When a bill creating the Big Thicket National Preserve was signed into law, it climaxed more than half a century of environmental debate, planning and destruction. The preserve opened new vistas for recreation. In this revised and updated version, Gunter not only describes the history and rich diversity of the region saved from the bulldozers of real estate developers and lumber companies, but also the dimensions of the new Big Thicket Preserve. He makes it possible to plan a trip there by including descriptions of each stream corridor unit, maps and canoeing conditions, hiking trails, and camping facilities. He lists representative flora and fauna. The book provides a background—both historical and biological—which will make clear just what the visitor to the Big Thicket is seeing; why it has mattered, and why it will continue to matter.

"In this book, A.Y. Gunter, President of the Big Thicket Association, describes the history and rich diversity of the region and calls for immediate action on the part of the conservationists and politicians alike before nothing is left to conserve. Roy Hamric's superb photography contrasts the remaining solitude and beauty of the Thicket with those sections now lost to careless exploitation and development."--from front flap of dust jacket.

The Big Thicket of East Texas, which at one time covered over two million acres, served as a barrier to civilizations throughout most of historic times. This text is a classic account of the region's history and a play-by-play narrative of the prolonged fight for the Big Thicket Preserve.

Follow the backroads, the historical paths, and the scenic landscape that were fashioned by geologic Ice Ages and traveled by Big Thicket explorers as well as contemporary park advocates as you explore this diverse area. From Spanish missionaries to Jayhawkers, and from timber barons to public officials, travel along fifteen tours, with maps included.