50 Years of the Big Thicket National Preserve: Honoring Bob Eckhardt’s vision

This year marks a significant milestone: the 50th anniversary of the Big Thicket National Preserve, a biologically rich pine forest and swamp in east Texas, and America’s first ever national preserve.

This gives us the chance to honor the pivotal contributions of the late U.S. Rep. Bob Eckhardt, who played a critical role in the establishment of the preserve in 1974 — and to the overall protection of Texas’ environment. As a member of the Texas House of Representatives, he passed the Open Beaches Act of 1959, which ensured public access to Texas’s coastline and set a national precedent for coastal management. In Congress he sponsored the Toxic Substances Control Act, which regulated dangerous chemicals. 

Bob Eckhardt in 1980Photo by David Rae Morris | Used by permission

Protecting the land that became Big Thicket was another great conservation achievement by Eckhardt. Sitting at a crossroads between “southeastern bogs, eastern deciduous forests, central plains, pine savannahs and dry sandhills,” as the National Park Service describes it, Big Thicket houses thousands of species. The area hosts reptiles, amphibians, freshwater mussels, invertebrates, fish, birds, mushrooms, hundreds of species of mammals and thousands of plants, including a few select carnivorous plant species. 

But throughout the 20th century, the Big Thicket region faced significant threats from logging and other development. Timber companies had operated extensively throughout the area in the 19th century and were responsible for most of the deforestation. By the mid 20th century, loggers had cleared large portions of the Big Thicket region, reducing the once-expansive forest to a fragmented and vulnerable state. Oil exploration further contributed to the region’s ecological decline, with infrastructure such as pipelines, roads and drilling operations blighting the space and contaminating the habitats of the diverse species of the Big Thicket.

As the adverse environmental impacts of these industries became more and more apparent, conservationists began to recognize the importance of the Big Thicket’s unique ecosystems and land. A combination of local residents and environmental organizations began to advocate for the land’s preservation. By the 1960s, the efforts caught the attention of politicians including Eckhardt.

Through collaboration with the Big Thicket Association and other Texas lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Charles Wilson, Eckhardt increased support for the Big Thicket National Preserve Act of 1974 (H.R. 11546.) Congress passed the bill and then President Gerald Ford signed it into law on October 11, 1974. Through this law, the government acquired 84,550 acres of land were acquired and put the National Park Service in charge of this rustic wonderland.

Across its diverse landscape, the Big Thicket National Preserve offers many activities for the public to enjoy including 33 miles of hiking trails,  313 miles of waterways where people can kayak or fish, bird watching, camping and wildlife photography. 

While the preservation of Big Thicket has protected this land for a half-century, we need to remain vigilant to make sure that environmental threats near its boundaries don’t hurt the preserve and the animals that live there. With the growing population and urban sprawl of Houston and Beaumont extending closer to the preserve, once again, developers are felling large swaths of forests. In addition, abandoned oil and gas wells threaten the preserve, as methane and other leaks can contaminate the air, soil and water. Despite ongoing efforts to reclaim and plug these wells, those efforts aren’t moving quickly enough to protect some sections of the land. 

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Big Thicket National Preserve, let’s renew our commitment to conservation, ensuring that this ecological gem remains protected for generations to come. Big Thicket’s future depends on continued stewardship and collective action, similar to the efforts Rep. Eckhardt spearheaded a half century ago. His tireless efforts helped safeguard a rare ecosystem that serves as a sanctuary for thousands of species and a treasured resource for public enjoyment. His legacy also includes his daughter, state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, who is carrying on his environmental efforts and reaffirming his prescient vision. Thanks, Congressman, for all you did for Texas.  

To learn more about Bob Eckhardt, check out Eckhardt: There Once Was a Congressman from Texas.