Angelina County contains the heart of the Texas Pineywoods, an ecoregion that is threatened by logging, development, and fragmentation. The county is bordered on opposite sides by National forests and therefore serves a critical role in connecting the two forests as well as the wildlife that depend on them.
This Green Infrastructure plan builds off of two existing plans in the region, Vision 2020 and the Lufkin Comprehensive Plan. In the introduction, the authors note that much of the land identified in the plan is privately owned (60%), and also report that most of it is currently undeveloped and managed to maintain a high quality ecosystem.
The authors advocate for increased awareness of ecologically beneficial land stewardship and the federal and state programs that benefit the landowners who participate. Under federal, state, and local jurisdictions, the remaining 40% of the lands identified in the plan are protected.
Year Published: 2008
State: Texas
Landscape Context: Inland
Housing Density: Suburban, Rural
Funding Type: Both (Public and Private)
Habitat Focus: Forest, Wetlands
Organizations Involved:
The Conservation Fund
Values:
Open Space/Habitat, Recreation, Historic/Cultural Sites, Biodiversity
Stakeholder Involvement:
Stakeholders were informed; local groups were invited to Leadership Forum meetings.
Planning Process:
An initial Leadership Forum involved over 120 stakeholder groups, including public agencies, businesses, and nonprofits, and highlighted six goals for the plan. TCF's project team then mapped the natural resources of the county, connecting core habitat with hubs and corridors.
The data analysis methodology was then reviewed by a select group of local experts (Technical Review Team), and finalized by TCF. Lastly, an Implementation Quilt that includes planning resources, existing plans, and potential funding sources was developed through a second forum with stakeholder groups.
Desired Outcomes:
The Greenprint aims to catalyze and organize community efforts to protect the landscape, identify a natural network that realizes benefits for both nature and people, and plan for the long-term protection of natural assets. Additionally, residents hoped to enhance access to the Neches River.
What It Accomplished:
The plan led to the formation of a local nonprofit organization, Friends of the National Forest and Grasslands, that 'coordinates the development of nature-based tourism in the two surrounding National Forests.' The group submitted a proposal to the National Park Service’s River, Trail, and Conservation Assistance Program to develop a recreational and paddle trails regional plan for the county, which has produced recreational trail development and grants for their creation. Additional land protection along the Neches River was completed by The Conservation Fund.