Annual Public Hunting Permit, Limited Public Use Permit, or Texas Conservation Passport. |
Angelina Neches Dam B State Wildlife Management Area The Angelina Neches/Dam B is located in Jasper and Tyler Counties in the forks of the Angelina-Neches Rivers and the B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir and comprises 16,360 acres. The topography is generally flat with many sloughs and ridges. Surface water is abundant. The area is comprised of bottomland vegetation which changes in response to minor changes in elevation. Access to the majority of the Area is by boat only |
Lower Neches State Wildlife Management Area A sprawling 7,998 acres near Bridge City, Orange County. Acquired primarily to protect coastal marsh habitat. Public hunting is permitted for waterfowl, rail, snipe, and gallinule on designated areas. Other outdoor recreational opportunities include wildlife viewing, hiking, and fishing. Restroom facilities and potable water are not available on the Area. |
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