The Piney Woods is a temperate coniferous forest terrestrial ecoregion in the

Southern Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

covering of

East Texas East Texas is a broadly defined cultural, geographic, and ecological region in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas that comprises most of 41 counties. It is primarily divided into Northeast and Southeast Texas. Most of the region co ...

, southern

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

, western

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...

, and southeastern Oklahoma. These coniferous forests are dominated by several species of

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family (biology), family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic ...

as well as

hardwood Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...

s including

hickory Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mex ...

and oak.

Historically History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

the most dense part of this forest region was the Big Thicket though the lumber industry dramatically reduced the forest concentration in this area and throughout the Piney Woods during the 19th and 20th centuries. The

World Wide Fund for Nature The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the W ...

considers the Piney Woods to be one of the critically endangered ecoregions of the United States. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines most of this ecoregion as the South Central Plains.

Setting

The Piney Woods cover a area of eastern Texas, northwestern Louisiana, southwestern Arkansas and the southeastern corner of Oklahoma. They are bounded on the east by the Mississippi lowland forests, on the south by the Western Gulf coastal grasslands, on the west by the East Central Texas forests and the Texas blackland prairies, on the northwest by the Central forest-grasslands transition, and on the north by the Ozark Mountain forests. They receive of precipitation annually.

Flora

The region has heavy to moderate rainfall, with some places receiving over of rain per year. Longleaf, shortleaf, and loblolly pines, along with bluejack and post oaks, dominate sandhills. A well-developed

understory In forestry and ecology, understory (American English), or understorey (Commonwealth English), also known as underbrush or undergrowth, includes plant life growing beneath the forest canopy without penetrating it to any great extent, but abo ...

grows beneath the sparse canopy, and includes

yaupon holly ''Ilex vomitoria'', commonly known as yaupon () or yaupon holly, is a species of holly that is native to southeastern North America. The word ''yaupon'' was derived from the Catawban ''yą́pą'', from ''yą-'' tree + ''pą'' leaf. Another commo ...

and flowering dogwood. Pine savannas consist of scattered longleaf and loblolly pines alongside black tupelos, sweetgums, and in acid soils along creeks sweetbay magnolias. Other common trees in this ecoregion include eastern redbud, red maple, southern sugar maple, and American elm. American wisteria, a vine, may cover groves of trees. Two varieties of

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (Anoxic waters, anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in t ...

s are common in the Piney Woods:

bayou In usage in the Southern United States, a bayou () is a body of water typically found in a flat, low-lying area. It may refer to an extremely slow-moving stream, river (often with a poorly defined shoreline), marshy lake, wetland, or creek. They ...

s are generally found near rivers and sloughs are generally found near creeks. In bayous

bald cypress ''Taxodium distichum'' (bald cypress, swamp cypress; french: cyprès chauve; ''cipre'' in Louisiana) is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. Hardy and tough, this tree adapts to a wide ...

, Spanish moss, and water lilies are common plants. Sloughs are shallow pools of standing water that most trees are not capable of growing in. Other species, such as the purple bladderwort, a small

carnivorous plant Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants still generate some of their energy from photosynthesis ...

, have found niches in sloughs. A

baygall A bayhead or baygall is a specific type of wetland or swamp habitat.Watson, Geraldine Ellis (2006) Big Thicket Plant Ecology: An Introduction, Third Edition (Temple Big Thicket Series #5). University of North Texas Press. 152 pp. Natural Communi ...

is another type of wetland found the Piney Woods and other forest of the Gulf Coast states in the USA.Watson, Geraldine Ellis (2006) Big Thicket Plant Ecology: An Introduction, Third Edition (Temple Big Thicket Series #5). University of North Texas Press. Denton, Texas. 152 pp. Texas Parks and Wildlife. Ecological Mapping systems of Texas
West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall
Retrieved 7 July 2020 Hardy species of prickly pear cactus and

yucca ''Yucca'' is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40–50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitis ...

can be found in the forests where deep sands occur. The indigenous Texas trailing phlox ('' Phlox nivalis texensis''), an endangered species, grows in the sandy soils of longleaf pine forests.

