Big Thicket Conservationist, Number 11, Winter 1984 Page: 2 of 4
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he fell unexpectedly ill and so was represented at the banquet by his niece Alice
Seale. BTCA President David Snell presented a plaque to Mrs. Seale which praised
Fullingim for his many blasts against clearcutters, his celebration of the black
creek Thicket, and his harrassment of "Timber Charlie" Wilson, among other things.
Pete Gunter, at Fullingim's previous request, sang a song he wrote several years
ago (with Fullingim' s encouragement and comment) entitled "Archer' s Laent." Former
U.S. Senator Ralph Yarborough also addressed the group about the need to ensure that
the law establishing the Preserve is adhered to so that the Preserve will not be
exploited by unnecessary development of any kind.
BTCA BOARD OF DIRECTIORS MEETING
At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 11, the BTCA Board held its Fall meeting. Among
the various reports and agenda items, the following drew the most discussion:
Village Creek State Park: Although the Board recognizes that we need campgrounds
more than anything else, we are concerned about the effects that extensive development
in VCSP would have. Therefore, before BTCA lobbies for the development of campgrounds,
etc., in VCSP, we feel that more study is needed. Pete Gunter will ask Texas Parks &
Wildlife to bring us up to date on their plans for the park, while David Snell will
contact KOA to see if they would be interested in putting in a campground on private
property.
Southern Pine Beetle Programs: Ned Fritz (TCONR), concerned about damage done withiW
East Texas wilderness areas and the B'INP in the course of implementing programs to con-
tain the spread of the southern pine beetle, asked the Board to consider the following
resolution, which the Board then adopted. Copies of this resolution will be sent to
appropriate organizations (e.g., NPS, U.S. Forest Service) as well as to appropriate
senators and congressmen.
RESOLUT ION
Whereas in southern pine beetle (SPB) programs, the Forest
Service is selling uninfested pines to timber operators to cut and
remove within East Texas wildernesses and the National Park Service
is cutting and leaving buffers of uninfested pines in some instances;
A. We strongly oppose any cutting or other damage to uninfested
trees within a wilderness or Big Thicket National Preserve
in a move to contain the spread of SPB because
(1) SPB can and often do fly over the buffer zone and infest
pines on the other side;
(2) SPB are widely spread, anyhow, and cannot be isolated;
(3) We need to refrain from cutting inside some areas in
order to compare the results between cutting elsewhere
and not cutting within such protected areas;
(4) During such cutting, damage is inflicted upon uncut and
uninfested pine trees, making them susceptible to SPB;
(5) During such cutting, damage is inflicted on the vegetation
other than pines, and the soil is mashed and denuded,
leading to erosion and leaching;
(6) If some of the trees contain beetles and are transported,
the beetles escape along the way, spreading further;
(7) There are alternatives which should be applied in such
preserved areas, such as (a) burning infested trees, only,
(b) pheremones, and (c) if cutting is insisted upon, doing
it immediately outside, instead of anywhere inside, the
preserve; and(8) Cutting reduces the habitat for the endangered Red-cockaded
woodpecker far more certainly than running the risk of
SPB destroying a hole tree.
B. We call upon the Administration and Congress to stop such cutting
immediately.
Proposed Mmbership Drive: In the past year, membership in the BTCA has increased
dramatically. Thns in no small part to Billy Hallmon' s major mailing to old members
and David Snell' s major mailing to sportsmen and conservationists in the Houston area,
we now have 220 members. Judy Allen would like to further this growth by doing another
major mailing in early Spring addressed to members of historical societies, garden clubs,
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Big Thicket Conservation Association. Big Thicket Conservationist, Number 11, Winter 1984, periodical, Winter 1984; Beaumont, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1654751/m1/2/?q=%221984~%22: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Lamar University.