By Brandt Mannchen

Even beyond the grave, Sierrans give back to protect the environment.  Tom Maddux, a longtime, beloved, and respected leader in the Lone Star Chapter and Houston Regional Group died in February 2025.  Now one year later, his own private nature sanctuary, “Peach Creek Woods”, has become the Houston Audubon Society’s 18th nature sanctuary. One of our own has come through again.

Tom bought and then expanded “Peach Creek Woods” because he wanted a personal place where he could practice good conservation management and enjoy the natural world.  Tom was generous and shared the joys of “Peach Creek Woods” with his friends and often invited the Houston Sierra Club to visit and spend time there.

Sometimes this resulted in a “swim party”, with a sandy pedicure in Peach Creek, sometimes it was for a tree identification class, sometimes it was to spend the night, and most of the time it was to walk a few trails and tell stories about what he’d seen and loved.

“Peach Creek Woods” is 128 acres and located in northern Montgomery County.  It fronts part of the upper Peach Creek Watershed which flows down through Lake Houston Wilderness Park and into Lake Houston.  Houston Audubon will open “Peach Creek Woods” to the public in early 2027.

Thanks, Tom, for your final quest to protect the environment.  “Peach Creek Woods” will live on in your name and provide all of us with the benefits of Nature.  What a magnificent gift!