Piney Woods gallery

File:Farm to Market Road 315, Anderson County, Texas, USA (April 2017).jpg, Farm to Market Road 315, Anderson County, Texas (April 2017) File:Angelina National Forest, Angelina County, Texas, USA (November 2020).jpg, Angelina National Forest, Angelina County, Texas (November 2020) File:Boykin Creek, Angelina National Forest, Angelina County, Texas, USA (November 2020).jpg, Angelina National Forest, Angelina County, Texas, (November 2020) File:Bladderwort (Utricularia) in bloom, Cass County, Texas, USA (April 2017).jpg, Bladderwort (''Utricularia'' sp.) in bloom, Cass County, Texas, (April 2017) File:Big Cypress Bayou, Caddo Lake State Park, Harrison County, Texas, USA (April 2017).jpg, Big Cypress Bayou, Caddo Lake State Park, Harrison County, Texas, (April 2017) File:Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), Saw Mill Pond, Caddo Lake State Park, Harrison County, Texas, USA (April 2017).jpg, Bald cypress (''Taxodium distichum''), Caddo Lake State Park, Harrison County, Texas (April 2017) File:Davy Crockett National Forest, Houston County, Texas, USA (May 2019).jpg, Davy Crockett National Forest, Houston County, Texas, USA (May 2019) File:Sam Houston National Forest, San Jacinto County, Texas, USA (October 2017).jpg, Sam Houston National Forest, San Jacinto County, Texas (October 2017) File:Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), Sam Houston National Forest, Walker County, Texas, USA (September 2020).jpg, Longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris''), Sam Houston National Forest, Walker County, Texas (September 2020) File:Dwarf palmettos (Sabal minor), Sam Houston National Forest, Walker County, Texas, USA (May 2012).jpg, Dwarf palmettos (''Sabal minor''), Sam Houston National Forest, Walker County, Texas (May 2012) File:Peach Creek, Lake Houston Wilderness Park, Montgomery County, Texas, USA (May 2013).jpg, Peach Creek, Lake Houston Wilderness Park, Montgomery County, Texas (May 2013) File:Louisiana yucca (Yucca louisianensis), Roy E. Larson Sandyland Sanctuary, Hardin County, Texas, USA (November 2019).jpg, Louisiana yucca (''Yucca louisianensis''), Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary, Hardin County, Texas (November 2019) File:Woodland pond, Big Thicket National Preserve, Polk County, Texas, USA, (May 2020).jpg, Woodland pond, Big Thicket National Preserve, Polk County, Texas, (May 2020) File:Long-leaf pine uplands, Big Thicket National Preserve, Polk County, Texas, USA (May 2020).jpg, Long-leaf pine uplands, Big Thicket National Preserve, Polk County, Texas (May 2020) File:Long-leaf pine savannah wet-lands with pitcher plants (Sarracenia alata) in foreground, Tyler County, Texas, USA (May 2020).jpg, Long-leaf pine savannah wet-lands with pitcher plants (''Sarracenia alata'') in foreground, Tyler County, Texas (May 2020) File:Long-leaf pine uplands, Big Thicket National Preserve, Hickory Creek Unit, Tyler County, Texas, USA, (August 2020).jpg, Long-leaf pine uplands, Big Thicket National Preserve, Tyler County, Texas, (August 2020) File:Big Thicket National Preserve, Lance Rosier Unit, Hardin County, Texas, USA (May 2020).jpg, Big Thicket National Preserve, Hardin County, Texas (May 2020). File:Neches River, Orange County, Texas, USA (October 2016).jpg, Neches River, Orange County, Texas (October 2016)

Fauna

Mammals: Common species in the Piney Woods include White-tailed deer ('' Odocoileus virginianus''), Virginia opossum (''

Didelphis virginiana The Virginia opossum (''Didelphis virginiana''), also known as the North American opossum, is the only opossum living north of Mexico, its range extending south into Central America. It is the northernmost marsupial in the world. In the United S ...

''), northern raccoon ('' Procyon lotor''), striped skunk (''

Mephitis mephitis The striped skunk (''Mephitis mephitis'') is a skunk of the genus '' Mephitis'' that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN ...

''), eastern mole ('' Scalopus aquaticus''), least shrew (''

Cryptotis parva The North American least shrew (''Cryptotis parvus'') is one of the smallest mammals, growing to be only up to 3 inches long. It has a long pointed snout and a tail never more than twice the length of its hind foot. The dense fur coat is ei ...

''), eastern gray squirrel ('' Sciurus carolinensis''), eastern fox squirrel (''

Sciurus niger The fox squirrel (''Sciurus niger''), also known as the eastern fox squirrel or Bryant's fox squirrel, is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America. Despite the differences in size and coloration, it is sometimes mistaken for A ...

''), and eastern cottontail ('' Sylvilagus floridanus''). Somewhat less common are the northern river otter (''

Lontra canadensis The North American river otter (''Lontra canadensis''), also known as the northern river otter and river otter, is a semiaquatic mammal that only lives on the North American continent, along its waterways and coasts. An adult North American rive ...

''), bobcat (''

Lynx rufus The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the ...

''), gray fox ('' Urocyon cinereoargenteus''), southern short-tailed shrew ('' Blarina carolinensis''), American beaver (''

Castor canadensis The North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') is one of two extant beaver species, along with the Eurasian beaver (''Castor fiber''). It is native to North America and introduced in South America (Patagonia) and Europe (primarily Finland and ...

''), and swamp rabbit ('' Sylvilagus aquaticus''). Some carnivores such as the eastern spotted skunk ('' Spilogale putorius''), ringtail ('' Bassariscus astutus''), long-tailed weasel ('' Mustela frenata''), American mink (''

Mustela vison The American mink (''Neogale vison'') is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe, Asia and South America. Because of range expansion, the American mink ...

