FORESTRY UPDATE by Gary Allen Burns 9-21

A loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), found on the T.L.L. Temple Foundation Boggy Slough Conservation Area west of Lufkin, is now named the largest loblolly in Texas. The new champion, located within 200 feet of Cochino Bayou, is 138 feet high and has a 178-inch circumference and a crown spread of 65 feet. An old abandoned tram right-of-way is located nearby, and it is postulated that this area was last logged for both hardwood and pine more than 100 years ago, and the champion loblolly was one of the first to regenerate following the logging in the late 1800’s. In 2016, a conservation easement was placed on this property in cooperation with the Conservation Fund.