Big Lake Bottom WMA
Acquisition – Bottomland Hardwoods

Purpose: To acquire 1,093 acres of bottomland hardwood habitat adjoining Big Lake Bottom WMA. The acquisition sites are part of the largest contiguous block of bottomland hardwoods remaining on the upper reaches of the Trinity River, an area that has been largely cleared for agriculture. The site contains a high percentage of older-age timber dominated by overcup and water oak, with associated hackberry, water elm, shagbark hickory, and maple. Annual overbank flooding of the Trinity River provides excellent wintering and migration habitat for several waterfowl species, most notably mallards and wood ducks (which also breed in the area). This project is managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to maintain high quality forested wetlands habitat for wintering waterfowl, while providing additional hunting opportunities.

Location: Approx. 12 miles southwest of Palestine, TX (Anderson County)

Acres Impacted: 1,093 acres

Habitat Type: Forested Wetlands / Bottomland Hardwoods

Partners: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
North American Wetlands Conservation Act
Ducks Unlimited, Inc

Timeline: Acquisition was completed in summer 2000

DU Contact:

Keith McKnight
Regional Biologist
1620 FM 2218
Richmond, TX 77469
(832) 595-0663
kmcknight@ducks.org

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Texas Habitat Projects

Gulf Coastal Prairies Public Lands Projects J.D. Murphree WMA Peach Point WMA Mad Island WMA Guadalupe Delta WMA Estero Llano Grande State Park Private Lands Program Texas Prairie Wetlands Project Southern Great Plains Public Lands Projects Taylor Lakes WMA Buffalo Lake NWR Gene Howe WMA Playa Lakes WMA

West Gulf Coastal Plain Public Lands Projects North Toledo Bend WMA Alazan Bayou WMA Old Sabine Bottom WMA Gus Engeling WMA Keechi Creek WMA Richland Creek WMA Big Lake Bottom WMA Private Lands Program East Texas Wetlands Project Texas WRP 1990-2000 Band Recovery Map Large   XLarge