The Big Thicket: An Ecological Reevaluation

by Pete A. Y. Gunter, Bob Armstrong (Foreword), Roy Hamric (Photographer)

When a bill creating the Big Thicket National Preserve was signed into law, it climaxed more than half a century of environmental debate, planning and destruction. The preserve opened new vistas for recreation.

In this revised and updated version, Gunter not only describes the history and rich diversity of the region saved from the bulldozers of real estate developers and lumber companies, but also the dimensions of the new Big Thicket Preserve. He makes it possible to plan a trip there by including descriptions of each stream corridor unit, maps and canoeing conditions, hiking trails, and camping facilities. He lists representative flora and fauna.

The book provides a background—both historical and biological—which will make clear just what the visitor to the Big Thicket is seeing; why it has mattered, and why it will continue to matter.

243 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[David Bellangue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty good intro into a fascinating part of the country that should get talked about more. Though it is quite sad as to the level of destruction that has severely reduced the Big Thicket, the fact that public lands exist at all there is a miracle in and of itself.

[Misti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to imagine how far we've come from when this was written and how far we still have to go.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very nice book about the history of trying to preserve Texas' Big Thicket. Legislative wrangling, big timber, big oil, but ends up with nice descriptions of what's left and how to canoe and hike the area. I'm ready to go...