Sondra Hernandez Staff writer January 7, 2025

The Texas A&M Forest Service is conducting prescribed burning operations in the W.G. Jones State Forest Tuesday. 

The forest is on FM 1488 just west of Interstate 45 south of Conroe. The project will impact 104 acres just south of FM 1488. In the interest of public and firefighter safety, certain areas of the forest will be closed to the public Tuesday. 

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“Considered a standard forest management tool for endangered species habitat restoration, undergrowth vegetation reduction, and providing for community safety; the prescribed burning will take place as weather permits. The area is located between I-45 and Texas 242, south of FM 1488 within the state forest boundaries,” according to information from the Texas A&M Forest Service. 

Objectives for Tuesday’s prescribed burning operations include: 

• Vegetative reduction/reduce the potential of devastating wildfire on state forest land/reduce fuel load
• Restoration of forest ecological habitat for endangered Red-cockaded woodpecker populations
• Improve access and visual landscape aesthetics for safety
• Enhance wildlife habitat by increasing sunlight to the forest floor and desirable flora species
• Inter-departmental training between state and local emergency response resources 

Texas A&M Forest Service has notified the surrounding city and fire officials, as well as area residents and groups who frequent the forest, by email and posting notification signs in adjoining right-of-ways.

Agency firefighters and equipment will be stationed at the forest as a precautionary measure.

Jones State Forest is an urban 1,722-acre preserve where the area’s native loblolly pine trees, short leaf pines and other trees stand undisturbed — some for the nearly 100 years the park has been in existence. William Goodrich Jones was the founder of the Texas Forestry Association.

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Opened and preserved since 1926 by what was previously known as the Forestry Department of Texas A&M University System, but is now known as the Texas A&M Forest Service, the park features two lakes and nearly 15 miles of trails that wind through its towering pine trees. 

The forest is also home to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. They are on the federal endangered species list and the Texas Parks and Wildlife’s state endangered list. They need large, mature pine trees that are 60 years and older in which to build cavities for roosting and nesting. Their habitat was not reported as damaged after this summer’s hurricane. 

The forest did experience some tree damage during Hurricane Beryl in July, but forest service staff conducted a cleanup in the fall. 

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