''), and red fox ('' Vulpes vulpes''), are uncommon, rarely seen, and in decline. Over a dozen species of bats occur in the region, some migratory like the Brazilian free-tailed bat ('' Tadarida brasiliensis'') and silvered-haired bat ('' Lasionycteris noctivagans''), others are year round residents like the Seminole bat ('' Lasiurus seminolus''), evening bat ('' Nycticeius humeralis''), Rafinesque's big-eared bat ('' Corynorhinus rafinesquii''), a threatened species in Texas. Rodents found in the Piney Woods include the southern flying squirrel (''

Glaucomys volans The southern flying squirrel or the assapan (''Glaucomys volans'') is one of three species of the genus '' Glaucomys'' and one of three flying squirrel species found in North America. It is found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern half o ...

''), common muskrat ('' Ondatra zibethicus''), Baird's pocket gopher ('' Geomys breviceps''), woodland vole (''

Microtus pinetorum The woodland vole (''Microtus pinetorum'') is a small vole found in eastern North America. It is also known as the pine vole. Characteristics The woodland vole has a head and body length ranging between with a short tail. Its weight ranges bet ...

''), and about 10 additional native rats and mice.Schmidly, D. J. 2004. The Mammals of Texas, 6th. Ed. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. xviii, 501 pp. Reid, Fiona A. 2006. Field Guide to Mammals of North America North of Mexico, 4th ed., Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York. xx, 579 pp. Several of the larger carnivores that once occurred in the Piney Woods are entirely extirpated, including the hog-nosed skunk ('' Conepatus leuconotus''), red wolf (''

Canis rufus The red wolf (''Canis rufus'') is a canine native to the southeastern United States. Its size is intermediate between the coyote (''Canis latrans'') and gray wolf (''Canis lupus''). The red wolf's taxonomic classification as being a separate s ...

''), jaguar (''

Panthera onca The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus '' Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the t ...

''), and ocelot ('' Leopardus pardalis''). The mountain lion ('' Puma concolor'') and black bear ('' Ursus americanus'') have also been extirpated from most areas; however, very rare sightings or remains are occasionally documented, likely representing wandering individuals rather than breeding populations. Stable populations of black bears occur in adjacent areas north and east of the Piney Woods and they appear to be slowly increasing in numbers and dispersing. As of 2020, however, the black bear is largely extirpated from most quarters, and rare in peripheral areas. With the clearing of forest and decline of the native predators (or competitors), the nine-banded armadillo (''

Dasypus novemcinctus The nine-banded armadillo (''Dasypus novemcinctus''), also known as the nine-banded long-nosed armadillo or common long-nosed armadillo, is a mammal found in North, Central, and South America, making it the most widespread of the armadillos. It ...

''), coyotes (''

Canis latrans The coyote (''Canis latrans'') is a species of canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecological niche ...

''), and black-tailed jackrabbit ('' Lepus californicus'') have expanded their ranges eastward into the region. Other species have been introduced into the region such as the nutria or coypu (''

Myocastor coypus The nutria (''Myocastor coypus''), also known as the coypu, is a large, herbivorous A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component ...

''), house mouse ('' Mus musculus''), roof rat (''

Rattus rattus The black rat (''Rattus rattus''), also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus ''Rattus'', in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is ...

''), and Norway rat ('' Rattus norvegicus''). Feral house cats ('' Felis catus'') and feral pigs (''

Sus scrofa The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is n ...

'') pose threats to native fauna and are serious conservation concerns. Birds: With some species migrating through in the spring and fall, others nesting in the spring and summer months, and still others wintering in the region, well over 300 species of birds occur in the Piney Woods. A few of the many year round residents include the wood duck ('' Aix sponsa''), black vulture (''

Coragyps atratus The black vulture (''Coragyps atratus''), also known as the American black vulture, Mexican vulture, zopilote, urubu, or gallinazo, is a bird in the New World vulture family whose range extends from the northeastern United States to Peru, Ce ...

''), red-shouldered hawk ('' Buteo lineatus''), American kestrel (''

Falco sparverius The American kestrel (''Falco sparverius''), also called the sparrow hawk, is the smallest and most common falcon in North America. It has a roughly two-to-one range in size over subspecies and sex, varying in size from about the weight of ...

''), wild turkey (''

Meleagris gallopavo The wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is an upland ground bird native to North America, one of two extant species of turkey and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey, which was originally de ...

''), northern bobwhite ('' Colinus virginianus''), American woodcock ('' Scolopax minor''), greater roadrunner ('' Geococcyx californianus''), red-cockaded woodpecker (''

Picoides borealis The red-cockaded woodpecker (''Leuconotopicus borealis'') is a woodpecker endemic to the southeastern United States. Description The red-cockaded woodpecker is small to mid-sized species, being intermediate in size between North America's two ...

''), loggerhead shrike ('' Lanius ludovicianus''), northern mockingbird ('' Mimus polyglottos''), brown thrasher ('' Toxostoma rufum''), Carolina chickadee ('' Poecile carolinensis''), brown-headed nuthatch ('' Sitta pusilla''), pine warbler ('' Dendroica pinus''), Bachman's sparrow ('' Aimophila aestivalis''), and fish crow ('' Corvus ossifragus''). Many additional species migrate from regions south and nest in the Piney Woods in the spring and summer, such as the anhinga ('' Anhinga anhinga''), yellow-crowned night-heron ('' Nyctanassa violacea''), little blue heron ('' Egretta caerulea''), snowy egret (''

Egretta thula The snowy egret (''Egretta thula'') is a small white heron. The genus name comes from Provençal French for the little egret, , which is a diminutive of , 'heron'. The species name ''thula'' is the Araucano term for the black-necked swan, ap ...

