Big Thicket National Preserve announced Nov. 16 that it is expanding the volunteer longleaf pine tree planting efforts to three events this coming winter. Volunteers can join park staff and partners to plant over 20,000 longleaf pine trees in December, January and February.
“In the past Big Thicket has only hosted one longleaf pine tree planting event, Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, an event that has been taking place at Big Thicket for over 10 years,” stated Superintendent Wayne Prokopetz. “We are looking to expand the number of trees planted and number of events for volunteers.”
The increased number of trees being planted will give Big Thicket a much-needed jump start on longleaf pine savannah restoration plans taking place in the preserve.
The first longleaf pine tree planting event is scheduled for Saturday, December 11 and is geared towards youth organizations. Youth of all ages are invited to learn more about the preserve while planting longleaf pine trees. The second longleaf pine tree planting event will take place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, followed by the third longleaf pine tree planting event on President’s Day, February 21, 2022. Big Thicket is “excited” to host these events with the help of partner and friends’ groups including Big Thicket Association, Big Thicket Biosphere Reserve, Big Thicket Natural Heritage Trust, National Parks Conservation Association and Texas Conservation Alliance.
“For more than a decade, we have been bringing communities together to grow and thrive at the Thicket,” said Erika Pelletier, Texas associate director for The National Parks Conservation Association. “With every new planting comes a new opportunity to build a better Big Thicket for visitors and wildlife alike. This is a national preserve, but it’s also part of our home.”
Visit the Texas Conservation Alliance website at tcatexas.org to sign up for these upcoming events. Once registered, volunteers will receive the location of the event and volunteer paperwork to be filled out before their arrival.
For general information about Big Thicket National Preserve, visit www.nps.gov/bith or call the preserve visitor center at (409) 951-6700.
