Lufkin, TX: In 1902, T.L.L. Temple first purchased a parcel of land that is now part of the 19,000+ acre Boggy Slough Conservation Area (BSCA). Boggy Slough belonged to the Temple family until the late 1960s when it became a corporate asset of Temple-Inland, Inc., and subsequently changed ownership with the sale of company assets in 2012. The T.L.L. Temple Foundation, under the leadership of Arthur (Buddy) Temple, III as chairman, acquired Boggy Slough in December 2013. Buddy’s affection for the property and commitment to conservation of forests inspired him to lead the foundation in negotiating the purchase and an agreement with The Conservation Fund to place a conservation easement over the entire 19,000+ acres. The easement, now held by the Texas Land Conservancy, ensures that the land will be protected and managed sustainably as a working forest in perpetuity.
The mission of the Boggy Slough Conservation Area is “to serve as a model of excellence for East Texas through ecological research and outreach to promote conservation, management, and stewardship of natural resources.” Given Buddy’s strong interest in conserving the native forest ecosystems, in learning new things about these ecosystems, and in growing a new generation of conservation leaders, the foundation chose to honor his leadership by naming three key programmatic elements of BSCA in his honor: The Buddy Temple Visiting Scholar, The Buddy Temple Graduate Fellow (graduate student), and The Buddy Temple Symposium. With these designations, Buddy’s legacy will continually be associated with core components of the research and outreach programs that align with his personal vision and interests.
Dr. Benjamin Knapp, Associate Professor of Silviculture at the University of Missouri, has been named the first Buddy Temple Scholar. “It is an honor to partner with the Boggy Slough Conservation Area in fulfillment of Buddy Temple’s vision for conservation of natural resources. This is an exciting opportunity to learn about the ecology of these forests to improve their management moving forward.” Dr. Knapp will also be recruiting the first Buddy Temple Graduate Fellow to join him in his research.
“We are excited to partner with Dr. Knapp as the first Buddy Temple Visiting Scholar,” says Executive Director of the Boggy Slough Conservation Area, Dr. Steve Jack, of Knapp’s research project. “The research that Dr. Knapp will conduct at BSCA – promoting natural regeneration of desired tree species while managing with prescribed fire – is important for sustaining the forests at Boggy Slough and other properties in the region that are managed for conservation objectives.”
Ellen Temple, Buddy’s widow and a foundation trustee, says she is happy to see that his legacy lives on through the work of the BSCA programs. “Buddy loved the rivers and forests of the Piney Woods of East Texas. He wanted to develop the knowledge through research of how we can each become a friend of the forest and then pass that love and care of the land to future generations. The Visiting Scholar, Graduate Fellow and Symposium that bear his name are the perfect way to honor his vision. Thank you to my fellow foundation trustees and foundation staff for making it happen, and a big welcome to Dr. Ben Knapp as the first Buddy Temple Scholar!”