''), purple gallinule (''

Porphyrula martinica The purple gallinule (''Porphyrio martinicus'') is a swamphen in the genus ''Porphyrio''. It is in the order Gruiformes, meaning "crane-like", an order which also contains cranes, rails, and crakes. The purple gallinule is a rail species, placi ...

''), Chuck-will's-widow ('' Caprimulgus carolinensis''), scissor-tailed flycatcher ('' Tyrannus forficatus''), prairie warbler ('' Dendroica discolor''), Swainson's warbler ('' Limnothlypis swainsonii''), and painted bunting ('' Passerina ciris''). Conversely, a different assemblage of birds migrate from the north to spend the winters months in the region, including the Canada goose (''

Branta canadensis The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is ...

''), ring-necked duck ('' Aythya collaris''), hooded merganser (''

Lophodytes cucullatus The hooded merganser (''Lophodytes cucullatus'') is a species of merganser. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Lophodytes''. The genus name derives from the Greek language: ''lophos'' meaning 'crest', and ''dutes'' meaning 'diver'. The ...

''), blue-headed vireo ('' Vireo solitarius''), Henslow's sparrow ('' Ammodramus henslowii''), Le Conte's Sparrow ('' Ammodramus leconteii''), and Smith's longspur ('' Calcarius pictus''). A few species that once occurred in the region are now extinct like the passenger pigeon ('' Ectopistes migratorius''), Carolina parakeet ('' Conuropsis carolinensis''), ivory-billed woodpecker ('' Campephilus principalis''), and Bachman's warbler (''

Vermivora bachmanii Bachman's warbler (''Vermivora bachmanii'') is a likely extinct passerine migratory bird. This warbler was a migrant, breeding in swampy blackberry and cane thickets of the Southeastern and Midwestern United States and wintering in Cuba. Ther ...

'').Mulroy, Kevin (Editor-in-Chief). 2002. Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 4th edition. National Geographic, Washington, D. C. 480 pp. Terres, John K. 1996. The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Wings Books, a division of Random House Value Publishing, Inc.. New York. N. Y. 1109 pp. File:Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Fort Bend County, Texas, USA (October 2020).jpg, Little blue heron (''Egretta caerulea''), Fort Bend County, Texas, USA (October 2020) File:Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus), locality unknown (August 2019).jpg, Red-shouldered hawk (''Buteo lineatus''), locality unknown (August 2019) File:American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) Essex, Ontario, Canada (March 2017).B.jpg, American woodcock (''Scolopax minor'') Essex, Ontario, Canada (March 2017) File:Red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), Louisiana, USA (January 2017).jpg, Red-cockaded woodpecker (''Picoides borealis''), Louisiana, USA (January 2017) File:Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) Walker Co. TX. photo W. L. Farr.jpg, Scissor-tailed flycatcher (''Tyrannus forficatus'') Walker County, Texas, USA (April 2014) File:Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii), Butler County, Ohio, USA (October 2016).jpg, Henslow's sparrow (''Ammodramus henslowii''), Butler County, Ohio, USA (October 2016) Reptiles: The American alligator ('' Alligator mississippiensis'') ranges throughout all but the northwestern most area of the region, however they are not particularly common in the forested habitat compared to their abundance in the open marshlands and prairies to the south. The Sabine map turtle ('' Graptemys sabinensis'') is endemic: and among the many other turtles found in the region are the alligator snapping turtle (''

Macrochelys temminckii The alligator snapping turtle (''Macrochelys temminckii'') is a large species of turtle in the family Chelydridae. The species is native to freshwater habitats in the United States. ''M. temminckii'' is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles in ...

''), chicken turtle ('' Deirochelys reticularia''), false map turtle ('' Graptemys pseudogeographica''), river cooter ('' Pseudemys concinna''), three-toed box turtle ('' Terrapene triunguis''), eastern mud turtle ('' Kinosternon subrubrum''), razor-backed musk turtle ('' Sternotherus carinatus''), and spiny softshell turtle ('' Apalone spinifera''). Lizards occurring in the Piney Woods include the green anole ('' Anolis carolinensis''), six-lined racerunner ('' Aspidoscelis sexlineatus''), prairie lizard ('' Sceloporus conssbrinus''), slender glass lizard ('' Ophisaurus attenuatus''), and a number of skinks including the five-lined skink ('' Plestiodon fasciatus''), broad-headed skink ('' Plestiodon laticeps''), southern coal skink ('' Plestiodon anthracinus''), and little brown skink ('' Scincella lateralis''). Snake diversity is relatively high in the Piney Woods for a temperate area of its size, with well over 30 species ranging into the region. The Louisiana pinesnake (''

Pituophis ruthveni ''Pituophis'' is a genus of nonvenomous colubrid snakes, commonly referred to as gopher snakes, pine snakes, and bullsnakes, which are endemic to North America. Geographic range Species and subspecies within the genus ''Pituophis'' are found th ...

