Pineywoods RC&D Area

"Improve quality of life with responsible stewardship through utilization and development of natural and human resources"

Counties Served

Anderson Angelina Cherokee Houston Nacogdoches

Rusk San Augustine Sabine Shelby Trinity

For Information Contact: Pineywoods RC&D Area Ken Awtrey, Coordinator 118 East Hospital, Suite 103 Nacogdoches, TX 75961-3514 Phone (936) 568-0414 Fax (936) 552-8917 Website:  Pineywoods RC&D

Pine Straw Harvesting In East Texas

Use of pine straw as a ground cover mulch in landscaping around trees and in flowerbeds has recently risen in popularity in Texas because it is clean, attractive, and provides exceptional value for most landscaping situations. Pine straw only recently gained popularity in Texas, but it has been a popular landscape ground cover throughout the South for the last 25 years. It is one of the most widely used mulches for all projects ranging from residential flowerbeds to industrial complexes and highway landscapes.

Pine straw is a renewable resource that may be harvested each year in Texas, and no trees are cut to collect it. Pine trees in the Texas Pineywoods naturally shed needles each year. These needles can be raked into bales of pine straw and used as landscape mulch.

The pine straw industry is continuing to grow. There are seven pine straw balers in East Texas. The U.S. Forest Service provides funding to develop brochures, a video, and a website to assist in the development of this industry.

A list of current pine straw balers is on the website at www.pineywoodsrcd.org.

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