Big Thicket National Preserve Boundary Expansion
Bill, HR 5891, Introduced by Congressman Brady
U.S. Representative
Kevin Brady has introduced HR 5891 in the
U.S. Congress to expand the size of Big Thicket National
Preserve (BTNP) from 97,000 acres to 197,000 acres.
HR
5891 is the product of 7 years of effort by environmentalists,
including the Sierra Club, and other interested persons
to address the massive landscape change that East Texas
has experienced. From 2001 to 2007 the biggest landowners
in East Texas, International Paper, Louisiana Pacific, and
Temple-Inland, sold off all of their timberlands (about
4 million acres). Concern has risen that reduced landownership
size is leading to commercial and residential development.
The sub-urbanization of East Texas is advancing quickly.
HR
5891 will also require the construction, operation,
and maintenance of canopy walks/elevated boardwalks/associated
interpretation; canoe/kayaking trails guided by GPS waypoints;
platforms for docking of kayaks/canoes; and an interpretive
center that teaches children and young adults more about
BTNP, wildlife, the environment, and the importance of protecting
BTNP.
HR
5891 will expand existing units of BTNP; create
new units of BTNP; connect units of BTNP together; and provide
for more “Resilient Habitats” that are better
able to combat the effects of climate change.
Send letters
of support to your U.S. Congressperson. Here is a link to
find out who represents you in the House: (fill in your
address, city and zipcode in the box on the right and ENTER):
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/
Send letters
urging your two U.S. Senators to introduce a similar bill
in the U.S. Senate at:
1. Kay Bailey Hutchison, 1919 Smith, Suite 800, Houston,
Texas 77002
2. John Cornyn, 5300 Memorial Dr., Suite 980, Houston, Texas
77007
Finally,
send letters of thank you to Congressman Brady at:
Kevin Brady, 200 Riverport Drive, Suite 304, Conroe, Texas
77304
For more information contact Brandt Mannchen at 713-664-5962
or
.
