The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has acquired nearly 250 acres of bottomland hardwood and pine forests, along with river frontage in East Texas, according to an August 2 press release from the Service.
Totaling 249.18 acres, the new addition to the existing Neches River National Wildlife Refuge includes several varieties of trees and is home to an abundance of wildlife. It also includes four miles of Neches river frontage.
Animals that make habitats in the area include several bird species such as the semipalmated sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs, and king rail. Tree species found on the land include sweetgum, water oak, southern red oak, and loblolly pines.
“Neches River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 2006 to protect wintering, nesting, and migratory habitat for migratory birds of the Central Flyway and to ensure protection of the bottomland hardwoods for their diverse biological value,” the refuge’s website states.
Various waterfowl populations also use the habitat for migrating, breeding, and wintering.
Amy Lueders, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service southwest regional director, said preserving the Texas land is a priority for the Service. She explained, “These forested wetlands provide essential habitat for a variety of resident wildlife along with millions of migratory birds that migrate through the North American Central Flyway each spring and fall.”
The bottomland hardwood forests once covered around 30 million acres of Southeastern United States land, but only a small percentage of this land remains today.
Besides providing habitats for fish and wildlife, bottomland forests “serve an important role in the watershed” by improving water quality, controlling soil erosion, and reducing the risk and severity of flooding to downstream communities.
The also offers recreational opportunities for nature lovers. “While managed for the benefit of wildlife, the 7,484-acre refuge is also a place for people to enjoy nature and the outdoors through wildlife watching, photography, hunting, fishing, and environmental education programs,” the press release stated.
The land acquisition, comprised of three different tracts, was part of the America the Beautiful initiative from the Biden-Harris Administration, which aims to conserve 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
“The effort aims to support locally led and voluntary conservation and restoration efforts across public, private, and Tribal lands and waters in order to create jobs and strengthen the economy’s foundation; tackle the climate and nature crises; and address inequitable access to the outdoors,” the press release states.
The land was purchased with money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The fund, established by Congress in 1964, invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leases to preserve land and water.
In 2021, the National Wildlife Refuge System in Texas grew by around 7,000 acres, thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
