This article is one of several that will be written over the four-year period during the revision of the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas (NFGT) Forest Plan (FP).  The planning process includes assessment, plan revision, and monitoring and implementation phases.  This article talks about what the NFGT are, why they are important, and what they contain. 

There are 675,816 acres (about 1,055.96 square miles) of federal public national forests and grasslands (NFs/NGs) in Texas that are managed by the U.S. Forest Service (FS) out of the its office in Lufkin, Texas and from the district ranger stations in Angelina NF (153,334 acres), Davy Crockett NF (160,467 acres), Sabine NF (160,798 acres), Sam Houston NF (163,030 acres), Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) NG (20,309 acres), and Caddo NG (17,873 acres). 

These NFs/NGs were established by the U.S. Congress in 1934, 1935, and 1937.  This was done after a resolution was passed by the Texas Legislature which requested that the U.S. Government create these NFs/NGs in Texas.  NFs/NGs are managed via the multiple-use philosophy which includes use for grazing, wood, wildlife, watershed, wilderness, and recreation.  Originally, in the late 1800's and early 1900's, NFs were set aside to protect watersheds and wood supply.  Some of the benefits and values that we have in the NFGT include:

1) Wilderness Areas – There are five U.S. Congress designated wilderness areas in the NFGT:  Turkey Hill (5,473 acres) and Upland Island (13,331 acres) in Angelina NF; Big Slough (3,639 acres) in Davy Crockett NF; Indian Mounds (12,369 acres) in Sabine NF; and Little Lake Creek (3,855 acres) in Sam Houston NF.

2) Cooperative Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) – These portions of NFs are managed for wildlife by the FS and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).  They include:  Bannister (25,658 acres) in Angelina NF; Alabama Creek (14,561 acres) in Davy Crockett NF; Moore Plantation (26,455 acres) in Sabine NF; Caddo (16,150 acres) in Caddo NG; and Sam Houston (162,984 acres) in Sam Houston NF.

3) Designated Trails – There are about 176 miles of hiking trails, 144 miles of multi-use non-motorized trails, 85 miles of motorized trails, and 24 miles of mountain bike trails in the NFGT.

4) Roads – There are about 1,836 miles of state roads, 1,598 miles of county roads, and 2,394 miles of FS roads in the NFGT.

5) Federally Endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (RCWs) – In Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, there were about 456 total RCW clusters (where RCWs live) and 250,000 acres that are managed for RCWs in the NFGT.  There are 261 clusters in Sam Houston NF, 49 in Sabine NF, 82 in Davy Crockett NF, and 64 in Angelina NF.

6) Experimental Forest – There is one experimental forest, Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest, in the NFGT.  This forest is 2,600 acres and is part of Angelina NF.

6) Developed Recreation Sites – There are 34 developed recreation sites in the NFGT.

7) Research Natural Areas (RNA) – There are two RNAs in the NFGT.  Mill Creek Cove (225 acres) is in Sabine NF and Cross Timbers (380 acres) is in the LBJNG. 

8) Oil/Gas Wells – There are about 299 oil/gas wells in the NFGT.  There are 203,339 acres (30.09%) that have reserved/outstanding private mineral rights in the NFGT.

9) Grazing – There is no grazing in the four NFs in the NFGT.  There are 70 active grazing allotments, which cover 17,438 acres and support 5,000 animal unit months (one animal unit is a cow with or without her calf), in the LBJ/Caddo NGs. 

10) Scenic Areas – There are four scenic areas in the NFGT.  These scenic areas are Big Creek (1,920 acres) and Winters Bayou (1,587 acres) in Sam Houston NF and Beech Ravines (1,020 acres) and Upper Colorow Creek (230 acres) in Sabine NF.  Scenic areas are administratively designated by the FS.  

11) Streamside Management Areas – There are about 49,800 acres of protected streamside management zones in the NFGT.

12) Fires – In FY 2016, 85,659 acres were burned by prescribed fires in the NFGT.  In FY 2016, there were 63 wildfires (human or lightning started) which burned 1,742 acres in the NFGT.

13) Logging – For FY 2016, 96,890 CCF (hundred cubic feet) of green wood and 0 CCF of salvage wood were sold in the NFGT.  Stewardship logging (logging for other than strictly commercial purposes) for FY 2015 resulted in 71,453 CCF of wood sold with receipts retained in the NFGT of $3,237,196.

14) Planting – In FY 2016, 3 acres were planted with 500 seedlings each in the NFGT.

15) Forest Age – In the NFGT, 1.8% of the forest is 0-20 years old; 24.6% of the forest is 21-50 years old; 31.5% of the forest is 51-90 years old; and 42.7% of the forest is 91 years or older.

16) Law Enforcement – In FY 2016, there were 507 warnings, 960 incidents, and 455 violations issued or occurred in the NFGT. 

17) Budget – In FY 2016, the budget for the NFGT was $15,151,500.  For FY 2015, $2,218,714 was given back to the counties in lieu of taxes. 

18) Congressional Representation – There are four U.S. Representatives whose districts cover parts of the NFGT.  Those representatives are:  Kevin Brady (Sam Houston/Davy Crockett NFs); John Ratcliffe (Caddo NG); Louie Gohmert (Angelina/Sabine NFs); and William Thornberry (LBJ NG).  Texas U.S. Senators are John Cornyn and Ted Cruz.         

In 2017, the FS begins the revision of the NFGT plan.  Usually, plans are revised every 10-15 years but our existing plan is 21 years old!  Some of the issues that will be considered in the plan revision include:  protection of water quality (for our cities, recreation, and fish) and streamside vegetation (called riparian areas); continued protection and an increase in the number of federally endangered RCWs; trail uses, locations, and impacts; protection of wilderness and scenic areas; management of unique areas, like blackland prairies; other recreational uses; adequate law enforcement; and a budget sufficient to implement the plan. 

The Sierra Club wants people who love NFs/NGs and who want to get involved to participate in the NFGT FP revision.  If you want to joint the Sierra Club team, visit and get to know Sam Houston NF, and get involved with the FP revision contact Brandt Mannchen at 713-664-5962 or brandtshnfbt@juno.com.  Our NFGT are too important for us to remain silent.  We must speak up for wildlife, wilderness, water, landscapes, plants, and compatible recreation.  See you in the forest!

Brandt Mannchen
March 6, 2017