The Houston Sierra Club (Sierra Club) recently sent a letter about Big Creek Scenic Area (BCSA) trails which contained a draft list of options and a draft prioritization of those options for BCSA trails.
This letter was in response to a U.S. Forest Service request for a clear set of priorities. Since June of 2021, the Sierra Club has pointed out trail erosion and sedimentation problems from BCSA trails. Since May 2022, the Sierra Club has discussed with the Sam Houston Trails Coalition, Lone Star Hiking Trail Club, and other interested persons what should occur to improve trails in BCSA.
The Sierra Club has requested that these groups send in their input for the draft options list and draft priority list so that further discussions can occur. The Sierra Club stated that collaboration and agreement is needed to move forward to resolve trail concerns/issues in BCSA.
The letter included a series of quotes from the 1996 Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (RLRMP) and associated documents which provide information about direction, thoughts, standards, and guidelines that the RLRMP provides about trails and BCSA. This letter also included some of the most important information and quotes that have been provided by those who have met and discussed BCSA trails in recent months.
The Sierra Club stated that its’ “highest priority is protection of BCSA … This includes protection of the scenic area, Slender Wake Robin, other vegetation, seepage areas, wetlands, streams, soils, and other natural resources. It is from this direction that the Sierra Club approaches the BCSA trail system.”
The options that the Sierra Club supports in priority order, using importance, expense, effort, and time needed to complete the option for BCSA includes:
1. Survey for Trillium gracile (Slender Wake Robin) before any option is chosen and pursued. Implement monitoring to ensure the health of this sensitive plant.
2. Reroute the LSHT to higher ground before and as it enters the North end of BCSA so that it is out of the floodplain.
3. Maintain the existing White Oak Trail with extensive soil erosion and water quality mitigation measures. Short reroutes may be needed.
4. Maintain the existing Big Creek Trail with extensive soil erosion and water quality mitigation measures. Short reroutes may be needed.
5. Install ecological interpretive signs.
6. Install historical interpretive sign about logging tram.
7. Resurface BCSA parking lot.
8. Reroute the LSHT from the Pine Trail … so that the LSHT is on the West side of Big Creek and intersects with the White Oak Trail. This will remove the LSHT from the East Big Creek Floodplain and will reduce water quality and soil concerns/issues.
9. Close Pine Trail and conduct extensive landscape restoration of trail tread area. Soil erosion from the Pine Trail and water quality reduction continue to affect BCSA.
10. Leave an overlook on Big Creek. This will be where the LSHT intersects the entrance trail from the parking lot and turns left and goes North to Big Creek.
For more information contact Brandt Mannchen, 281-570-7212 or brandt_mannchen@comcast.net.
Photo courtesy of Brandt Mannchen.