In 1915, the 34th Texas Legislature created by law the State Department
of Forestry and made it a part of the Agricultural and Mechanical
College of Texas. In 1925, the department became the Texas Forest
Service. As it grew, its service to Texas increased. It now helps
protect Texas’ forest resources against fire, insects and disease;
assists woodland owners in the proper management of their lands; makes
available seedlings for reforestation and windbreak purposes; conducts
research in forest tree improvement, management and utilization; and
conducts an educational program to acquaint Texans as to the
desirability of practicing forestry.
The Texas Forest Service, with more than 300 employees, has four
departments: Forest Fire Control, Forest Management, Forest Products,
and Information and Education. The offices of the Director, and of the
Forest Management and the Information and Education Departments are in
College Station. Forest Fire Control and Forest Products Department
headquarters are in Lufkin.
Seven administrative districts, each headed by a district forester, are
responsible for the activities of the Texas Forest Service in the areas
of intensive and extensive forest fire protection. District headquarters
are located at Linden, Henderson, Lufkin, Woodville, Kirbyville, Conroe
and College Station.
More than 10 million acres of state and privately owned timberland in
the Piney Woods are now under intensive protection against fire, insects
and diseases. An additional area of 5 million acres, commonly referred
to as the post oak region, west of and adjacent to the pine-hardwood
area, has been under extensive protection beginning with 1962.