'') is endemic and Slowinski’s cornsnake ('' Pantherophis slowinskii'') is nearly endemic. Five venomous snakes occur in the region, the Texas coralsnake (''

Micrurus tener ''Micrurus tener'', commonly known as the Texas coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to the southern United States and northeastern and central Mexico. Five subspecies are recognized as bein ...

''), eastern copperhead (''

Agkistrodon contortrix The eastern copperhead (''Agkistrodon contortrix''), also known as the copperhead, is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper, endemic to eastern North America; it is a member of the subfamily Crotalinae in the family Viperidae. The eastern co ...

''), northern cottonmouth (''

Agkistrodon piscivorus ''Agkistrodon piscivorus'' is a species of pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers (along with the Florida cottonmouth), and is native to the southeastern United States. As ...

''), timber rattlesnake ('' Crotalus horridus''), and pygmy rattlesnake (''

Sistrurus miliarius :''Common names: pygmy rattlesnake, eastern pygmy rattlesnake, ground rattlesnake, leaf rattler, death rattler, more.'' Wright AH, Wright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing ...

''). Some of the non-venomous snakes include the rough greensnake (''

Opheodrys aestivus ''Opheodrys aestivus'', commonly known as the rough green snake, is a nonvenomous North American colubrid. It is sometimes called grass snake or green grass snake, but these names are more commonly applied to the smooth green snake (''Opheodrys ...

''), Dekay's brownsnake (''

Storeria dekayi ''Storeria dekayi'', commonly known as De Kay's brown snake, De Kay's snake, and simply the brown snake (along with many others), is a small non-venomous species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America and Cen ...

''), eastern hog-nosed snake ('' Heterodon platirhinos''), western ribbonsnake ('' Thamnophis proximus''), glossy swampsnake ('' Liodytes rigida''), southern watersnake ('' Nerodia fasciata''), diamond-back watersnake (''

Nerodia rhombifer ''Nerodia rhombifer'', commonly known as the diamondback water snake, is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid endemic to the central United States and northern Mexico. There are three recognized subspecies of ''N. rhombifer'', including ...

''), red-bellied mudsnake (''

Farancia abacura The mud snake (''Farancia abacura'') is a species of nonvenomous, semiaquatic, colubrid snake endemic to the southeastern United States. Description The mud snake usually grows to a total length (including tail) of 40 to 54 inches (1-1.4 m),M ...

''), North American racer (''

Coluber constrictor The eastern racer (''Coluber constrictor'') is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America and Central America. Eleven subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized, which ...

''), coachwhip ('' Masticophis flagellum''), scarletsnake ('' Cemophora coccinea''), prairie kingsnake ('' Lampropeltis calligaster''), speckled kingsnake ('' Lampropeltis holbrooki''), western ratsnake (''

Pantherophis obsoletus ''Pantherophis obsoletus'', also known commonly as the western rat snake, black rat snake, pilot black snake, or simply black snake, is a nonvenomous species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to central North America. Ther ...

''). and at least a dozen others.Ernst, C. H. and L. E. Lovich. 2009. Turtles of the United States and Canada. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. xii, 827 pp. Werler, J. E. and J. R. Dixon. 2000. Texas Snakes, Identification, Distribution, and Natural History. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. xv, 437 pp. Powell, R, R. Conant, and J. T. Collins. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, 4rd ed. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. xiii, 494 pp. Dixon, J. R. 2013. Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas, with Keys, Taxonomic Synopses, Bibliography, and Distribution Maps. 3nd Edition. Texas A&M University Press. College Station, Texas. viii, 477 pp. Dundee, H. A. and D. A. Rossman. 1989. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Louisiana. Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. xi, 300 pp. Trauth, S. E., H. W. Robison and M. V. Plummer. 2004. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Arkansas. University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, Arkansas. xviii, 421 pp. Webb, R. G. 1970. Reptiles of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma. vi, 370 pp. File:Sabine Map Turtle (Graptemys sabinensis) Orange Co. Texas. photo W. L. Farr.jpg, Sabine map turtle (''Graptemys sabinensis''), in situ, Orange County Texas. (October 2016). File:Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii), aquarium display (2011).jpg, Alligator snapping turtle (''Macrochelys temminckii''), aquarium display (2011) File:Six-lined racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineatus), in situ, Hardin County, Texas (April 2020).jpg, Six-lined racerunner (''Aspidoscelis sexlineatus''), in situ, Hardin County, Texas (April 2020). File:Southern coal skink (Plestiodon anthracinus), Jefferson Co, Missouri (15 March 2016).jpg, Southern coal skink (''Plestiodon anthracinus''), Jefferson Co, Missouri (March 2016) File:Slowinski’s cornsnake (Pantherophis slowinskii), in situ, Colorado County, Texas, USA (May 2018).jpg, Slowinski’s cornsnake (''Pantherophis slowinskii''), in situ, Colorado County, Texas (May 2018). File:Louisiana pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni), Louisiana, USA (13 April 2011).jpg, Louisiana pinesnake (''Pituophis ruthveni''), Louisiana, USA (April 2011) Amphibians: Over a dozen species of salamanders occur in the Piney Woods. The Louisiana slimy salamander ('' Plethodon kisatchie'') of northern Louisiana and adjacent areas of southern Arkansas is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the region. The three-toed amphiuma ('' Amphiuma tridactylum''), commonly growing 18 to 30 inches (46-76 cm.), and other species such as the Gulf Coast waterdog (''

