May 10, 2019 College Station – A suspected timber thief plead guilty this week to a Second Degree Felony of Unauthorized Harvesting of Timber valued between $100,000 and $200,000.
Thomas Curtis Fields, 49, of Frankston, Texas, harvested timber on private property near Jacksonville, Texas in Cherokee County without the landowner’s knowledge or permission.
“Unfortunately there are criminals out there who take advantage of landowners and steal valuable timber without the landowner’s knowledge,” said Texas A&M Forest Service Investigator Colton Covington.
April 26, 2019 - The theft of timber is a serious crime in Texas. Each year, Texas A&M Forest Service investigators receive theft complaints from landowners that total over one million dollars.
Theft of timber is not only costly for victims, it can also destroy generations of careful forest stewardship and cause irreparable environmental damage.
April 25, 2019 - Many of us appreciate urban trees for the aesthetic appeal they bring to our communities, neighborhoods and properties. Urban forests make up a vital part of Texas’ natural resources, providing aesthetic, recreational, health and environmental benefits.
Urban forests also provide significant economic benefits which haven’t been well-studied, such as job creation for arborists, nursery operators and urban foresters. Texas A&M Forest Service released the summary report “Economic Impact of Urban Forests in Texas” after analyzing data on:
April 12, 2019 College Station – Texas A&M Forest Service Law Enforcement Investigators made an arrest Thursday afternoon in a timber theft case in Harrison County.
Agency investigators arrested Edward Tom Williams, 59, of Longview on a warrant for Theft of Property valued between $2,500 and $30,000. Williams was released on a $10,000 bond.
April 11, 2019 Lufkin – Every three years, Texas A&M Forest Service conducts Best Management Practices (BMP) implementation monitoring on randomly-selected forested tracts across East Texas. For each round of monitoring, foresters evaluate 150 tracts on which silvicultural activities occurred. This program of monitoring non-regulatory forestry BMPs in East Texas is funded by Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grants from the Environmental Protection Agency through the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.
February 19, 2019 – From February through June, oak trees should not be pruned or wounded to prevent the spread of oak wilt disease. Texas A&M Forest Service reminds Texans that it is especially critical to avoid pruning oaks in Texas counties affected by oak wilt.
When springtime comes, oak trees produce new leaves for the coming growing season. While the seasonal transition may leave oaks looking thin with yellowed leaves, new green leaves will soon emerge.
January 23, 2019 College Station – Tax season is fast approaching and forest landowners may want to refresh their knowledge of timber tax laws. The 2019 Texas Timber Income and Property Tax Workshop will be held on February 11 from 8 am to 5 pm at the Civic Center in Diboll, Texas.
December 10, 2018 Fort Worth, Texas — Reports of the presence of the deadly emerald ash borer (EAB) in Tarrant County have been confirmed. EAB has infested and killed ash trees in the Eagle Mountain Lake area.
November 29, 2018 College Station - Oak wilt is one of the most destructive tree diseases in the United States, and it has been known to kill oak trees in Central Texas at epidemic proportions. Texas A&M Forest Service urges Texans, hunters in particular, to take preventative measures and be cautious when collecting and purchasing firewood at this time of year to stop the spread of oak wilt.
November 13, 2018 - Some 200 firefighters in 50 engines from 47 Texas fire departments in 23 counties will head to California to help fight three major wildfires that have taken at least 29 lives, destroyed more than 6,700 structures and prompted evacuations for about 250,000 Californians.