Sabine National Forest
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Sabine National Forest
IUCN Category VI - Protected Area with Sustainable use of Natural Resources |
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 The entrance to the national forest |
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| location | Texas , USA | |
| surface | 1608 km² | |
| Geographical location | 31 ° 20 ′ N , 93 ° 51 ′ W | |
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The Sabine National Forest is an American national forest located in the east of the state of Texas near the border with Louisiana and covers an area of more than 1,608 square kilometers. It is located in five counties : Sabine County , Shelby County , San Augustine County , Newton County, and Jasper County .
Closest locations to the west are the Texas cities of Hemphill , San Augustine, and Shelbyville ; to the east, the cities of Many , Zwolle, and Converse in Louisiana .
The forest is managed together with the three national forests Angelina National Forest , Davy Crockett National Forest and Sam Houston National Forest as well as the two grassland areas Caddo National Grassland and Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland . The forest was founded on October 13, 1936.
history
The biodiversity and natural design of today's national forest happened in part over 10,000 years ago. The first inhabitants were nomadic hunters. When the first Europeans explored the country in the late 16th century, they encountered agriculture-dependent residents who owned large villages and whose lives were shaped by religious and social rituals and guidelines. Attempts by the Spaniards in the 17th and 18th centuries to settle in East Texas regularly failed due to clashes with indigenous people. At the beginning of the 19th century, only one of the formerly over two dozen Indian tribes still existed.
In the late 19th century, timber producers discovered the area for themselves and used the old and extensive trees for their productions. The early expansion of the railway network created a basis for the extensive use of wood resources in the area. When large parts of these profitable resources were exhausted, the entrepreneurs moved on. Today old traces of the railway line can still be found in the national forest.
In 1934, laws were created in Texas to protect already decimated natural resources from further exploitation. From 1935, large areas, which today also include the Sabine National Forest and the other forests managed in parallel, were acquired and protected. In addition to fire and erosion protection, stands were secured and new trees were planted. An extensive secondary forest has developed to this day.
leisure
The national forest offers a variety of recreational opportunities. These include camping, fishing, horse riding and climbing. There is also a 45-kilometer network of hiking trails. A wild animal area of more than 260 square kilometers is open for hunting. As a total reserve, over 120 square kilometers are protected from all human interference.