Necturus beyeri The western waterdog (''Necturus beyeri'') is a species of aquatic salamander in the family Proteidae. It is endemic to the southeastern United States, where it occurs in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Taxonomy This may be a spec ...

''), Red River mudpuppy ('' Necturus louisianensis''), and western lesser siren (''

Siren intermedia The lesser siren (''Siren intermedia'') is a species of aquatic salamander native to the eastern United States and northern Mexico. They are referred to by numerous common names, including two-legged eel, dwarf siren, and mud eel. The specific ep ...

'') are entirely aquatic. Other salamanders include the spotted salamander ('' Ambystoma maculatum''), marbled salamander (''

Ambystoma opacum The marbled salamander (''Ambystoma opacum'') is a species of mole salamander found in the eastern United States. Description The marbled salamander is a stocky and boldly banded salamander. The marbled salamander exhibits sexual dimorphism w ...

''), mole salamander ('' Ambystoma talpoideum''), small-mouthed salamander ('' Ambystoma texanum''), spotted dusky salamander ('' Desmognathus conanti''), western dwarf salamander ('' Eurycea paludicola''), and the eastern newt (''

Notophthalmus viridescens The eastern newt (''Notophthalmus viridescens'') is a common newt of eastern North America. It frequents small lakes, ponds, and streams or nearby wet forests. The eastern newt produces tetrodotoxin, which makes the species unpalatable to predat ...

''). Anurans (frogs and toads) found in the Piney Woods include Blanchard’s cricket frog ('' Acris blanchardi''), Cope’s gray treefrog (''

Hyla chrysoscelis Cope's gray treefrog (''Dryophytes chrysoscelis'') is a species of treefrog found in the United States. It is almost indistinguishable from the gray treefrog ('' Dryophytes versicolor''), and shares much of its geographic range. Both species ar ...

''), green treefrog (''

Hyla cinerea The American green tree frog (''Dryophytes cinereus'' or ''Hyla cinerea'') is a common arboreal species of New World tree frog belonging to the family Hylidae. This nocturnal insectivore is moderately sized and has a bright green to reddish-brow ...

''), cajun chorus frog ('' Pseudacris fouquettei''), spring peeper ('' Pseudacris crucifer''), eastern narrow-mouthed toad (''

Gastrophryne carolinensis ''Gastrophryne carolinensis'', the eastern narrow-mouthed toad, is a species of microhylid frog. It is a relatively small, toad-like amphibian found in damp, shady habitats. The species is highly fossorial, and feeds primarily on ants. These Nor ...

''), Hurter’s spadefoot toad (''

Scaphiopus hurterii Hurter's spadefoot toad or Hurter's spadefoot (''Scaphiopus hurteri'') is a species of American spadefoot toad (family Scaphiopodidae) found in the south central United States (Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma); its range might extend to the ...

''), American bullfrog ('' Lithobates catesbeianus''), bronze frog ('' Lithobates clamitans''), pickerel frog ('' Lithobates palustris''), and southern leopard frog (''

Lithobates sphenocephalus ''Lithobates sphenocephalus'' or ''Rana sphenocephala'', commonly known as the southern leopard frog, is a medium-sized anuran in the family Ranidae (the true frogs). It is native to eastern North America from Kansas to New York to Florida. It is ...

