By Brandt Mannchen

Harris County has some nice parks that exist along streams, creeks, and bayous.  These preserves have some of the last watercourses with natural vegetation along the banks and in the floodplains.

Harris County Flood Control District has channelized, de-vegetated, widened, and deepened most streams in Harris County.  This has left riparian woodland and bottomland hardwood forest ecosystems diminishing and vanishing in Harris County.

When I say “riparian” I mean streamside.  Riparian areas consist of the lush vegetation that grows alongside our streams and forms some of the most diverse and important wildlife habitat in Southeast Texas.

Little Cypress Creek and 100 Acre Wood Preserves are in areas with extensive sandbanks and sandy soils.  This sand came from Little Cypress and Cypress Creeks as they meandered and eroded stream sides and sand formations.  Both preserves are protected by Bayou Land Conservancy easements or acquisitions.

There are various stream features in both preserves. These include sloughs, meanders, abandoned channels, swales, and flats.  There also are human features which affect how water flows or stands in these two preserves including old roads, borrow pits, and mounds.  These natural features help collect, slowdown, and hold water to reduce flooding downstream. 

Both preserves have extensive trail systems. Many of the trails appear to be user created or modified, which has caused erosion on and near the trails. Additional erosion control work and a reduction in behavior by hikers and bicyclists that create erosion would help with management of these preserves.

Some of the plants that exists in either one or both of these preserves includes:  Green Ash, American Elm, Winged Elm, Common Persimmon, Loblolly Pine, Dwarf Palmetto, Hackberry (Sugarberry), Sweetgum, River Birch, Water Oak, Trumpet Vine, Virginia Creeper, Pepper Vine, Poison Ivy, Hemp Weed, Giant Ragweed, American Beautyberry, native privet, Grape Vine species, Southern Wax Myrtle, Black Cherry, Cherry Laurel, Bald Cypress, American Sycamore, Woolley Croton, Rattle Box, Greenbriar species, American Holly, Beggar Tick, Cedar Elm, Willow Oak, Inland Sea oats, Texas Swamp Red Oak, Pecan, Blue Mistflower, and Black Willow.

Unfortunately, several non-native invasive plant species (NNIPS) are found in these preserves.  These NNIPS include Trifoliate Orange, Nandina, Chinaberry, Tree of Heaven, Chinese Tallow, and non-native privet.  These NNIPS should be removed.  They compete and crowd out native plants and alter native streamside vegetation. 

Many birds, like Great Egrets, and White-tailed Deer, can be seen in these preserves along with reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals.

Both Little Cypress Creek and 100 Acre Wood Preserves deserve your support and visitation.  A walk in these preserves, remembering their care and stewardship, will benefit your mental health and create political support for more natural preserves with streamside vegetation left intact.

Photo by Brandt Mannchen