Texas Forestry Museum

[Woodwalker]

Drove up to Lufkin today and visited the Texas Forestry Museum.  I’ve got some pictures to upload, but if you have broadband go to this link http://www.treetexas.com/exhibits/main.shtm#permanent and click on the virtual tour on “The History of Sawmill towns in East Texas”. It starts out on the towns and people and continues on through methods and tools.

[Gary_C]

I spent about eight weeks down by Killeen, Texas some time ago and didn't see any trees. 

I also spent some time out in west Texas around Brownwood and didn't see much of anything.

Do you guys call sagebrush trees?

Just kidding, figgered I'd get a rise out of old TR. 

But just how many trees do you have in Texas?   

 

[Woodwalker]

But just how many trees do you have in Texas?  

 

Not near as many as there use to be. The whole state use to be pretty heavy timber. Then we started cutting out West Texas and worked our way through Brownwood and Killeen. Pretty much have that part of the state cleaned up (cept for the rocks).
Stopped by TR’s place today, he weren’t there, must be hiding again.

[Texas Ranger]

If you saw a white car at the far end of the building, you went to the wrong end.  Got your card, now I know where to find ya.  Stop by again, either a white Camre, or a white E-150.

[Texas Ranger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=PGukLuXzH1E

[Gary_C]

Yep, I knew I could wake TR up. That was a nice video and good music, worth watching. But I still didn't see much for trees. 

[Texas Ranger]

Trees in might near every slide with the music, eye balls must be frozen up there in the attic.   

[Gary_C]

Guess I'm not used to looking down that low for trees. I though it was just brush I saw in the pictures. 

[Texas Ranger]

Brush? Why son, we cut pulpwood from grass down here, saw logs from shrubs, why, even our saplings make telephone poles.  Of course, we do have warmer weather than the attic, some how that snow stunts everything up there.

[Gary_C]

That warmer weather must grow imaginations to gigantic proportions. You got the toothpick market and telephone poles for ant colonies cornered?        

[isawlogs]

 Pen blanks Gary     think big . 

[Norm]

TR don't let Gary get under your skin he's just being owly cause he's allergic to latex exam gloves.

[ouachita]

Having lived in Texas for 64 of my 67 years, I have been to just about every place in the video.

Raised in San Antonio, lived in Austin when I was young (rode my tricycle in the capitol rotunda).  Visited Lukenbach, the Rio Grande, went swimming in Barton Springs (burrrrrrr!), tubed on the Guadulape, swam in the Frio, camped at Garner State Park, worked at Martin Dies State Park.  Visited Caddo State Park.   

I have visited the Alamo (went to high school three blocks away) and San Jacinto State Park (they did not show the USS Texas ).

Been to Big Bend National Park (every type of animal that lives in Texas is there), picked cotton when I was young (collectively, my extended family probably is the largest grower of cotton in the state).

Texas is so rich in history it is hard to see it or tell it in a lifetime.

As for trees, Texas has 11 million acres of forested timber land in East Texas.  The Texas Forest Service recently updated their maps of forested timberland and started including acreage in other parts of the state.  Included is the post oak belt in central Texas, ponderosa pine in west Texas, Cypress along the numerous rivers in south Texas and yes, mesquite in south and west Texas (they tell me there is some straight enough to make lumber!).

Charles Westmoreland CF, RF
temporarily in Arkansas

[Woodwalker]

Gary_C, Location: Blooming Prairie, MN
Ahhh, I gotta ask, what's trees are growing in  Blooming Prairie?