''). The American toad ('' Anaxyrus americanus'') occurs in northern areas and the Gulf Coast toad ('' Incilius nebulifer'') occurs in the south. The Fowler’s toad ('' Anaxyrus fowleri'') ranges throughout Arkansas and Louisiana, but populations in east Texas intergraded with Woodhouse's toad ('' Anaxyrus woodhousii''), however some regard the east Texas populations as a distinct species, the east Texas toad (''Anaxyrus velatus'').Petranka, J. W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. xvi, 587 pp. Dodd, Jr. C. K. 2013. Frogs of the United States and Canada. Vol. I & II. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. xxix, 982 pp. File:Blanchard’s cricket frog (Acris blanchardi), Montgomery Co. TX (April 2014).jpg, Blanchard’s cricket frog (''Acris blanchardi''), Montgomery Co. TX (April 2014) File:Green treefrog (Hyla cinerea), Montgomery Co. Texas, USA (April 2014).jpg, Green treefrog (''Hyla cinerea''), Montgomery Co. TX (April 2014) File:Dwarf Salamander (Eurycea quadridigitata) Polk Co. Texas. W. L. Farr.jpg, Dwarf salamander (''Eurycea uadridigitatapaludicola'') Polk Co. TX (April 2009) File:Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis), Chambers Co., Texas USA (15 Sept 2018).jpg, Narrow-mouthed toad (''Gastrophryne carolinensis''), Chambers Co., TX (Sept 2018) File:Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) Walker Co. Texas. photo by W. L. Farr.jpg, Eastern newt (''Notophthalmus viridescens'') Walker Co. TX (May 2012) File:Anaxyrus woodhousii x fowler (= A. velatus) Big Thicket, Turkey Creek, Hardin Co. TX; Oct 2019.jpg, East Texas toad (''Anaxyrus velatus''), Hardin Co. TX (Oct 2019) File:Gulf Coast waterdog (Necturus beyeri), St. Tammany Parish, Louisian.jpg, Gulf Coast waterdog ''(Necturus beyeri''), St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana File:Hurter's Spadefoot Toad (Scaphiopus hurterii), Colorado Co., Texas USA (27 May 2014).jpg, Hurter's spadefoot Toad (''Scaphiopus hurterii''), Colorado Co., TX (May 2014) File:Southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus), Liberty Co. TX (April 2009).jpg, Southern leopard frog (''Lithobates sphenocephalus''), Liberty Co. TX (April 2009) Fish: The Piney Woods are rich in fish diversity. Fish occurring in the region include the chestnut lamprey ('' Ichthyomyzon castaneus''), southern brook lamprey ('' Ichthyomyzon gagei''), paddlefish ('' Polyodon spathula''), alligator gar ('' Atractosteus spatula''), spotted gar ('' Lepisosteus oculatus''), bowfin ('' Amia calva''), and redfin pickerel ('' Esox americanus''). Some sport fish native to the Piney Woods include largemouth bass (''

Micropterus salmoides The largemouth bass (''Micropterus salmoides'') is a carnivorous freshwater gamefish in the Centrarchidae ( sunfish) family, a species of black bass native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico, bu ...

''), spotted bass (''

Micropterus punctulatus The spotted bass (''Micropterus punctulatus''), also called spotty, or spots in various fishing communities, is a species of North American freshwater fish belonging to the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order Perciformes. It is noted fo ...

''), white bass ('' Morone chrysops''), yellow bass ('' Morone mississippiensis''), black crappie ('' Pomoxis nigromaculatus''), white crappie (''

Pomoxis annularis The white crappie (''Pomoxis annularis'') is a freshwater fish found in North America, one of the two species of crappies. Alternate common names for the species include goldring and silver perch. is named for the fish. The genus name ''Pomoxi ...

''), blue catfish ('' Ictalurus furcatus''), channel catfish ('' Ictalurus punctatus''), yellow bullhead ('' Ictalurus natalis''), black bullhead ('' Ictalurus melas''), redear sunfish ('' Lepomis microlophus''), and longear sunfish ('' Lepomis megalotis''). A multitude of smaller fish inhabit the waters of the Piney Woods.

Endemics Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

include the bluehead shiner ('' Pteronotropis hubbsi'') and Creole darter (''

Etheostoma collettei The Creole darter (''Etheostoma collettei'') is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the Ea ...

''). The western mosquitofish ('' Gambusia affinis''), a species that has been widely introduced around the world and considered a pest in many areas, is a native in the Piney Woods. Just a few of the other small fish in the region include blacktail shiner ('' Cyprinella venusta''), pallid shiner ('' Hybopsis amnis''), blackspot shiner ('' Notropis atrocaudalis''), peppered shiner ('' Notropis perpallidus''), Sabine shiner ('' Notropis sabinae''), weed shiner ('' Notropis texanus''), blacktail redhorse ('' Moxostoma poecilurum''), freckled madtom ('' Noturus nocturnus''), brown madtom ('' Noturus phaeus''), Blair's starhead topminnow (''Fundulus blairae''), golden topminnow ('' Fundulus chrysotus''), blachspotted topminnow ('' Fundulus olivaceus''), bantma sunfish ('' Lepomis symmetricus''), scaly sand darter ('' Ammocrypta vivax''), redspot darter (''

Etheostoma artesiae The redspot darter (''Etheostoma artesiae'') is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the ...

''), mud darter ('' Etheostoma asprigene''), harlequin darter (''

Etheostoma histrio The harlequin darter (''Etheostoma histrio'') is a species of ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae which includes the perches, ruffes and pike-perches. It is endemic to the eastern half ...

