Big Thicket Association, Beaumont

About Big Thicket Association

The Big Thicket Association operates Neches River Adventures, offering excursion boat charters aboard the Ivory Bill, a covered vessel that navigates both the open Neches River and shallow cypress-lined backwater channels. School groups, social organizations, and nature enthusiasts book these river expeditions throughout the year. The organization coordinates the Thicket of Diversity project, supporting biological field research and species inventory work in the Big Thicket National Preserve. Field biologists conduct research at the Field Research Station, studying the region's flora and fauna. Located in Beaumont, the Big Thicket Association focuses on conservation, education, and research across East Texas. Visitors explore the distinctive ecosystem through guided boat tours and educational programs that examine the area's natural resources and cultural heritage, experiencing the interconnected wetlands, forests, and waterways that define this region.