Big Thicket Association

Neches River Adventures: The Association operates the Ivory Bill, a covered excursion boat on the Neches River for school field trips, social events and nature classes. Public tours are conducted most Saturdays between late March and early November. The Ivory Bill is also available for private tours all year. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Ivory Bill conducted 40 private charters, 31 public tours, and 117 school field trips.

Thicket of Diversity and Field Research Learning Center: The Association, in partnership with the Big Thicket National Preserve, The Nature Conservancy, and other entities, administers and coordinates the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI). The ATBI is undertaken to enhance the ability of the National Park Service management to identify every living species inhabiting the Big Thicket National Preserve and surrounding areas and the role of ecosystem dynamics in its health. The Field Research Station and Learning Center includes a small laboratory, classroom and domitory. For a nominal fee, FRSLC provides lodging for reasearch scientists and their graduate students, conservation groups, and volunteers. As part of ATBI, the Assoiation administers and disburses grant funding received from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and other grantors.