''), and goldstripe darter ('' Etheostoma parvipinne'').Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American Freshwater Fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History. x, 867 pp. Page, L. M. and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes: North America North of Mexico, Second Edition. Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston, Massachusetts. xix, 663 pp. Thomas, Chad, Timothy H. Bonner, & Bobby G. Whiteside. 2007. Freshwater Fishes of Texas: A Field Guide. Texas A&M University Press. College Station, Texas. xiv, 202 pp. File:Creole darter (Etheostoma collettei) endemic to the piney woods, Saline River Drainage, Arkansas (March 2016).jpg, Creole darter (''Etheostoma collettei'') endemic to the Piney Woods, Saline River Drainage, Arkansas (March 2016). File:Harlequin darter (Etheostoma histrio), Sabine River, Texas (September 2009).jpg, Harlequin darter (''Etheostoma histrio''), Sabine River, Texas (September 2009). File:Golden topminnow (Fundulus chrysotus) Mississippi (August 2014).jpg, Golden topminnow (''Fundulus chrysotus'') Mississippi (August 2014). File:Blacktail Redhorse (Moxostoma poecilurum). Sabine River, Texas (September 2009).jpg, Blacktail Redhorse (''Moxostoma poecilurum''). Sabine River, Texas (September 2009). File:Bantma sunfish (Lepomis symmetricus), Liberty County, TX (October 2019).jpg, Bantma sunfish (''Lepomis symmetricus''), Liberty County, TX (October 2019). File:Bowfin (Amia calva), Steinhart Aquarium, San Francisco, California.jpg, Bowfin (''Amia calva''), Steinhart Aquarium, San Francisco, California. File:Alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula), Brazos River system, Texas (Nov. 2004).jpg, Alligator gar (''Atractosteus spatula''), Brazos River system, Texas (Nov. 2004). Some endemic flora and fauna of the Piney Woods (threatened species: Federal++; State +: historical isolated Illinois population now extirpated = *).Abbott, John C. 2015. Dragonflies of Texas: A Field Guide. University of Texas Press. Austin, Texas. xv, 448 pp.

Conservation and threats

The majority of the commercial timber growing and wood processing in the state of Texas takes place in the Piney Woods region, which contains about of commercial forestland.

National preserve

One National Preserve, the Big Thicket National Preserve, in the southern part of the

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

portion of the Piney Woods region, currently consists of fourteen named, non-contiguous units scattered across a wide area bounded roughly by Pine Island Bayou in Hardin County, Texas to the south, the

Neches River The Neches River () begins in Van Zandt County west of Rhine Lake and flows for through the piney woods of east Texas, defining the boundaries of 14 counties on its way to its mouth on Sabine Lake near the Rainbow Bridge. Two major reservoirs, ...

bottom to the east (units on both sides of the river), the Trinity River to the west and Steinhagen Reservoir to the north. The preserve contains ten distinct ecosystems according to the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...

. Big Thicket National Preserve is one of two

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

Biosphere Reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

s in Texas. The preserve has also been listed as a Globally

Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Inte ...

by the American Bird Conservancy. The preserve was established in 1974 under ''16 U.S. Code § 698 - Big Thicket National Preserve'' "...to assure the preservation, conservation, and protection of the natural, scenic, and recreational values of a significant portion of the Big Thicket area in the State of Texas..." Since the preserve's inception, the

Conservation Fund The Conservation Fund is a U.S. nonprofit organization with a dual charter to pursue environmental preservation and economic development. From 2008–2018, it has placed more than 500,000 acres under conservation management through a program w ...

has helped to increase the amount of protected acreage by .

Protected and public lands

Federal Land United States Department of the Interior,

* Big Thicket National Preserve (113,114 acres), Texas United States Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service United States Department of Agriculture, U. S. Forest Service Managed under a multiple-use concept (by law), balancing between timber harvesting, grazing, minerals, soil and water, fish and wildlife, recreation, and public needs, with no single resource emphasized to the detriment of others. Arkansas (See also List of Arkansas state parks) Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Oklahoma Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (Some Texas Wildlife Management Areas leased from the U. S. Forest Service and located within National Forest are not included here)

Folklore

The Piney Woods Region of the four state area is a noted area for

Bigfoot Bigfoot, also commonly referred to as Sasquatch, is a purported ape-like creature said to inhabit the forest of North America. Many dubious articles have been offered in attempts to prove the existence of Bigfoot, including anecdotal claims o ...

(Sasquatch) sightings; with many legends dating back to pre European settlement. One such noted legend is the story of the

Fouke Monster In Arkansas folklore, the Fouke Monster , also known as the Boggy Creek Monster and the Swamp Stalker, is purported to be an ape-like creature, similar to descriptions of Bigfoot, that was allegedly sighted in the rural town of Fouke, Arkansas ...

of Southern Arkansas; documented in the 1972 film '' The Legend of Boggy Creek''. The area according to references lists this area to be the third highest in North America for these such sightings. Melanistic (black) cougars, another probable

cryptid Cryptids are animals that cryptozoologists believe may exist somewhere in the wild, but are not believed to exist by mainstream science. Cryptozoology is a pseudoscience, which primarily looks at anecdotal stories, and other claims rejected b ...

, have been noted by residents.

References

External links

Experience Nature, Arts & Culture, History & Heritage Destinations in the Texas Pineywoods
{{Nearctic temperate coniferous forests, state=collapsed Temperate coniferous forests of the United States Ecoregions of the United States Forests of Arkansas Forests of Louisiana Forests of Oklahoma Forests of Texas Natural history of Arkansas Natural history of Louisiana Natural history of Oklahoma Natural history of Texas Plant communities of the Eastern United States Plant communities of Louisiana Regions of Texas Nearctic ecoregions