In a wonderful gift to the public, two recent acquisitions of land with Columbia Bottomlands habitat were completed in the first five months of 2026.  These two tracts of land will be added to the 338-acre Dow Woods Unit in San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Columbia Bottomlands is a unique coastal forest with Live Oak, Pecan, Shumard Oak, Water Oak, Hackberry, American Basswood, Green Ash, and other trees.  Dow Woods was donated by Dow Chemical Company in 2008, and these two tracts add 55 acres and 391 acres respectively to Dow Woods for a total of 784 acres protected. 

The first tract of 55 acres fronts on the south side of Bastrop Bayou, an important local stream that flows into Bastrop Bay and Christmas Bay and directly abuts against Dow Woods.  Christmas Bay is one of the last areas that has thriving seagrass habitat and is popular for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking.

The 391-acre Brenda Smith Tract has been on the priority list for acquisition since 1999 (27 years).  It includes the floodplain of Bastrop Bayou and is north and west of Dow Woods and has an extensive number of large Live Oaks.  This area is old growth Columbia Bottomlands.

Protection of the Bastrop Bayou Floodplain ensures that this important bottomland hardwood habitat, a vanishing ecosystem, isn’t developed.  In the early 2020’s, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) revised the 100-year and 500-year floodplains to include this area.

The expansion of the floodplain, due to climate change, and its acquisition and protection ensures that people don’t live in areas where flooding is frequent and can cause death, injuries, and loss of monetary value and property. 

If you want to visit Dow Woods, the directions are:

1. Go South on SH 288.

2. Exit SH 288, turn left onto FM 2004 (Brazoria Co.), and go East 1.8 miles to Old Angleton Road (called CR 288).

3. Turn left onto Old Angleton Rd, go 0.8 miles, and turn left into the Dow Woods parking lot.