Summer Day-Walk Schedule (Revised)
East Texas
June 10 Watson Rare Plant preserve
June 17 Camp Dave, Bleakwood
June 24 Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary
Louisiana
June 17 Kisatchie National Forest
Bogue Chitto State Park: TBD
Northlake Nature Center: TBD
Mississippi
June 10 Homochitto National Forest
Jun 17 OR 24 Bradford River Place (New Hebron, Mississippi)
August: Delta National Forest (Sunflower WMA)
June Mushroom Walks In East Texas
SATURDAY JUNE 10, 2023.
WATSON RARE NATIVE PLANT PRESERVE WALK
Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve, 527 CR 4777, Warren TX, near Beaumont, offers a sampling of the diversity of the area. The Preserve was established in the 1980’s by Geraldine Watson, a noted artist, botanist and author. She managed the preserve by using fire to restore its Longleaf pine ecosystem. Orchids, pitcher plants and other rare plants can be found there. There is an elevated boardwalk near the lake to make wetter habitats easily accessible.
We will meet at the Preserve at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 10, to collect and identify mushrooms and fungi, and observe native plants and trees. Bring collecting gear (baskets, paper bags, knife) if you have it, water, bug spray, rain gear if rainy. You may want to bring a sack lunch and drink, as we will plan lunch for noon. We will provide tables for display, but if you want a chair, please bring your own. A port-a-potty is located near the Gallery and parking area (see below). The Watson Preserve is located in Lake Hyatt Estates off US Hwy 69, 16 miles north of Kountze or 4 miles south of Warren. Look for very large brick markers reading “Lake Hyatt Estates” on both sides of County Road 4770 (This CR is also next to several large metal buildings on the east side of the Highway that are East Texas Paint & Body Shop.) Go east on CR 4770, for 1.2 miles (you will cross a dam with the lake on the left) to a fork in road. A “Watson Preserve” sign is on the street sign with an arrow pointing to the left. Turn there on CR 4777, go 2/10 miles to the Preserve on the left. You will see a grey building with “Gallery” across it and a Preserve sign. You may park at the Gallery or along the road.
SATURDAY JUNE 17, 2023.
DAVID LEWIS PROPERTY, BLEAKWOOD, NEWTON CO, TX.
The Bleakwood property has 60 acres with 5 plant associations, including upland pine, beech-magnolia-pine-oak slope forest, baygall, hardwood floodplain, and cypress-tupelo slough. Most is fairly open forest with easy walking. Two creeks, Thickety and Screw Pin border the property on the east and west. Mycologically, five new species have been recorded and there is a list of about 700 species collected over the past 25 years. There is an additional 250 plant species found on the property. We will meet at 10:30 AM, hunt a few hours, return to the house and discuss the species while having lunch. Bring water, bug spray, collecting gear, boots (if wet) and a sack lunch.
To reach the Lewis property, take Hwy US96 north from Beaumont 50 miles to Kirbyville. Turn right on FM 363 east (Last red-light in Kirbyville). Go 4 miles to the intersection with SH87 (4 way stop); turn left and go 1 mile to County Road 3062 on the left. You will cross Thickety Creek Bridge and 3062 is just before the Screw Pin Creek bridge. Go about ¼ mile on the dirt/rock road and turn right onto the driveway into the woods. We will have a sign at the drive.
Coming from Newton on SH87, go south 11 miles, cross Screw Pin Branch bridge and immediately turn right on CR 3062.
From IH10 at Orange, TX, go north on SH87, pass FM363, go 1 mile and take a left on CR3062.
From Merryville, LA, take US190 west to Bon Wier, TX, turn left on FM363, go 11 miles to SH87, turn right and go 1 mile to CR3062.
If you wish to stay overnight, there are rooms at the Gateway Inn Motel in Kirbyville on US96 (409-423-4611) Also Jasper, TX has many hotel accommodations. If you wish to camp, I have areas that you may do so, let me know.
Please email if you plan to attend so I have an idea about attendance and how to arrange parking. Car pool with other interested parties if possible.
SATURDAY,JUNE 24, 2023
LITTLE THICKET NATURE SANCTUARY
MUSHROOM WALK-FM 945, CLEVELAND TX-
Co-sponsored by the Central Texas Mycological Society.
This is a 655 acre forested property that belongs to the Houston Outdoor Nature Club.
Their website is www.outdoornatureclub.org Click on the link on upper right for LTNS information. There are directions there too. There is a large building for display. I am not certain if there are chairs or not, so bring collecting gear, rain gear if rainy, water, a sack lunch (lunch will be planned for 12 noon), and a chair if you want one. We will meet at 10 AM, collect, display, identify and label the fungi. You may photograph the specimens if you like. We should be done by 2 or 3PM. Directions are: From IH69/59, North or South, take FM 150 at Coldspring, go west on FM 150, at Evergreen Baptist Church turn left on FM 945, go 1.9 miles, look for a cemetery on right, then you will see a silver industrial fence on the left. The entrance gate is to the left of that fence. From IH45, take FM 150 and go east toward Coldspring, turn right on FM 945, and proceed as above. Or you can Google Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary and it will pop up. The gate should be open.
species epithets