Big Thicket National Preserve

The Big Thicket National Preserve was established in 1974 and consists of nine separate land units and four water corridors, encompassing 86,000 acres. The preserve is significant because it protects the area of rich biological diversity where the eastern hardwood forests, the southern coastal wetlands, the western prairies, and the arid plains of the southwest converge. The area has been designated as an International Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The administrative offices for the preserve are located in Beaumont, Texas.